Lazy fish at a British aquarium have been put on an exercise regime after staff decided they were getting spoiled by constant hand feeding, the Daily Telegraph said yesterday.

Archer fish usually spit water at passing prey to knock it into the water but specimens at the Blue Reef Aquarium in Portsmouth abandoned the practice when they realised meals would arrive without effort.

In a bid to keep their reactions sharp, staff have rigged up a mobile strung with plastic flies above the tank to encourage a bit of target practice. Each time they score a hit, a piece of food drops off the fly.

NZPA-Reuters.