Fahaka interesting behavior

Joshuakahan

Redtail Catfish
MFK Member
Jul 9, 2019
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I’ve had my Fahaka for about a year, since he was 1.5”. Hrs now about 1’. I’ve been feeding him by hand almost that entire time. The last couple weeks my wife n daughter have been wanting to feed him, but when they do it, he comes to the surface, then goes and hides. But then if I go near the freezer, he starts begging and takes food from me immediately.He is really smart enough to differentiate between us? I knew he was smart, but didn’t think he was that smart.
 

TwoHedWlf

Potamotrygon
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Mar 2, 2017
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New Zealand
The last couple weeks my wife n daughter have been wanting to feed him, but when they do it, he comes to the surface, then goes and hides. But then if I go near the freezer, he starts begging and takes food from me immediately.He is really smart enough to differentiate between us?
Well...
but when they do it, he comes to the surface, then goes and hides.
and

if I go near the freezer, he starts begging and takes food from me immediately.
I mean...

Really...

That seems pretty conclusive.
 
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twentyleagues

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Apr 5, 2017
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Yes. We dont give most animals enough credit. Animals are smart and they can recognise patterns and get used to certain stimulus. I dont know how many people a fish can tell apart or if most of them even care. Alot of their behavior is dictated by instinct and conditioning which override alot of the other things we see as intelligence. Things like big cichlids and puffers especially are smart and actually need things to stimulate their minds, problems to solve. Ive had fish and reptiles most of my life and ive had your typical "dumb animals" behavior and ive had "see I told you its just a matter of if they can override their instinct or not". I had a boa who would be friendly with everyone but my roommate at the time. She would hiss and strike at him everytime he was near. She tagged him more then once when he would disregard her warnings. She never acted like that around anyone else. I could hand feed her no striking no coiling she'd just gently take the dead mouse or rat from me swallow and go back to doing whatever, no aggression nothing. Oh and she wouldnt eat for anyone else either.
I have a Schoutedeni puffer that is pretty smart and I believe recognizes me also. It gets excited to see me when I'm alone infront of the tank with others it just hangs back. We play with a ping pong ball, it boops the ball at the surface when I put it in the water and will stop and act disinterested until I turn away and it'll immediately hit it as hard as it can and then act all excited again. So pretty sure they can recognize people, how many? maybe just you or maybe its how you approach that's different from how they do it that indicates its safe. I think its smarts.
 
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