Fish Myths

[Stryker]

I choose not to upset my entire tank's routine for the sake of some new fish. So I just add the fellows with lights on an all.

They do fine! I also make a point of feeding them, if there is one thing I've observed with all types of animals that is there is nothing better to get their mind off some issues such as new environment than a good feed!

 

[OohFeeshy]

Well, to me at least, the fish stunting myth seems to be busted. Perhaps stunting came about because people wanted to keep big fish in small tanks and not feel bad. And the internal organs continuing to grow thing came about when someone wanted to discourage people from stunting their fish.

P.T.

LOL but not to me. IMO it won't be busted until we find proof that the organs grow/that they don't. And, talking about long-living goldfish in bowls, my mum had tw goldies in a bowl and they lived for 10 years, and my mum's friend has two in a small tank, and they are 20 ish. Although, IMO they should be bigger even if they grow to the size of the tank.

 

[Fish Buddy]

Number 13) Is it true that you are not suppose to add bottled water when setting up a tank or doing a water change? I heard that the 'lack of minerals and other elements' hurt the fish, or is this yet another silly myth out there?

 

[Chunandler]

Also, if you kept a baby in a cardboard box (dont!), would it stay a baby or have to develop into an adult in that box? Hey, I'm mad, so ignore me if I'm wrong. What about,
6. Fish have a 3 second memory

I've been waiting for this one to come up..its my research project for school

Fish remember more than we think



A psychologist from the University of Plymouth has exploded the myth that fish have a three-second memory and are much more sentient and intelligent than had generally been assumed.

Dr Phil Gee from the Department of Psychology at the University of Plymouth has outlined research that has been carried out into learning in fish and some of its applications in aquaculture.

Dr Gee said: 'Scientists have known for a long time that fish - even goldfish - have more than a three-second memory. In fact research has shown that fish have a memory span of at least three months'.

Research has also shown that fish can learn to distinguish between different shapes, colours and sounds. In the research goldfish were placed in a bowl in which they were fed only when they pressed a lever. The fish rapidly learnt that pressing the lever produced a food reward. Once they had been trained in this way, the researchers set up the lever to
work for just one hour a day. The fish soon became wise to this, and learnt to press the lever at the same time every day to feed. The activity of the fishes around the lever increased enormously just before the set hour when their food was dispensed. If no food came out, they stopped pressing the lever when the hour was up, showing that they are probably able to adapt to changes in their circumstances, like any other small animals and birds.

The potential value of this to fish farmers has been explored in a number of studies. For example, researchers have trained commercially valuable species such as trout and cod to swim to a feeding station when they hear a certain tone, even when they are released into open water. This 'ranch recalling' allows the fish farmer to feed and monitor the condition of the stock, and ultimately harvest them, without using cages. It has the potential to reduce or eliminate many of the problems associated with the crowded conditions of traditional aquaculture

Source: University of Plymouth 18 September 2003

"

 

[freddyk]

Number 13) Is it true that you are not suppose to add bottled water when setting up a tank or doing a water change? I heard that the 'lack of minerals and other elements' hurt the fish, or is this yet another silly myth out there?

True, just like with R/O water, all of the benificial elements are removed along with the unwanted ones, and need to be added via additives.

 

[OohFeeshy]

The thing is though, how exactly do you measure memory? I mean, how long is a human memory? You remember your name all your life but you forget some things after 1 hour....

 

[steelhealr]

Hi...I've seen this post late, but,I hope I can add some insight into the fish 'stunting' thing from a medical standpoint. No..I am not an ichthyologist,but, certain medical, physiological and anatomical 'axioms' should apply. First of all fish growth, like humans, is dependant on many factors including environmental and physiologic and genetic. A fish's organs will respond and grow in proportion to it's body size secondary to growth hormones and also by genetic codes. Two parents who are over six feet in height will most likely have tall children (although genetic errors are no guarantee). Pangasiae (FW sharks), genetically can grow larger than the little guys we buy at the lfs. Exert external environmental factors...poor water, stress, inadequate room to swim,etc and the fish may not acquire it's usual length. None of us here will be able to pinpoint what factor it is. Same applies to a human infant...poor nutrition, lack of exercise, etc. There are illnesses where organs are not proportionate to body size, but, even with diseases like acromegaly (a pituitary tumor that secretes growth hormone), the organs grow in proportion to body size. They may not function well however (acromegalics can die of heart failure, their heart grows so large). Someone here posted that their oscar is growing continuously in a 10 gallon. Hence, I think the tank stunts the growth is not necessarily true, but, I'm sure that there are many factors that can keep fish from attaining the size they would in the wild. SH

 

[StrontiumDog]

What ever number you are on? ohh 14

Fish can die of a heart attack: true or false?

 

[moneywastedonfish]

"LOL but not to me. IMO it won't be busted until we find proof that the organs grow/that they don't."

Well you won't realy be able to find proof that they don't grow as that would mean cutting every fish open to see, at best you will be able to say "with confidence" that the organs don't outgrow the body.

Thats what science is, you think of a theory and try to disprove it, if it can't be disproven then it is likely to be true, so finding a stunted fish with proportional sized organs is not proof that they don't grow. You can only find proof that they do grow and i don't think thats happened yet, probably because its not true.

 

[phishluvr]

15) oscars are the dog of the fish world

I've heard this but don't know if it's true?

First of all fish growth, like humans, is dependant on many factors including environmental and physiologic and genetic.

Factors important for growth are often trophic, so that one must occur first in order to stimulate growth. When that stimulation occurs, it means that certain chemical messengers are turned on that then selectively stimulate cell activities. As Steelhealr mentioned there are many factors that can turn on or keep off these chemical messengers, which can increase or stunt growth.

Stunting can become a deformaty if conditions are too extreme. There's a golden retreiver puppy up for adoption here that was caged nearly 24/7 his entire first year who's hind legs developed cow-hocked. Or, the case of some orphans (from Romania I think) who were caged and at ages 7 or so looked to be toddlers.

So, it could be said that there would be varying amounts of stunting to deformatiy depending on just how small of a tank or how malnourished a fish would be.

 

[Phantom Thief]

Hmm, since this thread has already been brought up...

Goldfish's have faster metabolisms in tropical waters, and thus grow and die faster.

It sounds logical, but is it true?

P.T.

 

[fufanu360]

Hmm, since this thread has already been brought up...

Goldfish's have faster metabolisms in tropical waters, and thus grow and die faster.

It sounds logical, but is it true?

P.T.

sure, any fish will have a higher metabolism in warmer water, i dont no if they would die quicker tho, but the gold fish would probably die because of the tropical temps

 

[BobK]

I don't know if carbon leeches or not but one time I used a filter cartridge with carbon for about 6-8 months before cutting out the carbon. I carried on with my pwc's as normal and the water quality never suffered. Perhaps the carbon didn't leech or perhaps my weekly pwc's took care of it. Who knows. I do believe the carbon provides more surface area for beneficial bacteria to grow on though.

 

[Fish Buddy]

sure, any fish will have a higher metabolism in warmer water, i dont no if they would die quicker tho, but the gold fish would probably die because of the tropical temps

While I do agree on the first part about metabolism, I do not agree that goldfish would die at higher temperatures-especially the fancy varieties. Nithview old age home has goldfish in there that I look after that are kept at a temp of 76*F- that is the same temp for many tropical fish we keep and the goldfish at Nithview are over 20 years old!

 

[Fish Buddy]

Myth number 16)Goldfish produce slime that is toxic to tropical fish

To me this sounds ultra strange and I don't think it is ture. What have you heard?