Re: NANFA-- Strange bullhead behavior - an explanation?

Nick Zarlinga (njz_at_clevelandmetroparks.com)
Tue, 16 Jul 2002 09:59:30 -0400

I guess that it is sort of like when you are riding your bike and you
swallow a bug?

Nick Zarlinga

"If we ignore nature.....maybe it'll go away."

----- Original Message -----
From: "Denkhaus, Robert" <DenkhaR_at_ci.fort-worth.tx.us>
To: "NANFA (E-mail)" <nanfa_at_aquaria.net>
Sent: Tuesday, July 09, 2002 5:34 PM
Subject: NANFA-- Strange bullhead behavior - an explanation?

> Today, I had some leftover bait shop shiners ("crappie minnows") from a
> fishing program. As I usually do, I added these to the Nature Center's
100
> gallon community tank for the enjoyment of the resident warmouth,
longears, et
> al. Normally, this results in a typical little feeding frenzy but today,
two
> 3-4 inch long black bullheads each grabbed a shiner that looked to be
probably
> maximum size for swallowing. Immediately after engulfing the shiners,
both
> the bullheads began writhing uncontrollably, swimming irratically,
spinning,
> diving, and virtually every other action that could be described as
> uncontrolled movement. Pardon the anthropormorphism but they actually
> "looked" like they didn't know what was going on. The odd behavior lasted
> about 30 seconds for each bullhead and the bullhead immediately resumed
normal
> bullhead behaviors after the writhing stopped. Consensus among those in
> attendance (all naturalists enjoy watching a good feeding frenzy), was
that
> the shiners were still alive and through their gyrations inside the
bullheads'
> deigestive tracts were causing the unusual external behavior. Has anyone
else
> seen something like this or does anyone have another, better explanation?
>
> Rob Denkhaus
> Fort Worth Nature Center & Refuge

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/ For more information about NANFA, visit our web page, http://www.nanfa.org