Fish and Classical Conditioning

[PhreeByrd]

I have been observing my 2 clown fish for the last several months and have began to wonder if they are becoming classically conditioned to certain stimulus.

For example, when the main return pump turns off, the clown fish stop what ever they are doing and head up to the automatic feeder.

They will then wait here, not matter how long I set the interval between the automatic feeder dropping food and the main return pump turning back on... Once the main return pump turns back on, they return to what ever they do...

All my fish do stuff like this. As soon as I shut down my return pump, they know it's food time and congregate.
They also all swim to the front of the tank every time I walk past at certain times of the day.

My old powder blue tang used to wait at the corner of the tank every day for me to come home from work. Who knows how it knew to do that. Fish are smart... much smarter than they are often given credit for, I think.

 

[PhreeByrd]

My puffer lets me pet it because it knows it gets food right afterwards:

He actually seems to enjoy it. Cool vid, puffy.

 

[WVNed]

If I walk up to the tank with food in a small glass the fish come to the front center of the tank and wiggle back and forth. If I walk up with my camera they all hide in the rocks.

 

[Ebslinger]

I want to thank everyone for their replies. This has been on my mind the last several days.

I don't think I can use operant conditioning when it comes to reef fish... at least not the classic 4 quadrant system. Unless someone has a "very" creative idea.

But I am interested in trying to use minor classical conditioning to elicit certain behaviors.

For this experiment, I will be using my 2 ocellaris clown fish.

Now, any ideas for behaviors?

 

[norfolkgarden]

Do you have a longnose, flame or falco hawkfish?

Sure of the flame and longnose, guessing on the falco.

Other than the small tangs we own, probably the most 'self aware' fish I have encountered.
Closest fish to a dog or cat type of companion.
A lot of fish seem as unaware as some people think they all are.
Not the hawkfish.

 

[norfolkgarden]

Hmm, response to "the pointing finger" and food response?

4' tank, longnose hawkfish normally hangs out on left front. gets the finger. Backs up, away, to far side of tank. Gets food reward there?

We have 2 ocelaris clowns. What would you do with them?
Even though ours get hand fed minced clams, they are just kind of 'present'. Cute, but not a lot of obvious brain activity.

Lol, I don't believe my fish think of me as Matt.

More likely "the food resource". Or when I'm trying to separate squabbling fish like you would separate squabbling dogs, with a tapping or pointing finger, maybe occasionally, alpha. Lol.

That only works with certain smarter species.

 

[norfolkgarden]

If I walk up to the tank with food in a small glass the fish come to the front center of the tank and wiggle back and forth. If I walk up with my camera they all hide in the rocks.

I have been told that 'hunting' with a camera produces the same pheromones and response as hunting with a rifle.
Similar motions, possibly similar attitude. Maybe similar smell?

It was an intriguing idea.

 

[WVNed]

I have been told that 'hunting' with a camera produces the same pheromones and response as hunting with a rifle.
Similar motions, possibly similar attitude. Maybe similar smell?

It was an intriguing idea.

I wash every day

are you suggesting I rub some LRS on the camera?

 

[norfolkgarden]

I wash every day

are you suggesting I rub some LRS on the camera?

It might work!

 

[Eva Rose]

My jawfish would bob up & down on occasions (a few times a month). When he did this I would hand little empty snail shells to him. He would take them from me one at a time. Once he had "enough shells", he would stop bobbing & work on his new shell pile.
At feeding time he would just come out of his burrow -no bobbing.
I guess it is more a case that he had me conditioned...