Fish and learning?

[TheBiochemist]

Dear reefers,

could fish gain experiences and learn? I have a yellow stripe clingfish. Its very small thus it can simply swim to overflow. During the first week in my tank, it was doing this all the time. Its last attempt resulted in a journey to the sump and ended up sucked by a skimmer pump caught inside skimmer (I was surprised that it survived). I saved the fish and put it back to DT. After this “experience” it has never happen again and the fish even doesnt swim to the overflow anymore. As this lasts for more than month, it looks like the clingfish learnt from its mistake. What do you think, is this even possible?

i know fish can recognize you and connect your presence with a feeding but I feel it is somehow different.

 

[Fish Think Pink]

Dear reefers,

could fish gain experiences and learn? I have a yellow stripe clingfish. Its very small thus it can simply swim to overflow. During the first week in my tank, it was doing this all the time. Its last attempt resulted in a journey to the sump and ended up sucked by a skimmer pump caught inside skimmer (I was surprised that it survived). I saved the fish and put it back to DT. After this “experience” it has never happen again and the fish even doesnt swim to the overflow anymore. As this lasts for more than month, it looks like the clingfish learnt from its mistake. What do you think, is this even possible?

i know fish can recognize you and connect your presence with a feeding but I feel it is somehow different.

yes, fish learn

some fish are smarter than other fish. My neon blue goby has gone into my overflow chamber three times now. My fish is not as smart as yours, though it hasn't done the plumbing journey of terror (it just does the overflow starvation)...