10/11/2025
If you have been following along for some time you would already know that I like to push the limits of what I offer my animals within their habitats, I have done everything from misting to waterfalls and ponds ensuring that the animals enclosures are big enough that they can avoid or interact with these features as the wish. In a new Enclosure design I am working towards I wish to incorporate a fishtank section into the build running on the concept that many of the Carpet Python species and subspecies are found along river and creek systems in the wild. After acquiring a second hand and unusually skinny fishtank that happened to fit with on of my temporary enclosures I figured why not do a test run and see how it goes, I added the tank with gravel and river stones, a variety of plants and after cycling the water with an already cycled filter that also acts as a small current within the tank added 4 guppies.
The behaviours I have witnessed so far have been fascinating, from going for a swim on an almost nightly basis to hunting above the waters surface (also seen with his previous pond setup) to the most recent observation last night.
I am feeding the fish just a basic flake and very little of it being that there are very few fish in the system at this time, my boy has just come out of a fasting period and had a feed of 2 medium rats last weekend and was basking but as soon as those fish flakes hit the water he became alert, 5 minutes later and he is intently investigating the waters surface inside the tank trying to find the source of the smell and at one point even struck at the waters surface in a rather confused fashion (which concerned me greatly as far as a stressed and possibly even risk to health with a rather sudden mouthful of water) , I observed closely as he continues the investigate the area with no more strikes occurring the my relief, eventually he took a drink and the perched up above the water and sat in ambush for the rest of the night.
My theory around this behaviour is that the smell of the fish food triggered a feeding response of possible prey in the area, being that he recently fed his instincts are telling him that food may be currently available putting him on high alert. I had not even considered the fish flake to be recognised as a possible food source by him so I will be adjusting to a sinking pallet from now on to avoid anymore confusion from my boy but and interested observation non the less, which makes me wonder if fish flakes could be used as a scenting tool in order to get stubborn animals onto food.
Please note that adding untested things into habitats is something that I have put alot or research and observation into and any ongoing risk to my animals results in the removal of said feature or an adjustment to remove the risk.
All other interactions with the fishtank, fish and water have been stress free and enriching for my boy, humidity levels have been carefully monitored and are within safe ranges.
I hope you find this as interesting as I did.
