It's also good for your pet as it keeps them active and helps prevent boredom (yes, fish can get bored!). With patience and a little persistence, you can teach him to do things like follow your finger, eat from your hand, swim through a hoop, play soccer, and even jump out of the water or come up to be petted.
Providing your fish toys is a great way to keep them preoccupied and satisfy their need for stimulation. Fish are naturally curious, much like many animals and pets. Toys can provide that sense of mystery that will engage them and interact with them.
They associate things very quickly and have a sharp memory. So, not just a betta, any fish in the tank will look at you for food sources. It is quite common and happens every so often.
Except for feeding time, most fish swim around doing their own thing, quietly ignoring you. Fish are an interesting pet in that while they require feeding and care, they are more like a painting – amazing to look at but won't keep you company on the lonely nights.
They quickly learn to recognize their human companions, they know when feeding time is, and they get excited when you approach their aquarium.
The nociceptor then sends an electric signal to the brain, where the psychological experience of pain manifests. Fish have numerous nociceptors in their mouths and thus getting hooked is certainly a painful experience for them.
Yes, fish can hear you talk!
But barely, unless you are shouting. Sounds that are created above water typically do not carry enough force to penetrate the surface tension of the water, so talking on the boat or loud noise may not affect fish as much as your fellow anglers may want you to think.
Fish Can Recognize Familiar Faces
Anecdotal evidence, and one study done on archerfish, suggests they can, Balcombe notes. Many fish owners swear that their pets will ignore guests at a party, say, but swarm to the side of the aquarium once their owner—or the person that feeds them most consistently—comes near.
Fish-keepers sometimes see their pets 'glass surfing' – swimming repeatedly up and down the glass of the tank. This could be the aquatic equivalent of the pacing of a captive tiger that's bored from a lack of stimulation. But the fish could also be stressed from an overcrowded or unfamiliar tank.
Live plants, rocks, driftwood, gravel, and decorations such as caves made from rocks or coconut shells are examples of tank elements that can help fish feel more at home, thus reducing the potential of boredom. The arrangement of these natural decorations must break up the monotony of swimming in a straight line.
Most rigid plastic toys, ornaments and figurines are safe for aquariums as long as they are not painted and do not have any sticker decals on them. Make sure the object is well-cleaned and any stickers or adhesives are completely removed.
“One of the things we're finding that fish are naturally curious and seek novel things out,” said Dr. Braithwaite. In other words, your goldfish is probably bored. To help ward off depression, she urges introducing new objects to the tank or switching up the location of items.
They swim back and forth freely and energetically around the tank. 2. Quite like humans, happy fish might have a vibrant glow to their skin. If their skin looks good, it's a sign of good health.
Fish can recognise members of the same species and tell if other fish are siblings, but they probably can't identify themselves. Fish can't see themselves, and so presumably don't know what they look like. But they're still able to recognise other members of their own species and join them in a shoal.
Betta fish are prime examples of this. Bettas are known to recognize and even bond with their owners. A few other species that can do this are goldfish, angelfish, and cichlids.
Science has actually found goldfish to have quite impressive memories. They are able to remember where in their tank they are usually fed, can correlate a particular action to a reward, can escape nets and navigate mazes, and remember other individual goldfish, even after long periods of separation.
Fish exposed to noise pollution experience stress, loss of hearing and various changes to their behaviors.
While fish do not sleep in the same way that land mammals sleep, most fish do rest. Research shows that fish may reduce their activity and metabolism while remaining alert to danger. Some fish float in place, some wedge themselves into a secure spot in the mud or coral, and some even locate a suitable nest.
Groupers are not the only fish that enjoy being petted, it seems. According to videos on YouTube, other species of fish that appear to like the interaction include koi, cichlid and discus fish.
Researchers have found that fish recognize each other and gather information by eavesdropping. They're capable of remembering past social interactions that they've had with other fish, and they show affection by rubbing against each other.
Fish can also be particular about choosing a mate, and when separated from their chosen partner, they become more pessimistic. A study in 2019 found this out by presenting a female fish with two potential mates and allowing her to to pick a favorite.