why do divers do this?

flower

Well-Known Member
If the diver hadn't of tossed the food, the other fish would not go near the diver, and the critter he wanted to film was not seen until it ate.
I don't see anything wrong with it. If the diver wasn't there the fish would have gotten close enough for the wierd thing to eat undisturbed.
It is the way of life in the ocean...fish eat other fish.
 

aquaknight

Active Member
Awwww... Watching the second one, like no, not the vlamingii, grab one of the stupid sergeant majors instead
 

ophiura

Active Member
I do find this sort of thing annoying because they also often have complete disregard for the corals they are holding on to, kicking, etc.
I am mystified with the allure of watching this sort of thing - I've seen it often. I've seen an audience for snakes eating live rats etc. I know places where there have been audiences watching a live rabbit thrown into gators. I don't understand the allure of it. I can appreciate the camouflage of a stonefish without having to see it eat. In the first video the guy basically tickles one under the chin and points at it. So yes, this sort of "dive" tour tends to annoy me, personally.
Yes, obviously I understand that fish eat fish...but being entertained by it? Always bothered me a bit. When I sold people goldfish for their oscars and they were just excited to know they would watch this...I don't get it.
 

flower

Well-Known Member
Originally Posted by ophiura
http:///forum/post/3045006
I do find this sort of thing annoying because they also often have complete disregard for the corals they are holding on to, kicking, etc.
I am mystified with the allure of watching this sort of thing - I've seen it often. I've seen an audience for snakes eating live rats etc. I know places where there have been audiences watching a live rabbit thrown into gators. I don't understand the allure of it. I can appreciate the camouflage of a stonefish without having to see it eat. In the first video the guy basically tickles one under the chin and points at it. So yes, this sort of "dive" tour tends to annoy me, personally.
Yes, obviously I understand that fish eat fish...but being entertained by it? Always bothered me a bit. When I sold people goldfish for their oscars and they were just excited
to know they would watch this...I don't get it.
+1 I don't understand the "fun" of watching no more than you do, but getting upset about it doesn't make sense either.
It just isn't a big sad deal to see a big fish eat another fish. Personally I think hearing all the "aw poor fish" is what urges the cruel ones to do such things...it's the shock effect they like. If people stop being so shocked all the fun would be gone.
 

deejeff442

Active Member
when i was in my late teens my friend had a 14 foot bermise python we used to pick up some beers and throw in 6-8 rats one at a time and watch him hunt the rat and if the rat dont move he wont strike they could be face to face .the second the rat would twitch bam bit and wrap it up till dead the open its hooked jaws and go straight up 4 feet and slither it down.
pretty cool to watch but on the other hand its a nasty rat i am not so much in favor of watching beautifull fish get eaten.hipocrit (spelling ?)
i know but some people find different creatures more valuable i guess.
i wont kill a spider unless its a black widow around here .fire ants -dead,hornets-dead,bumble bee leave it alone,wolf spider leave it alone.
everyones different.
 

flower

Well-Known Member
Originally Posted by deejeff442
http:///forum/post/3045056
when i was in my late teens my friend had a 14 foot bermise python we used to pick up some beers and throw in 6-8 rats one at a time and watch him hunt the rat and if the rat dont move he wont strike they could be face to face .the second the rat would twitch bam bit and wrap it up till dead the open its hooked jaws and go straight up 4 feet and slither it down.
pretty cool to watch but on the other hand its a nasty rat i am not so much in favor of watching beautifull fish get eaten.hipocrit (spelling ?)
i know but some people find different creatures more valuable i guess.
i wont kill a spider unless its a black widow around here .fire ants -dead,hornets-dead,bumble bee leave it alone,wolf spider leave it alone.
everyones different.

I got into a thread like this once before...What is the thrill? I just don't get it. Critters eat and dying hurts. Most critters eat before death, which is what makes it so awful to watch or me.
I understand giving some creatures more value. That is an individual opinion. I will swat a fly no problem...everyone is like that, and not caring for a rat I even understand, but some rats are pets too. Each to his own.
The thrill of watching something get eaten alive...
...
 

ophiura

Active Member
Originally Posted by Flower
http:///forum/post/3045048
+1 I don't understand the "fun" of watching no more than you do, but getting upset about it doesn't make sense either.
It just isn't a big sad deal to see a big fish eat another fish. Personally I think hearing all the "aw poor fish" is what urges the cruel ones to do such things...it's the shock effect they like. If people stop being so shocked all the fun would be gone.
I certainly didn't say I was "upset" about it. I'm a biologist and that is life. There is no "awe poor fish" about it, but IMO there is also no purpose to it really. I am more concerned about the behavioral impact. Some fish on dive sites like this come basically to depend on this sort of interaction (most notably with some large groupers). I don't think that is all that cool.
As you mentioned, fish will frequently and typically avoid divers (potentially a large predator)...so altering their behavior this way is not something I think is valuable.
Overall there are quite a few dive operations that do sketchy things, IMO, for a thrill...
 
R

rcreations

Guest
I never understood the fascination with feeding fish to other fish just to have some fun. I know people with triggers and lions that feed them guppies even though they are not healthy, just for the fun of watching the big live fish eat the little one.
I even saw a youtube video with some guy feeding a maxima clam to a trigger. That's just dumb... wouldn't it make more sense to buy a 50 cent clam and feed it that instead of something so expensive and beautiful? Same guy had another video of feeding damsels to his mantis shrimp. Have no respect for people like this.
Oh well... in the end they're all just fish but I don't understand why some people find this fun.
 

auroradrvr

Member
Originally Posted by RCreations
http:///forum/post/3045542
I never understood the fascination with feeding fish to other fish just to have some fun. I know people with triggers and lions that feed them guppies even though they are not healthy, just for the fun of watching the big live fish eat the little one.
I even saw a youtube video with some guy feeding a maxima clam to a trigger. That's just dumb... wouldn't it make more sense to buy a 50 cent clam and feed it that instead of something so expensive and beautiful? Same guy had another video of feeding damsels to his mantis shrimp. Have no respect for people like this.
Oh well... in the end they're all just fish but I don't understand why some people find this fun.
Same guy has a Titan trigger in a 120. So what'd you expect?
 
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