How much do fish 'see' through their tanks?

[Maroonostrich]

Just wondering how much fish can see and understand through the glass walls of their tanks?!!

My little shoal of neons sees me come in to the room and gathers excitedly in the corner of the tank where they usually get fed....

IF and ONLY IF I lift the feeding hatch they wait in that area...

But I noticed that the truly beserk activity had only commenced the other day when I picked up their yellow tube of food- the hatch had been open a while and they were patiently waiting but when that tube was in my hand there was a rush to the surface...

Can they see and identify shapes like that or was it just a coincidence?

Can they identify and react to specific people or is that too much to expect of them?

 

[chishnfips]

I saw a nature program once which suggested that they have really clear sight.

 

[playfulalliecat]

My JD splashes me when I don't turn on the lights and feed him right away in the morning. The tank is right beside the computer.

All of the fish come to the top to greet us when we get near the tank. I think they know where their bread is buttered!

 

[rosietoo]

As soon as I'm anywhere near my tank, the platys all get very excited and swim back and forth madly - as if to say "feed us, feed us, we're starving!"

I'm sure they do it to make me feel guilty, I sometimes feel like I need to apologise to them and explain why I have the audacity to walk past them and not feed them - 'sorry fishies, I'm only going to get the post from the door mat, it's not dinner time for another 6 hours!'

 

[Saz]

My fish can also see me walk into the room and they gather at the surface where they are fed. I thought they just did that because they related a human like figure to feeding time. However more recently I had some platies in quarrantine and everytime someone walked into the room they would become extremely nervous and jumpy EXCEPT when it was me. It could of been coincidence but it happened quite a few times. It was like they actually recognised me. Intelligent or what?

 

[pseud]

My rams go nuts when I go near the tank. They know it's feeding time. They sure take a long time to settle back down even when I politely inform them it's not dinner time and I just want to watch for a while!

 

[qwikimpss]

I immagine they see quite a bit! With my Barbs Danios and Serpae tetras in my 55gal the moment they see me walk in ZOOM straight to the surface. But in my 29 gallon I can walk right up, open the lid and the fish don't seem to care. Maybe it's because they're used to me (the tank is in my bedroom after all) and my platys dont beg either (but that tank is right next to my bed...they see me all the time.

 

[rdd1952]

They can definitely see through it. Just like everyone else's, mine flock to their normal feeding spot when someone walks in the room in the morning or the afternoon. Of course, the skittish fish scamper and hide when we walk by too. They definitely are smart enough to know where to go when it's feeding time.

 

[Barracuda518]

Yeah, I think all fish do this. My danios and neons go crazy when I walk up to the tank and even more crazy when I open the lid. My yoyo loaches also come out if they see me close to the tank. They like to eat

 

[Angry_Platy]

I have fry at the moment in a breeding box at the top of the 30gal. Being fry I am ALWAYS feeding them meaning getting their food container, taking the glass off and dropping their food in. the poor fish in the main part of the tank must go through so many stages "OOH, we're getting food" then they wait "Awwww. where did she go" then "What the hell??? Those little insects up the top are getting food and were not" then "We'll just bash on the bottom of the thing they're in and some might fall out"

 

[Barracuda518]

I have fry at the moment in a breeding box at the top of the 30gal. Being fry I am ALWAYS feeding them meaning getting their food container, taking the glass off and dropping their food in. the poor fish in the main part of the tank must go through so many stages "OOH, we're getting food" then they wait "Awwww. where did she go" then "What the hell??? Those little insects up the top are getting food and were not" then "We'll just bash on the bottom of the thing they're in and some might fall out"

[snapback]877573[/snapback]​

They hit the bottom of the breeding box for real? Thats pretty cool B)

 

[xxSarahxx]

My main fish bang the bottom of the breeding box too!! It's so funny - jealous little so and so's!!
I think my fish know the difference between people too. As others have mentioned they frequently flock to the front of the tank to say hello. However, when I'm near the tank they go to the surface for food (and get so annoyed when I'm just saying hello) but when it's anyone else (I'm the only one who feeds them) goes near the tank they go to the front but don't go to the top for food. I'm sure the fish know me and the other regular onlookers (for example the children I look after) and react differently when it's someone they know. The bettas are a good one for this actually. They seem to react more than the others.

 

[Ethos]

My gouramis just go nuts when I turn their tank light on. Thats the only time I turn their light on, is at night durning feeding time. My bedroom where they live is bright green, so I imagen they dont need a whole lot of light during the day.... my room is facing the east and it stays well lit during the day....

 

[modernhamlet]

I actually did an experiment with my mbuna awhile back. They consistently identify movement within about 12 feet of their tank. There is a small section of my living room that I can stand and move around in that they will not pay attention to. One step into the "zone" (most of the room!) and BAM, they're like "where's dinner?"... even when it's in their belly!

 

[Synirr]

My oscar can easily see me when I'm standing in the kitchen about 25-30 feet from his tank