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sunfish can learn

Started by Guest_centrarchid_* , Sep 07 2008 09:05 PM

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10 replies to this topic

#1 Guest_centrarchid_*

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Posted 07 September 2008 - 09:05 PM

I have too settigs in which my sunfish have demonstrated the capacity to learn.

1). Larvae / fry at "some pre-set age" transition from being morones where only showing fear of my shadow to swiming to the front of the tank as as I approach. I say at "some pre-set age" because their appears to be a very strong genetic component. Broods by the same mother tend to transition at the same time despite being in different tanks. The father seems to affect this as well but broods by same father not always the same age.

2). Adult females learn to swim to left side of a 1500 gallon tank when I prepare to intall partition. Those that do not are netted and transferred to the left side. Only takes about a week of daily installing the partition before I do not even have to get the net wet.

I like smart fish!

Edited by centrarchid, 07 September 2008 - 09:17 PM.

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#2 Guest_schambers_*

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Posted 07 September 2008 - 10:15 PM

Interesting. Why do you partition the tank daily? I assume you are also removing it daily also, as opposed to someone stealing it.

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#3 Guest_centrarchid_*

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Posted 08 September 2008 - 06:23 AM

Interesting. Why do you partition the tank daily? I assume you are also removing it daily also, as opposed to someone stealing it.

Partition used to separate females from males. Breeding allowed only between hours of 1000 and 1600 so I remove and place the partition at those times, respectively.

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#4 Guest_Zephead4747_*

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Posted 13 September 2008 - 03:02 PM

I had a makeshift serperator in my tank, where if the aggresive sunfish pushed hard enough he could get through and attack the weaker one. I would chase him to the other side with the net when I could. After a few days he'd just fly across to his side everytime I entered the room. It was all for naught, however. A few weeks after I got a good seperator, the weaker sunfish jumped out while I was at school.

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#5 Guest_mikez_*

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Posted 13 September 2008 - 04:27 PM

Sunfish learn?
That's not news to those of us who enjoy persuing sunfish as anglers!
Posted Image

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#6 Guest_sandtiger_*

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Posted 13 September 2008 - 07:07 PM

I hate to be the bearer of bad news but all fish have the capacity to learn, it's really not new knowledge. Still though, its nice to see you're enthusiastic about it.

Mikez, that is a beautiful fish. Catch it yourself?

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#7 Guest_mikez_*

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Posted 14 September 2008 - 09:42 AM

I hate to be the bearer of bad news but all fish have the capacity to learn, it's really not new knowledge. Still though, its nice to see you're enthusiastic about it.

Mikez, that is a beautiful fish. Catch it yourself?

All fish learn but some are smarter than others. That was my point in illustrating the monster 'gill [which I did catch myself]. That fish came from a pond that recieves significant pressure from meat fishermen. There are less fish overall but many more quality fish like the one shown. Those big ones become very difficult to catch, hence the long life time to grow big. No question they are learning to avoid fishermen and baited hooks. I usually go through half my flybox just trying to find one they won't reject. Not what most think of when they think of fishing for kivvers. :wink:

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#8 Guest_Sombunya_*

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Posted 14 September 2008 - 01:15 PM

I know my Bluegill can learn.

When I turn off the filters and air pump they all collect at one end of the tank because they know it's feeding time.

Surprise!

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#9 Guest_centrarchid_*

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Posted 14 September 2008 - 05:20 PM

It is not that they can learn. It is that they can learn quickly and associate artificial stimuli with the need to engage in a given suite of behaviors.

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#10 Guest_schambers_*

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Posted 14 September 2008 - 10:05 PM

It is not that they can learn. It is that they can learn quickly and associate artificial stimuli with the need to engage in a given suite of behaviors.

I think "artificial" is the key word here. It's interesting to see them learn and exhibit behaviors that wouldn't necessarily have anything to do with survival in the wild.