How good is a fishes' memory?

[oddjob142]

So I have an established tank and I just purchased a show peacock.  He is getting a little beat up, so I decided to move my rock structures around and add some driftwood.  The only thing is, I really liked the way it was set up before.  I would like to put it back to that way, but would like them not to "remember" their spots.  How long do I need to leave it all wierd before I put it back?  Thanks...

[geoff_tropheus]

Re: How good is a fishes' memory?

I THINK they have a lot better memories than people give them credit for.

I have taken rocks out of my tank, put them back almost a week later, and the same fish take the same territories.

I have been away on trips for over a week, and not feed them, but as soon as they see me they are excited and swarming the glass ready to eat.

So...I would say that Cichlids memories are atleast 7-10 days and highly likely more.

Another thing, if I am in the room, or my daughter my fish are out.  If other people show up, they run and hide and its a while before they get settled enough to get back to acting normal.

[htown]

Re: How good is a fishes' memory?

what kind of fish are in with the peacock

[oddjob142]

Re: How good is a fishes' memory?

sydontis angelicus and multipunctatis
giraffe cat
2 bristlenose plecos
2 yellow labs
1 blue zebra
1 red zebra
2 sexfaitatas
3 calvus
2 julies
2 bleekeri
1 neolamp
1 cylindricus
1 electric blue
1 mixed hap/peacock
1 german peacock
1 sunshine peacock
1 duboisi
1 acei
1 new peacock and female

Most of them are tiny 2-3".  about 5 of them are 4-5"

[finfan]

Re: How good is a fishes' memory?

i have some decorations in my tank that i have moved around, took out for a few days and put back in, and the same freaking fish claimed it every singel time no matter where i put it in the tank and how many days later  :?

[htown]

Re: How good is a fishes' memory?

mbuna can be rough on peacocks.  no matter how much you move decoration around

[Zulaab]

Re: How good is a fishes' memory?

I have a tank of yellow labs and peacocks.. they are about the only mbuna I would trust to put with peacocks..  I made the mistake and having Hongi and peacocks with each other.. the hongi got moved out QUICK....  Now my friend has the hongi and he is getting them to spawn in their own tank.. those guys are vicious.  I have seen Zebra's tear several fish skin and fins in matter of a day or two.
The only way I see them ever going together is by large amounts of caves and lots of rock..  and when I mean lots of rocks.. I mean so much that there are twice the number of places for fish to hide than there are fish in the tank..
The bigger they get the meaner they get..

Peacocks by nature are fish that sift the sand for inverts etc.  They dont go close the rocky areas where the mbuna's hang because they will be chased away.
Your other thing you can do.. is over stock the tank.. then there are so many fish in the tank that one particular gets chased very much and the rock formations that are in there will only be defended hard core when fish wants to spawn.

My 2c worth :)

[myjohnson]

Re: How good is a fishes' memory?

Though I don't agree with the premise of the page I'm about to link you to, it does talk accurately about the memory of fish. From http://www.fishinghurts.com/feat/fishliv... : "Dr. Phil Gee, a psychologist from the University of Plymouth, says that fish can tell what time of day it is, and he trained fish to collect food by pressing a lever at specific times. He says "fish have a memory span of at least three months,..." among other interesting tidbits on fish memory.