Fish memory.....

[freshmike]

Ok, here is what I think about the whole fish having a 5 second memory theory.......plfplfplfplf

When my brichardi had babies about 3 months ago, I split them up from the parents beause the brichardi were taking up the whole tank, I grew a few of the babies up on their own, for about 2 months.

Just 2 days ago I put one of babies back with its parents in the 180.

To my surprise the babe went back to its parents almost right away!
The funny thing is, is that a Front tried to eat the baby and the parents protected it!
I don't know if I am correct in thinking that the parents knew it was THEIR baby or not, but I am definately opting towards that!

I was very surprised!

 

[Jo]

Thats good news...!

Saw an article in one of the tabloids last week about the whole fish memory thing and they tended to agree with you that fish have longer memories that we think!

 

[Pufferpack]

I know my Dwarf Puffers have a memory a lot longer than 5 secs. I have seen them get pi$$ed at my wife for dusturbing their tank (cleaning). When I came home that day and looked at the tank it looked empty, as soon as I spoke 6 little puffers came zooming out of the plants to the front of the tank to greet me. The minute they heard my wifes voice they dissapeared again ...this went on for a week until she gave them a feed of snails and ghost shrimp as a treat, then all was forgiven and they would once again come out when she was in the room.

 

[platypus]

Oh that is so cool! But is that memory or is it instinct? Like salmon returning to the exact same stream they were born in to spawn themselves? Or turtles hatching out of their eggs on the beach and knowing straight away where the sea is?

I think a lot of animals are instinctively protective over their close relatives - they seem to know who shares their genes and who doesn't. Even humans do this - I watched this amazing programme recently where they got families to hold their breath under water to win money or prizes (or something like that) for other members of their family. And the closer the relation, the longer they held their breath - so parents would hold it the longest for their children, but much less time for their first cousin or great aunt or something. Pretty mad eh? I think this sort of thing is fascinating!

So memory or instinct - what do you reckon? Either way I still think it's pretty impressive.

 

[wuvmybetta]

We had a discussion on this awhile back & I do believe that fish remember,feel, care etc,etc...
It all stemmed from my clown loaches freaking out for days when I removed their house,they obviously remembered it WAS there and where it was supposed to be because they were checking to see if it was "back" constantly, they eventually gave up and accepted their new home

That's just too sweet that the parents and the babes instantly went to each other, it almost brought a tear to my eye when I read that *sigh*...I fishies

 

[kev]

I remember in school discussing a bloke (Can't remember his name) who would ring a bell ever time he fed his dogs.

my fish used to come to the surface every time I opened the top. about 2 weeks about i started giving the top a little tap after it was opened. Now when I open the top they do not come to the surface but when I give it a tap they come shooting up. that has got to be memory.

 

[kev]

just remembered his name - I think it was pavlove (SP??)

 

[Jo]

when I give it a tap they come shooting up. that has got to be memory

Wow..i find that thing really fascinating...I think that like all animals, fish use a bit of instinct and a bit of memory...my cat knows that it's feeding time about 6ish and no matter where she is, she'll always come back home about then to get fed...she can't know what the time is, so there must be someway of her knowing that it's time to come back, I can only presume that it's instinct because she must be hungry or something..?

Likewise if I can't seee some of my fish, I know that if I open the top of the tank they wil all come shooting to the surface, even if they are hiding at the time I open it...they can't see it, but they must associate the vibrations that go through the water with getting fed...

 

[Alien Anna]

Fish can learn and remember. When I was at university we trained goldfish and bettas to negotiate water mazes. Not only that, but would you believe that garden snails can also learn to do simple mazes?

 

[platypus]

Fish can learn and remember. When I was at university we trained goldfish and bettas to negotiate water mazes. Not only that, but would you believe that garden snails can also learn to do simple mazes?

What is particularly interesting is that I have been trying a bit of Pavlovian conditioning on my boyf for some time. Every time he leaves a mug/plate etc to fester by his chair, I don't wash it up. No fuss, I just leave it where it is in the hope the stench will eventually drive him to improve himself. We have been living together for 3 years with no visible sign of change.

Conclusion: Are snails more intelligent than human men

 

[Jo]

Are snails more intelligent than human men

he he....!

I'm afraid that you might be fighting a losing battle, my mum has been trying a similar experiment on my dad for the past 27 years....no change so far, he just kinda walks around them and my mum gets annoyed and gives in in the end!

Is the same with shopping....he can't do that either, I had to take him shopping the other day and he had the cheak to ask "polish...the list says polish, what sorta polish do you think she means...?!" hmmm, I wonder....just shows how much he does the cleaning too...!

Good luck with your experiment, let me know if it works..I'm trying a similar one on my housemate (she is female, so you men don't feel ganged up on...) We have slowly been running out of glasses because she has them all in her room...I'm ok, I only use one, but one day she will HAVE to bring them downstairs!!

he he

 

[Pufferpack]

Sorry platypus, I'm afraid your experiment is likely doomed to fail. We learn at a very young age that if you ignore something long enough it will eventually go away (or grow something interresting for you to watch). I always believed that the cleaning fairies always picked up after me, until I moved into my own house....then my darn dog must have been scaring them away, cuse they never visited me anymore.
Now as I have aged (dares not say matured or grown up ) I have come to the realization that I just have a greater filth tolerence level than my mother did, or than my wife does )

About the only way to turn this experiment to your favor is to watch the subject in question carefully and when he gets close to the sink stuff a treat in his mouth....eventually he will look for excuses to go to the sink and will seek out any dirty dishes in the house

 

[Pufferpack]

Glitch

 

[Alien Anna]

What is particularly interesting is that I have been trying a bit of Pavlovian conditioning on my boyf for some time. Every time he leaves a mug/plate etc to fester by his chair, I don't wash it up. No fuss, I just leave it where it is in the hope the stench will eventually drive him to improve himself. We have been living together for 3 years with no visible sign of change.

Conclusion: Are snails more intelligent than human men

You've forgotten one parameter of your experiment: a sense of smell.

In my experience, snails have a considerably better smell than human men and also move faster.

 

[platypus]

OK, so my options are:
1) According to fishy breeder geeza, give up, he's never going to change.
2) According to Pufferpack, use treats to whip him into shape. Ha! Unlikely, any chocolate/beer in the house has got my name on it!
3) According to Alien Anna, trade him in for a snail. Now I know my lfs will take unwanted fish back, do you think they will do the same with a human? He's a bit territorial and has outgrown most tanks but he might make a good tankmate for a school of pirhanas!