Fun for fish

[RovingGinger]

I have heard this is a terrible idea. So laser pointers (bad) and live food (usually good) aside, what do you do to help make sure your fish have a mentally simulating tank?

My guppies and other fish in a 40 breeder seem to love the combo of a bubble wall below the filter output, and the central scaping that leaves the outer 2 inches of the tank basically a clear fish racetrack with current. Am I projecting because I have so much fun watching them? Yes. But still, what have you tried?

Edited September 6, 2020 by RovingGinger
Emphasizing badness of laser pointer idea

[Taylor Blake]

I give my Big guy a snail shell to "play" with. It's just a trap door snail shell that he will grab and splash around he will carry it like a dog with it's bone. When he was only a few inches he would try to fight the air stone and "play" with the bubbles from it hence I named him bubbles. I don't feed live because feeder fish can carry diseases and my guy is a 3 foot plus alligator gar so brine shrimp doesn't cut it for him. He doesn't like to play in front of me but I have found him holding his shell. He will also swim next to where I'm standing and if I don't offer food In time he will splash me with like a gallon of water and pout on bottom for like an hour with his shell next to him.

Edited September 7, 2020 by Taylor Blake

[TheDukeAnumber1]

I'm the opposite, I have many tiny fish. I keep fast growing plants like Val and water hyacinth, the fast growth of the val leaves and the hyacinth roots keep their environment in a state of slow constant change inbetween trimmings. I do feed baby brine which IMO is great nutritionally but not "challenging" since they are easy to catch and stay free floating, but I try to give them a workout with dried foods. I put a small pile of food on a mat of duckweed and they have to poke and work at the duckweed to bring the food down, seems to liven things up a bit.