Do you think pet fish are aware of their imprisonment?

Cybercubed · 21-09-2012 9:54pm #1

I've been watching a pet goldfish swim around it's tank and it looks so depressed.

I hope it's not aware.

FortuneChip · 21-09-2012 9:55pm

He's not going to be much happier if you take him out

MistyCheese · 21-09-2012 9:56pm

Mine is. I make sure by reminding it from time to time.

Seedy Arling · 21-09-2012 9:56pm

Stay off the chronic man.

Tombi! · 21-09-2012 9:56pm

In what does it look depressed?

MistyCheese · 21-09-2012 9:57pm

In its bowl, I suppose.

SeaFields · 21-09-2012 9:58pm

I had a one tropical fish eat the rest of the fish in my tank....he was aware of what he was at....the pr!ck.

B.A._Baracus · 21-09-2012 9:58pm

They say Goldfish only have 30 seconds of memory.

question is tho, how did scientists actually prove that? :pac:

TheBody · 21-09-2012 9:58pm

Cybercubed wrote: »

I've been watching a pet goldfish swim around it's tank and it looks so depressed.

I hope it's not aware.

Hire some goldfish hookers for it to have some sexy time.

tin79 · 21-09-2012 9:59pm

A heron ate all the fish in my pond last week

I wonder if they were aware of being digested

MaroonAndGreen · 21-09-2012 9:59pm

I doubt they are aware :P

aaronjumper · 21-09-2012 9:59pm

They always seem surprised to me.

Praetorian Saighdiuir · 21-09-2012 9:59pm

Yes, every 6 seconds.

Princess Consuela Bananahammock · 21-09-2012 9:59pm

Two goldfish in a tank.

"How the **** do you drive this thing??"

Silverfish · 21-09-2012 10:00pm

B.A._Baracus wrote: »

They say Goldfish only have 30 seconds of memory.

question is tho, how did scientists actually prove that? :pac:

It's a 3 month memory.

Where To · 21-09-2012 10:00pm

Coarse they are.

21-09-2012 10:01pm

They do remember and they get depressed in small spaces, like the normal confined tanks they sell with them
I had one repeatedly attempt suicide

Before I knew any better

tin79 · 21-09-2012 10:07pm

Where To wrote: »

Coarse they are.

Clever

Cian92 · 21-09-2012 10:07pm

Where To wrote: »

Coarse they are.

Ah c'mon now there is a time and a plaice for that sort of thing.

B.A._Baracus · 21-09-2012 10:11pm

Silverfish wrote: »

It's a 3 month memory.

Funny the way you know that considering your username :pac:

SeaFields · 21-09-2012 10:12pm

Where To wrote: »

Coarse they are.

outstanding sir, well played.

DEFTLEFTHAND · 21-09-2012 10:13pm

Whats the point in keeping goldfish. What do people get out of it?

Silverfish · 21-09-2012 10:15pm

DEFTLEFTHAND wrote: »

Whats the point in keeping goldfish. What do people get out of it?

Mine are deadly. Also, they made more goldfish. So overall I'm up by 3 goldfish.

Wee Willy Harris · 21-09-2012 10:17pm

Do you think they're aware of their own reflection? More pouting than rozz purcell and the stone rosses combined...

MaxSteele · 21-09-2012 10:17pm

I feel worse for pet birds. Should be illegal to keep them in cages like that.

I actually find it hard to look at my mate's parrot just sitting their in his cage when he should be 200 feet high outside.

starlit · 21-09-2012 10:19pm

I doubt they do as I can recall that goldfish only have about a 7 second memory they forget where they were and what they did 7 seconds ago. So its like their 7 second memory is being wiped out every 7 seconds.

Silverfish · 21-09-2012 10:21pm

doovdela wrote: »

I doubt they do as I can recall that goldfish only have about a 7 second memory they forget where they were and what they did 7 seconds ago. So its like their 7 second memory is being wiped out every 7 seconds.

You mean their 3 month memory?

Where To · 21-09-2012 10:23pm

Apparently goldfish actually have a three month memory. Can't for the life of me remember where I read that.

starlit · 21-09-2012 10:33pm

I was sure it was a 7 second memory or was it 20 seconds? or 7 minutes something like that, 3 months? Didn't think they had brains but obviously they have to have some kind of one but minute one with very little grey matter!
I either read it somewhere or was discussed on tv.

Seedy Arling · 21-09-2012 10:34pm

Where To wrote: »

Apparently goldfish actually have a three month memory. Can't for the life of me remember where I read that.

You obviously read it more than three months ago. :P

midlandsmissus · 21-09-2012 10:35pm

I remember wondering 'do cows get bored' then heard later it was a deep philosophical question. Apparantley.

tin79 · 21-09-2012 10:39pm

This is just going round and round in circles

Silverfish · 21-09-2012 10:41pm

doovdela wrote: »

I was sure it was a 7 second memory or was it 20 seconds? or 7 minutes something like that, 3 months? Didn't think they had brains but obviously they have to have some kind of one but minute one with very little grey matter!
I either read it somewhere or was discussed on tv.

