Fish Brains

[Pickupman66]

OK.. so this may sound strange, but my fish recognize me. they also recognize melanie and Austin as well, but when anyone else goes up to the tank, they all vanish. But for one of us who they see on a daily basis, they stay out and play. they also know the difference between feeding time and staring time! Anyone else notice this? at least we can say they have a similar interaction as other traditional pets.


I have been thinking about this for months, but never said anything. I was thinking I was just being silly.

 

[pitbullpooch]

ive noticed the same thing with all my fish including when i use to have oscars so they are alot smarter then what most people think.

 

[Kalied20]

Oh yes, my little buggers come to the top of the water when I feed them. And they will let me look right into the glass, but will hide from strangers....it is fun to watch.

 

[Mikeyjer]

All my fish do that, fresh and salt. They're smart little buggers!!! They actually don't mind the dog, a few would hide from me even though I've had'em for a long time, but they won't hide from the dog for some odd reason....

 

[fishdoc11]

It's called conditioning

The fish associate you(movement, mannerisms, colors) with food.

For those that don't know about Pavlov's dogs they pretty much explain it:

http://nobelprize.org/educational_games/medicine/pavlov/readmore.html

Chris

 

[Pickupman66]

Chris, I was hoping you might chime in here. I do recall pavlog's dog now. I like the recognize me theory though!

 

[fishdoc11]

They do recognize you....they recognize that you give them food

 

[greystreet41]

many parallels between women and fish..whodah thunk it? And here I thought it was just a coincidence she was so kind at or near pay day.
not sure who has conditioned who though.....

 

[fishdoc11]

Well I know I automatically salivate when I see Victoria's Secret lingerie

Or chocolate chip cookies.....

 

[Pickupman66]

HAHA!!! agreed agreed.

 

[Fanof49ASU]

I've been married too long to join in on that discussion......but I will comment on the 'conditioning of fish'.

I have a tank with rock for my future 75g setup in my garage. The only critters in it came with the rock....including a serpent star. He has become conditioned to come to the front of the tank for feeding when the powerhead/filter turns off. It's fascinating.

 

[Mikeyjer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8830418#post8830418 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by fishdoc11
They do recognize you....they recognize that you give them food

The only fish that does NOT come to me is my Yellow Tang, I've had that fish for over a year and a half. We named it Claireese, she has NEVER come to me at all since the beginning. Even during feeding time, she rather hide. She hides when I walk into my bedroom, where her tank is being kept. But all my other fish, which is about 30 other fish, comes to me during feeding. She's a strange fish......

 

[southernstang00]

Yea, when i had oscars I could stick my hand in there to move stuff around or to syphon out the bottom but when a stranger stuck a finger in the tank,POP!! ::dayum that hurts::

haha, I played a joke on a friend and told him to stick his finger in the tank and see how warm the water was and both the tiger and albino nailed him hard...haha every since then he wouldn't go near the tank :bum:

 

[gflat65]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8832324#post8832324 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Fanof49ASU
I've been married too long to join in on that discussion......but I will comment on the 'conditioning of fish'.

Then you'd be the perfect one to comment on conditioning (unless through conditioning, you've learned to not comment on such things). Marriage is the cruelest and funnest form of conditioning. They don't even have to have leashes with choke collars to keep us in line...