Is it true that the goldfishes have 3 seconds memories?

First of all, you have to get rid of your believe that goldfishes have short memories. Even they have small brains comparing with their body size, that doesn't mean they have short memories. People who raise goldfishes say that they can remember their face and will swim around in front of their face when they are watching. Others say that their goldfishes will wait for them 5 p.m. every day because it is their feeding time. This behavior of goldfishes is called associative learning. They will think that when they see people’s face, they get good things e.g. food etc. They can learn to hear bell rings which are a feeding time or even eat food from their owner because they know that at those areas there is something good for them. However, they don’t know what it is. In nature, when hunters hunt on them, they will hide for a while but they don’t know what they are hiding from. They just know that they should hide. It is an instinct of an animal.

          Scientists in University of Plymouth in England do an experiment about memory of fish which includes goldfish. They found that fishes’ memories last at least 3 months and they can separate color shades, shapes and sound. They also can learn to feed by themselves by pushing a lever at the same time every day. Moreover, a TV show, Myth Buster, observes goldfish in a maze. The result is that it can swim faster when it passes more rounds in a maze. This means they can remember the way to get out of the maze.

          As a result, goldfishes have good memories. They memorize it selectively. It means that they know that something has happened but they don’t know what has happened. Thus, you know that a comparison of goldfishes to a short memory person is wrong.

Reference : http://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2010/10/goldfish-do-not-have-a-three-second-memory/

Blog  writer : Nattaphong Phongpanangam M.5 56010012