Lot of myths around goldfish, such as 7 second memories, they live in bowls, or they don't feel pain, or they only live 2 years.

They respond to clicker training, and remember lots of basic stuff, like what food tastes good, what stuff tastes bad, who feeds them, and what time they get fed at. Of course if they're kept in the right size tank, they'll exhibit this behaviour, if they're kept in bad water or a horrible environment, they'll be dull and listless, and won't interact.

starlit · 21-09-2012 10:42pm

Really? Hows it that they don't live very long?

21-09-2012 10:44pm

doovdela wrote: »

Really? Hows it that they don't live very long?

That's one of the myths

Silverfish · 21-09-2012 10:45pm

doovdela wrote: »

Really? Hows it that they don't live very long?

Common goldfish (with single tails) can live upwards of 20 years, and normally grow to about a foot long.

Fancy goldfish with the roundy bodies and fancy tails normally live around 10 years, and grow to about 10 inches.

They most of their growing within the first few years of their life, so if they're kept in a bowl or a tank that's too small, their growth is stunted and they usually just die.

ejmaztec · 21-09-2012 10:50pm

Brutal Deluxe wrote: »

In what does it look depressed?

If it weren't for the fish's tears the bowl would be empty.:(

starlit · 21-09-2012 10:55pm

ah I see. I've seen goldfish die after one day and after a few weeks/months and seen some live for years and get big in a pool outside there is a difference how they grow when in a pool compared to in a tank.

starlit · 21-09-2012 10:57pm

They don't do much, not much happens in their lives but why would they get down like that? Cooped up in a small tank maybe but in a big pool if they have more room to grow and swim they might not be too bad.

midlandsmissus · 21-09-2012 11:00pm

ejmaztec wrote: »

If it weren't for the fish's tears the bowl would be empty.:(

The crying Fishtank. To add to the crying chair.

midlandsmissus · 21-09-2012 11:01pm

Maybe the Earth is like a goldfish bowl.....

Pottler · 21-09-2012 11:02pm

Dunno. I've a huge pond out the back. They look quite happy in it. For what it's worth.

starlit · 21-09-2012 11:07pm

They probably happier in a pond!

Where To · 22-09-2012 2:11am

A man down the pub just told me studies have shown goldfish have a memory span of three months, you learn something new every day eh?

B.A._Baracus · 22-09-2012 2:15am

Silverfish wrote: »

Lot of myths around goldfish, such as 7 second memories, they live in bowls, or they don't feel pain, or they only live 2 years.

They respond to clicker training, and remember lots of basic stuff, like what food tastes good, what stuff tastes bad, who feeds them, and what time they get fed at. Of course if they're kept in the right size tank, they'll exhibit this behaviour, if they're kept in bad water or a horrible environment, they'll be dull and listless, and won't interact.

you are kinky about fish.

darlett · 22-09-2012 3:08am

Where To wrote: »

A man down the pub just told me studies have shown goldfish have a memory span of three months, you learn something new every day eh?

I read that once before I think

doovdela wrote: »

ah I see. I've seen goldfish die after one day and after a few weeks/months and seen some live for years and get big in a pool outside there is a difference how they grow when in a pool compared to in a tank.

Yeap Goldfish seem to have a thing where they can really restrict their growth dependent on the size of their environment. Odd to think that the only difference between the wee squirt in a fishbowl and the near foot long monster in the pond is where they ve lived.

flas · 22-09-2012 6:10am

had a fish for over 6 years,he would start jumping out of the water of his tank when he knew he was being feed,like a dance of some sort...i love a good big,well kept fish tank,look unreaal in a room and unbelievably relaxing to look at!i used to leave my blinds in my room closed during the day so it would be real dark so i could turn the light on at night to watch them!great way to fall asleep!

Gauss · 22-09-2012 8:13am

I think in general we underestimate the awareness of other organisms.

Maximus Alexander · 22-09-2012 9:02am

Gauss wrote: »

I think in general we underestimate the awareness of other organisms.

Yep, if it can't speak it doesn't have feelings seems to be the attitude of a lot of people.

I'm not a big animal welfare nut or anything, and I love a good steak, but when you look at the intelligence level of some animals, like gorillas, it makes you think they should have special rights under the law.

They can actually use language, just not verbally. They must be so depressed in zoos.

Reloc8 · 22-09-2012 9:06am

darlett wrote: »

I read that once before I think

Yeap Goldfish seem to have a thing where they can really restrict their growth dependent on the size of their environment. Odd to think that the only difference between the wee squirt in a fishbowl and the near foot long monster in the pond is where they ve lived.[/

it's the un/less diluted built up of hormones and waste in the fishbowl that stunts them.

TheBoss! · 22-09-2012 10:04am

bluewolf wrote: »

I had one repeatedly attempt suicide

How bloody shellfish of him.

Do you think pet fish are aware of their imprisonment?

Comments