How Smart Are Fish?

[finchfarm]

Ever since I first got into fishkeeping I've always heard a lot of people, wether it be friends, family, or just random people out on the street say that fish don't have much intelligence....and of course there's the ever famous "goldfish only have a memory of 10 seconds" thing. I think fish are more intelligent than some people give them credit for.

For example, because of tank problems we're having to do a fish-in cycle. I'm keeping the ammonis down by gravel vacing and doing partial water changes every day. We have three Silver Dollars in our one tank, two small ones and one the size of a small plate. Like most Silver Dollars, they are skittish and don't like fast movements or strange objects in thier tank. For the past week since they've been back in the big tank whenever I start gravel vacing the big Silver Dollar goes and hides in one of our big plants with the little Dollars (something he never does unless I'm gravel vacing). He really dislikes the gravel vac being in his tank. I went to test the ammonia in the tank today, hoping that the ammonia wouldd just magically disappear. When I stuck in the test tube to collect the water I noticed the big Dollar getting a little antsy/nervous and darting around the tank. I got a an ammonia reading and decided to do a water change anyway, even though it was low. I put the test kit away and got the blue 5-gallon bucket we use when gravel vacing to siphon out the water. As soon as the big Dollar saw me coming with the blue bucket (didn't even have the vac with me yet) he went and darted into the plant. It took him about a week, but I think he's come to associate the blue bucket with the evil gravel vac coming into his tank.

Anyway, my view on the issue of fish intelligence (based mainly on the experience listed above) is that they are smarter than many people give them credit for, though certainly they don't possess the intelligence of something like a dog, bird, or cat...but it is there.

Feel free to debate/discuss the intelligence, or lack thereof of fish.

 

[roseK]

i believe they have intelligence. they can tell when its feeding time and such

and they are curious about new things.. like the camera , ooo lol

 

[xxBarneyxx]

Some fish are pretty smart (for a fish that is). Most fish seem to be able to tell when you are going to feed them. I have only had the fish in my new tank for 2 weeks (for 1 group) and 1 week (for the other group) and already when I get the food out the cupboard they all swim to the top/middle of the tank which is where I drop the food in.

Puffer fish a Cichlids in particular are pretty clever.

 

[dave_gray2077]

My cardinals have picked up a few tricks. As soon as I open the draws on the bottom of the tank stand they all dart to top right-hand corner of the tank.

This is where I always put the food in the tank, as the current is the slowest here. So it would seem they are able to associate the noise of the door opening with the prospect of food.

On a side note it’s only the cardinals that do this. The Rosy Fin tetras don’t.

 

[FBTgirl]

I heard somewhere that Oscars can remember there owners, and Bettas if you have a strict feeding time, will remember that over time. I would say some fish are pretty smart and others arent. But I do not know.

 

[SouthernCross]

I've said it before on similar threads and I'll say it again - as much as we like to think our fish know and remember us - it's all classical conditioning and food association and reinforcement (as someone touched on). Pavlov is the guy to look up if you want to know more about it.

It works with all animals. If you understand the principles behind it, it makes it a hell of a lot easier training your pets. I have the best behaved dogs of anyone I know thanks to extensive training and knowlege of this stuff I got while getting my psych degree (which I practiced on the dogs...).

 

[confusion]

To some extent, they do "know us", but it probably is in a way that we can't relate to. I have 2 large adult angels in a tank in my family room - when they see me come into the room, they start flaring their fins, and chasing each other away - as if to be the only one that gets to see me. They don't do that for my wife, my kids, visitors, etc. I'm the one that feeds them, so of course, they are recognizing that they're going to get fed. But, at the same time, they are able to make more granular judgements about what they see - they are able to discern me from someone else.

I always like to have some fun with people that come over to visit too. I have a nice comfy recliner in the corner of my family room that is next to the 55G tank with said angels. Most visitors for some reason always head for that chair. At some point, I'll ask them if they feel like they're being watched. Then I'll point to the 2 angels in the corner very intently checking them out.

I have a dwarf gourami that acted odd in the store. I wasn't intending to get one, but as I was looking, I notived him in the tank. Every time I would walk by, he'd race to the front of the tank, almost asking me to feed him, I guess. I touched the tank, and he started batting the glass with his feelers, then started pecking at my finger. Well, I had to take him home. He still does that, but interestingly, he doesn't do it to anyone else in my house.

Mythbusters also did a (fairly lame) segment on goldfish memory, and unsuprisngly dispelled the myth of the 10 second gold fish memory.

 

[nukeonekitty]

I think the only smarts fish have is instincts. Breeding and eating.

 

[ArauraDiscus]

Fish have very limited brain capacity for anything. They have absolutely no problem solving abilities of any kind. All they have in their brains are the basic instincts of...

1. eating
2. breeding
3. self preservation

THey have a limited memory storage from what I understand to be that of about 6 seconds. And have a very limited long term memory storage which seems to only include a learning of which things can be dangerous, and which tend to be peaceful and even give you food, Ie. us feeding them. Thats about all theiy are really capable of.

 

[powerdyne6]

my oscar is pretty intelligent, when me or my girlfriend walk into the room he swims to the top of the tank frantically hoping that some food will be dropped in, but on the other hand sometimes my mom or dad will go take a look at the oscar and he will somewhat turn a bit in the water and sort of back up away, I think this shows that he knows who is owners are from any other person

but when all 4 of us walk into the room with the bag of pellets, he doesn't care who it is he is right there at the top of the tank waiting

 

[syntax_error]

I don't remember this perfectly so correct me if I'm wrong; according to Biology 3rd edition by N.P.O Green intelligence was defined as the ability to aquire knowledge, reason and memory. Fish don't show much of any of these.

 

[-germ-]

Ooooh, good link for this;
http/www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/picrender...mp;blobtype=pdf
Basically fish (well Astyanax fasciatus, the blind cave fish) can build up a detailed map of its surroundings within a matter of hours)....
Or this one, as reffered to in the original link;
http/www.learnmem.org/cgi/reprint/4/6/451

 

[nukeonekitty]

Very interesting. I guess God had to throw them a bone considering they are in the dark and lost their eye sight.

 

[Straydum]

oscars are probably the smartest (for freshwater) around i guess. followed by spiney eels. and puffers.

 

[lighter]

This is interesting. I always though fish will always associate "everything" with food and do "everything" for food.