Why do people think fish have a three second memory?

[loumaggs]

As you can see from the video below, they clearly don't



I just wonder if anyone has any clues on how this myth came about and why many people still believe it to be true today?

My only idea is that it was thought up so that we don't worry about fish getting bored?

 

[Reefing Madness]

Hmm, my fish know who I am, and when I come to the side of the tank, they know what Im fixin to give them. Interesting.

 

[redfishbluefish]

I'm not sure of its origins, but it's been around for years.....just like the one inch of fish for each gallon of water.....it just won't go away. I recently saw something that stretched their memory out to 5 months.....and it was a scientific paper.

 

[NanaReefer]

I've never heard of a 3 second memory. Feed no more than can be eaten in 3 minutes yes.

 

[kacrocorals581]

never heard that about all fish, the saying have a attention span of a gold fish yes maybe how it came to be

 

[Davesgt]

This can't be true, my Arowana and lungfish will try to attack anyone who puts their hand near my tank but yet they allow me to clean the tank and even hold them lol. They know who their owner is lol

 

[redfishbluefish]

This can't be true, my Arowana and lungfish will try to attack anyone who puts their hand near my tank but yet they allow me to clean the tank and even hold them lol. They know who their owner is lol

Did you ever think you don't taste good!

 

[steve&mari]

I was always told as a kid that goldfish have the short memory but depending on the type of fish others can be rather intelligent.

 

[Kworker]

It was proven to be false on Mythbusters. If I recall correctly they had goldfish go through a maze and it seemed they remembered it.

 

[steve&mari]

Yes there's lots of videos from overseas of them doing that n going threw rings ect I didn't intend to say they had that short memory. Was just saying what version of the myth I was told.

 

[Kworker]

Yes there's lots of videos from overseas of them doing that n going threw rings ect I didn't intend to say they had that short memory. Was just saying what version of the myth I was told.

I know, just answering the thread title that included "three second memory".

 

[Davesgt]

Did you ever think you don't taste good!

Bahaha didn't think about that

 

[redfishbluefish]

Bahaha didn't think about that

Actually with further thought, I might not be too far off this idea. Fish can smell, and they have identified your smell as non threatening. Just a thought...... that only lasted about 3 seconds in my brain.

 

[Lee Haynes]

I've only heard something similar to what Kworker said about goldfish but not sure where it came from.

I would guess that once upon a time someone thought that fish were a stupid and made up the saying to dumb down a person

 

[underwaterdan]

Wait what are we talking about? Just keep swimming ....

 

[redfishbluefish]

I remember it being used years ago when euthanizing fish....and I think for the sake of the humans, now thinking the killing would be more humane....the fish not knowing what has happened three seconds ago.

 

[143MPCo]

 

[jeffp1]

I have a yellow watchman goby that lines up against the flow of the tank water everyday day when i feed. He doesnt chase the pellets around in the water column like the other fish. He waits at the bottom of the tank in the front for the pellets to come to him. He started doing this the second day after i bought him. Does this at every feeding. He probably gets more to eat than other fish. No 3 second memory for him.

 

[Lee Haynes]

I have a yellow watchman goby that lines up against the flow of the tank water everyday day when i feed. He doesnt chase the pellets around in the water column like the other fish. He waits at the bottom of the tank in the front for the pellets to come to him. He started doing this the second day after i bought him. Does this at every feeding. He probably gets more to eat than other fish. No 3 second memory for him.

That is awesome! Good thinking Goby

 

[Waters]

I always thought it came from fishing..........growing up we would catch the same fish within minutes due to their 3 second memory lol.