Goldfish memory?

I was watching this show tonight, it was called Mythbusters or something. Anyway, they guys were talking about a myth stating that goldfish only have a memory of 3 seconds, and so keeping them in small bowls is fine as once they swim around once (or around 3 seconds) it has already forgotten the first trip.

So these guys were out to prove whether or not goldfish have 3 seconds of memory, or more. They each got a big tank of 5 fish. They decided to put a simple maze for the fish to learn and swim threw to get their food. One guy puts bright red squares with holes in them. I guess after spending some time teaching the fish to swim threw them, they put it to the test. They had like 4 of these red hole things in a row, and food at the other end. The fish swam threw and found the food. They did it pretty quick, with pretty much no turning backwards. I thought it was really neat, but is it possible the fish could smell the food and were just swimming to it? I was thinking about that, but the guy with the other tank - his fish never made it haha XD (he didn't use colorful holes though) pretty cool, huh? I thought so anyway hehe.

Well, i guess that would explain why fish are so scared of you, because no matter how many times it sees you it always forgets so it wont be able to get used to you!

lol i watch mythbusters a lot:D there was one about how women cause more gas station fires because when they get in and out of the car their panties cause static electricity... haha

I saw the same episode. It seemed to me that the fish "got the hang of" swimming through the holes. It took them less time as the weeks went on, and they seemed to remember where the holes were.

I found it interesting that the sick fish didn't do well at all, but the fish in the "good tank" learned much more quickly.

I think it was also the method used in the 'good tank' that helped them out

I don't know about a goldfish, but I can tell you for sure that my parrot cichlid has quite a good memory.

I'm the one that feeds him, so if someone comes in the room, he checks to see who it is. He swims up to the glass, and if it's anyone other than me, he swims away and hides behind the plants. If it's me, he goes straight to the corner of the tank where I always feed him, and goes up to the top, waiting for me to drop his food in.

If you click on this link you will find a small video clip of an Oscar that was clicker trained to swim through a hoop....so I say fish can retain things.... :)

http://clickertraining.com/films/

It seems like my golfish remember things. I have a lot too, about 8 or 9. They aren't afraid fo me, they used to be though, but not when anyone walks by they swim to the top of their tank because they just LOVE being fed. They know that when humans go by they're gonna get fed. My fish are geniuses. :D

"They say that goldfish have no memories,
I guess their lives are much like mine
And the little Plastic Castle
Is a surprise every time"

Sorry - bit off topic - this thread just remined me of a great song by Ani DiFranco!

Thats funny, I have this bathroom book (full w/ facts, sayings, short stories etc... they have a whole series of the books) I read it there last year or so.
But the funny part is is that my bathroom is really funky (not yucky funky just imaginative & colorful funky) but just last night I wrote that on my wall. My wall has all these squares on it & I am tying to fill each square w/ an unusual fact.

I saw that a while back. It was pretty neat. :)