Do fish have memory and do they feel pain?

[charliecanskatesome]

This is a very arguable topic. I just wanted to see the majority of thought.

 

[drobbins27]

Yes to pain, yes to memory

 

[noelberg]

If anyone doesn't think that fish feel pain, then he/she should watch a fish with Ick or anchorworms. And I believe that fish have memory because if they acted on instinct alone, then they would run away from me when I approach the tank because they would think "predator!' instead of "food!"

 

[treeh0rn]

Hello!
noelberg is correct, imho. What you describe is termed "association", in psychology. Basically, the fish recognises it's keeper and eventually develops an association between the face and the food. Although food doesn't always appear with the face, it does on sufficient occasions for the fish to think "food!" when the face appears.

I'm sure you've all tried this at some point: I approached my tank just now, and my tetra came to the front of the tank. I deliberately held my hand up as if feeding them and they got all excited. My new danios didn't have a clue and weren't interested. They'll gradually learn the association and come to anticipate food when they see me.

What I've droned on about is a simple form of learning, but we humans also learn by association too. Anyway, I'm starting to ramble...

 

[Annastasia]

Yes to both!

 

[Dwarfs]

It depends on the fish's intelligence. They can all feel pain but my tetras don't think so they don't have good memory. My dwarf cichlids, badi badis, bettas, gudgeon, and gouramis aren't stupid because they know that I=food. The tetras and danios rely on instinct.

This is a gudgeon for those who don't know what they are

 

[Sea_Monster87]

Yes, they do have a good memory, and they feel pain.