Do fish recognize people?

[IronMonkey]

Just was noticing yesterday that when my kids approach the DT, the fish stay fairly indifferent to their presence (unless they are making sudden movements, then they retreat). But when I come up to the tank, most of them gather near front and center and come near the top. Seems like they know who to associate with food LOL.

I like to think I'm special like that! Ha

-Adam

 

[risin]

I think they definitely do. Every time I open the freezer door my fish gather, and the sail fin tang starts splashing water out of the tank.

 

[g_langley]

I think they are creatures of habit. We tend to fall into a feeding regime and they pick up on that and know when "it's time".

 

[slief]

They absolutely do. I can have 3 people standing around my tank and if I'm there, my fish will follow me and not the other people. I have seen the same reaction with fish, eels etc over the years. As noted, this is likely due in large part to the fact that they associate us with feeding but they absolutely do know who feeds them. They also seem to know when it's feeding time without seeing food. At certain times of the day, like clock work, they become much more active when I approach the tank. Granted, it's probably their bellies telling them it's time to eat but they know when it's feeding time and who to expect to provide the food.

 

[theMatrix]

Yes.

As said above. Similar experience.
Some of the fish even show off

 

[lespaul339]

My fish hide at first when friends look at my tank but when I come over they come right out thinking they are getting fed. I think they get used to certain people for sure.

 

[mussel and hate]

When I kept oscars mine knew me from my brothers. Most people have difficulty differentiating me from my brothers... Impressive fish skills.

 

[Mark9]

I'm saying no.
They go crazy when I sit in the "feeding" chair, but they do the exact same thing if my wife sits in it.
And she does it maybe once a month.

 

[Wazzel]

Not sure if it is me or the red solo cup, but the fish gather at the feeding spot when I show up with the cup.

 

[brett559]

Wazzel beat me to it. I thaw the food in a bright red cup. They definitely know the cup!

 

[ericarenee]

Our Vlamingi tang for sure knows the difference in people... A strange comes close to her pond and she will Hide in here cave.. Bonnie comes up to the tank and she will come to the top of the water and wait for food.. When i get near the tank she comes out and swims about to either be fed or petted .

She is also at times picky.. Sometimes i can hold a piece of nori between my fingers. she will come up as if to eat it. then all at once hit the side of my fingers as if to say she does not want that.. Then i offer krill or something life from refugium and she will eat it... Cant say the same for most of our fish. But some of them are smarter then others from my experience..

Yes We have a Vlamingi tang... NO Bunched Panties please

 

[albano]

They absolutely do. I can have 3 people standing around my tank and if I'm there, my fish will follow me and not the other people. I have seen the same reaction with fish, eels etc over the years. As noted, this is likely due in large part to the fact that they associate us with feeding but they absolutely do know who feeds them. They also seem to know when it's feeding time without seeing food. At certain times of the day, like clock work, they become much more active when I approach the tank. Granted, it's probably their bellies telling them it's time to eat but they know when it's feeding time and who to expect to provide the food.

+1... Doesn't matter who else is in the room, when I walk in they come to my side of the tank.

 

[IronMonkey]

haha! I knew it! This thread cracks me up now because I know you are all just as nerdy about your reef tank as I am LOL!

 

[kmbyrnes]

Yes, fish recognize people. My fish know me and my granddaughter, who now spends after school at our house. We are the food providers. They know we are soft touches and they come right up and eat out of our fingers.

When my wife comes near the tank, once they see it is her, and not a food giver, they go about their business.

 

[homer1475]

Same experience here.....

Friends or the wife goes near the tank everything runs to hide, I get near the tank and all the fish are frint and center waiting for food. I think they just associate me with food, and cleaning their house. Great, just called myself the fish maid! :lolspin:

 

[Tweaked]

My male flame wrasse most definitely does. He lets me pet him and swims at me when ever I'm around, no matter who is there. Very smart and docile creature. My favorite of all my fish.

 

[tzylak]

It boils down to Pavlov's conditional reflex. . . . . ring a bell and the dog will drool . .
The intriguing part is the recognition details that the fish will pick up on. -Is it the face, the mannerism or what? -Certainly not clothing. . .

 

[ghostman]

I think that my fish recognize me, and will follow me around the tank as opposed to my family. I used to own a queen triggerfish that would not eat unless I fed her. When I went on vacation my parents took care of the tank and the trigger would not eat. When I returned, she pigged out.

 

[Roccus]

My fox face definitely knows me from my wife... she does most of the feeding... I do the cleaning... when she goes by or to the tank everyone including "Foxy" gather.. when I go to the tank.. the clowns and other Damsel fish will gather but the fox face and cardinals all hide..she says it is because she represents good things...I represent a BLEEP storm and disturb their oasis in paradise..

 

[Sk8r]

Definitely. Had a betta in college: brain the size of a bb, if that. He'd stay down on the bottom until he absolutely HAD to re-aerate if my roommate stood over his bowl. Me, he'd come up, even make a (very small) attack above the water surface to take dried shrimp off a flat toothpick. He was scared to death of my roommate, so I always took him with me when I'd take a weekend home.