Fish Intelligence?

[emjs777]

I read a post a while back - maybe on another site - about a tang that would "play" with "toys" that its owner put in the tank. For example, it would pick up floating blocks and put them in a floating bowl, and then take them out again.

I was wondering if anyone has any fish that show a similar type of play activity or "learning ability". My clowns and other fish learned quickly where and when its time to get fed...but that's ordinary.

If you have a good story, make sure you mention what type of fish it is and how long you've had it.

Thanks!

 

[Len]

A friend of mine has a golden puffer that will tell his owner when its hungry by spitting water out of the tank into a bucket. I think if it involves food, fish can do pretty amazing things

 

[Juck]

Fish are dumb,, my Yellow Tang made a complete arse of my tax return.

 

[pr0teus]

My Niger Trigger is sorta smart. When he sees me open the hood on the tank, he starts to swim near the surface and spits water.

 

[Anonymous]

I thin k they are not that smart. IMO reactions that in folve food are coditioned responces. I have pavlovian fish. When I get near the tank they swim to the surface since that is where the food falls in. I do not think it has much to do with smarts.

 

[npaden]

Playfair on RC had a video clip of him feeding his fish. IIRC he normally feeds with a red cup and if he held the red cup up to the glass the fish went nutz. If he held a yellow cup up to the glass the fish didn't act that interested.

IME fish can tell the difference in people. If I wear a cap for instance they are more skittish.

I think fish definetly have some associative skills.

FWIW, Nathan

 

[teevee]

Some would argue that intelligence is just a biproduct of neural function, ie. neurotransmitters and electrical impulses. Therefore what is truly intelligent? Fish can certainly be conditioned as per the aforementioned Pavlovian classical conditioning method, and also via operant conditioning. Whether they are aware of this is another story. My tang goes nuts when she sees me pick up her bottle of pellet food.