How the heck did they know that?

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DaveB

DaveB

Fire Eel
MFK Member
Feb 22, 2008
1,244
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Miami
My african cichlid tank had been over at my house for several months while I spend all my time at my girlfriend's. Because I was rarely there I had it on an auto-feeder, and over time they got used to being alone and actually got scared and hid when I would drop by and walk up to the tank.

Anyway, I recently moved it up here (without telling her, ha) since I hated neglecting them, but since it's in the bedroom away from the other tanks and supplies I kept the autofeeder on.

Today it ran out of food, so I brought in the food container to refill it and feed them the meal they missed. As I passed by the tank with the yellow food container all ~30 rockdwelling fish excitedly swam to the open waters at the front and top of the tank anticipating a feeding.

These fish haven't been fed by hand in 3 months. How the heck did they know that yellow blob in my hand outside the tank was food?

These fish make me smile. I'm really glad to have this tank up here so I can enjoy them every day again.
 
fish are smarter than people give them credit for. all it takes is a few feedings by hand and they will associate it with food for life.
 
Well said Supes. I also remember seeing an episode of Mythbusters where they tested the myth about Goldfish having 10 sec short term memory span and it was busted because after the first week or so all the goldfish recognized certain colored rings that were associated with food. It was a pretty neat episode. :)
 
yup it makes your day when some fish who is new or who has never been fed by comes and feeds from your hand
also when they dance in front of you just before you feed them
IMO all thses are priceless moments
 
I just started my very first aquarium a month ago so I didn't know what to expect. The first inhabitants of my planted 29g tank were Blue Gouramis that I got on sale at Big Al's for $1 each. They were quite small. All it took was 2 days for them to feel at home in the aquarium. On the third day, when I went downstairs after getting ready for work, there was all 5 of them. Congregating near the top all watching me eagerly knowing they were gonna get fed before I go to work. This really took me by surprise as I didn't expect them to be this intelligent. Now they are waiting for me also when I get home from work and start pooping to get ready for food. :D At other times when they see me, they just go about their business chasing each other and going around the plants. Really fascinating creatures!
 
I'm not suprised. Sounds like they have just been conditioned. Even the simplest of creatures can be conditioned to respond to something they want, like the promise of food.
 
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