From: smoking chimp 8/07/99 12:12:39 Subject: goldfish.... post id: 22477 If the fish learn, it must be hard since they are only supposed to have a memory of 7 seconds? From: hippy 8/07/99 12:16:17 Subject: re: goldfish.... post id: 22480 have done the experiment have taught fish to come and eat from my fingers. fed the at the same time every day in the same spot for about two weeks and the now always got that spot everyday at the same time and also when anyone else walks up to the tank and put there fingers in the water in that spot From: Daryn Voss 8/07/99 14:30:06 Subject: re: goldfish.... post id: 22531 How did anyone test that fish memory lasts 7 seconds only? Could this be an urban myth? From: Grant 8/07/99 19:47:17 Subject: re: goldfish.... post id: 22659 I suspect it is a myth. Here in Darwin we have a tourist attraction called 'Fish Feeding' at Doctors Gully. Everyday at high tide (except for small tides) the fish all come in to be hand fed. Drives fishermen crazy- biggest fish you've ever seen & can't catch them (legally). Marine Reserve. From: Entruchio 9/07/99 9:07:30 Subject: re: goldfish.... post id: 22765 My fish spend a lot of time in the corner where I feed them. Fly fishermen will tell you that trout in certain areas can tell if they are presented with an artificial lure and look at it but never take it. Fish are pretty damn smart. From: Shane 10/04/99 19:03:09 Subject: Goldfish post id: 6284 Is it true that goldfish have a 3 second memory and if so how has it been proven? From: Cam (Avatar) 12/04/99 17:00:40 Subject: re: Goldfish post id: 6485 I dunno much about goldfish, but I find it hard to beleive that they only have a 3 second memory. I offer the following anecdotal evidence, which may be totally irrelevant, but it seems convincing to me. I have a friend who has a fish tank. Each morning she switches the light on over the tank, then feeds the fish. They appear to have learned the association between the switching on of the light and food, so that when the light comes on (regardless of the time of day), they all swim to the feeding spot. When new fish are added to the tank, they only take a couple of days to learn this behaviour. Doesn't this indicate long term (>3 second) memory? I suspect the 3 second memory theory was invented by someone to justify putting fish in boring little bowls with no stimulation. From: Teresa 8/03/99 21:04:49 Subject: Goldfish post id: 3132 I was wondering what your theory was on the length of a goldfish's memory... I've heard that it is approximately 7 seconds... How come my fish seem to just swim around on a normal visit but when I have the fish food container (unopened) they get excited? Surely that would suggest a greater memory capacity. Thank you! :-) From: Stephen Bosi 9/03/99 9:16:15 Subject: re: Goldfish post id: 3141 I've noticed that too, but only for some of my goldfish. I had a large one that had clearly nutted out my routine and would start gulping at the top of the water as soon as my hand went for the fish food container. I had another goldfish, that never seemed to work it out. From: Aaron Langley 9/03/99 16:48:01 Subject: re: Goldfish post id: 3215 My goldfish do the same thing. I can get them to follow my hand, just before I feed them. This only works when they are hungry. From: jafo 9/03/99 17:40:21 Subject: re: Goldfish post id: 3225 Gain your fishes trust. Try putting your finger just above the waters surface above a single flake of food so that the hungry fish slightly touches your finger(you may need to turn off the filter). After a week or so try putting a flake on the end of your finger and hold it so you slightly break the surface. eventually you increase the distance between your finger and the surface. I have seen Paradise Fish jump more than 3 inches out of the water. Gold fish may only get half of thier total length out of the water. From: teresa 10/03/99 11:27:18 Subject: re: Goldfish post id: 3294 Hmmm, interesting idea jafo - lets just hope they don't get smart with their new skill and think "maybe if I just jump over to that bit over there I'll find a better pond" teh heh - A friends fish had jumped out of it's bowl for no apparent reason and sadly unable to complete it's mission the poor thing was found on the carpet the next day. From: Paul 15/07/99 9:45:33 Subject: My Two cents post id: 24036 I would disagree about Goldfish having a short memory of only 5-6 seconds. Okay, have you eve been into a pet shop with gold fish and waved your hand above the tank. All of the fish will swim to the top and start gulping". This is because they think that they are being fed. (Try it, it is funny) And since this is not really a natural instinct* they must remember that the waving hand usually means more food... *in nature a person does not come along a sprinkle food on the water, more than likely something above the water would be a predator.. well that my two cents... This forum is un-moderated. The views and opinions expressed are those of the individual poster and not the ABC. The ABC reserves the right to remove offensive or inappropriate messages.