How smart are fish?

[dennis romano]

I trained my Jack Dempsey to jump out of the water to take food from my fingers

 

[James_O]

Not salt water, but I have an 8 year old angelfish in my 125 planted FW tank who has learned behavior.

When I started feeding thawed bloodworms from a small cup, she would get excited and peck the cup before I could start letting the BW's flow out of the cup. Over time, she learned that if she waited downstream, the food would come to her and she quit pecking at the cup.

Not to be outdone by my Brainiac fish, I started submerging the bottom of the cup, but not releasing the goodies until she pecked the cup. It took awhile, but she figured it out.

Now, she watches to see the cup approach the tank and practically jumps out of the tank to peck at it. Then patiently waits downstream for the goodies to come to her.

I guess she's got me trained pretty well.

Also not SW, but my Spade Tail Betta in my 10g FW tank is incredibly smart. I’ve taught him to follow my finger on the glass, swim through my fingers, jump for good, etc.

He is also very interested in whatever new I add to the tank.

 

[fachatga]

Mine so far have just learned a bit about feeding. The ones I feed with a baster run to it when they see it and practically suck the food out. It’s great watching them do their thing. I guess any animal though learns fast where food comes from.

 

[xSHOESx]

My big clown female will beg for food(they all do this), but if I'm staring into the tank she will swim to the surface and open her mouth, then quickly return to stare at my face over, and over until I feed her.... It's as if she's "telling" me she's hungry and wants food. I'm being trained by a clownfish.

 

[Urkin$Urchin]

I have a few intelligent fish, my smartest one is my porcupine puffer, he comes to me when I am near the tank, he will lay in my hand and let me rub him, and hand feed him, and he knows when it's feeding time, and my sailfin tang is a camera hog, always gets in front and roots everyone else away for picture time lol

 

[Hans-Werner]

I worked in a public museum with a big fish tank. Me and my colleague speculated whether the fish know the persons who care for them and feed them. It was obvious that the fish followed me when I was coming to the tank to feed them.

We desided to get the proof: My colleague took the tray with the colored plastic cups with the fish food. Now the fish didn't know me any more but followed my colleague. They knew exactly, he has the colored plastic cups from which the food drops into the tank.

 

[Joe's Coral Reef]

I have noticed my starry eyed blenny poop in the same corner of the tank. Its almost like its litter pan trained.

Five ways fish are more like humans than you realize

You've probably heard that fish have a three-second memory, or that they're incapable of feeling pain. Neither of these statements is true, but it's telling that these misconceptions don't crop up for other vertebrates.

phys.org

 

[Bryknicks]

Perhaps not necessarily smart, but rather curious are my Mccosker's wrasse and midas blenny. No matter what I do in or around the tank, they're right up against the glass, my arm or hand. Every other fish hides as soon as my hand touches the water, except for them.

My McCosker's is also very friendly with me. As soon as I put my hand in the tank he comes right over and sticks to it like glue. I pet him all the time as it seems to really enjoy it. He also sits at the front of the glass looking for me all day long. It's better than my dog!

 

[Auquanut]

Not salt water, but I have an 8 year old angelfish in my 125 planted FW tank who has learned behavior.

When I started feeding thawed bloodworms from a small cup, she would get excited and peck the cup before I could start letting the BW's flow out of the cup. Over time, she learned that if she waited downstream, the food would come to her and she quit pecking at the cup.

Not to be outdone by my Brainiac fish, I started submerging the bottom of the cup, but not releasing the goodies until she pecked the cup. It took awhile, but she figured it out.

Now, she watches to see the cup approach the tank and practically jumps out of the tank to peck at it. Then patiently waits downstream for the goodies to come to her.

I guess she's got me trained pretty well.

Okay. After bragging on my Brainiac angelfish, I'll be da**ed if she didn't wait downstream and refuse to peck her cup today. We stared at each other through the glass. Each waiting for the other to cave. I admit that I gave in first, but I DID give her a stern talking too. So I'm feeling pretty good about the standoff.

 

[vetteguy53081]

My two largest tangs spreading poop when food hits the tank, to send the other fish after the poop thinking its food while they both attempt to gobble all the real food.

 

[Bryknicks]

My two largest tangs spreading poop when food hits the tank, to send the other fish after the poop thinking its food while they both attempt to gobble all the real food.

OMG, I've noticed both my tangs do the same at every feeding. I never put two and two together but that makes complete sense. All the other fish go after the poop first while the tangs get their fill of food. I just figured they needed to make room for food

 

[mvbrandt]

So my Blue Tang exhibits very weird behavior, couldn't tell you it's smart. Can't say it isn't, though.

While watching the tank, I noticed a group of 5 hermit crabs on top of my leftmost rock formation. While watching, the blue suddenly picks one up and gently but matter-of-factly deposits (not drops) him on the middle rock formation.

I get close to the tank to look at the hermit, and as I do, the Tang deposits the next hermit.

Then the other 3, one at a time. Just air shipped them all to a different rock. Whereafter he went back about his business. Strangest thing.