Can Fish Be Taught "tricks" By Rewarding Specific Behaviors?

[MissDrank]

My new fish, Miss Drank, did a "trick" this morning. What I think is a trick, anyways. I fed her two little pellets because she is so tiny (it took her a little over 5 minutes to finish them). When she did finally finish she swam back to where I had dropped them in and swam around in tight little circles (about 8 times). Once she stopped I could see her eyes moving, I'm pretty sure she was expecting more food to appear. Could someone have "taught" her this by rewarding her behavior? If so how do I reinforce it


oh yeah, here's pictures of her doing it:

and this is an idea how big she is, is two pellets ok for her?

 

[Katch]

http/www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYrPSFfSt0U

 

[MissDrank]

Thats really neat but I have suspicions.. those fish do not swim like goldfish, goldfish wiggle their butts when they swim, I have 4 and even when they torpedo through the water they still wiggle their butts..

 

[james_fish]

Oscars are supposedly good for doing tricks in turn for treats

James.

 

[Athena]

LOL - I was just about to say I wonder if they are actually real fish? I'm so sceptical, I know - I'm imagining some sort of magnetic trick from underneath the table going on haha

If I'm wrong and it's real - then it's truly AMAZING! Maybe he's hypnotised them LOL

Athena

 

[bae1994]

goldfish does seem abit off

also im pretty sure your bettas a he

 

[MissDrank]

goldfish does seem abit off

also im pretty sure your bettas a he

Nope she has a outie and she is tinyyy

You can see her outie here (the white on her stomach)

and here's a size comparison to my pinky finger

plus she is beard-less

 

[MissDrank]

Oh my gosh! I was 100% sure she is a she, but I came home tonight to a bubble nest and a flaring betta.. what is Drank?? B or G??

 

[Geoff-]

Fish can certainly be conditioned to certain behaviour.. we kept fish in primary school and the teacher had us switch the filter off every time we fed them. After a few weeks the fish 'learned' that the silence and lack of air bubbles meant food was imminent and they would immediately rise to the top of the tank in expectation of being fed.

You could probably reinforce the behaviour by always dropping the food in the same spot, since the fish did its trick there previously. Or dropping only 1 pellet but if the fish does its trick you drop a second pellet in. If it doesn't do the trick it only gets one pellet.

 

[gixer1000]

My pair of Oscars come up 2 the top of the tank,in exactly the same place when its time 2 b feed,and its only taken them 4 weeks 2 suss this out since they been in their new home,also if i get the bag of pellets out and show it 2 them,they will follow the bag from one end of the tank 2 the other

 

[Timmy_Bee]

when i open my lid, condensation drips down into the water. The fish go crazy for this, cos it means its dinner time!

 

[danny_sims]

when i go into the cabinet they all rise and await the food.