Phuket Thailand

visa2003 · #1 19-02-2008, 07:20

A 15-year-old South Australian school student has busted the myth that goldfish have a three second memory.

Rory Stokes, from the Australian Science and Mathematics School in Adelaide, conducted an experiment to test the commonly held theory that goldfish have short memory spans.

He was also keen to open people's minds to the cruelty of keeping fish in small tanks.

"We are told that a goldfish has a memory span of less than three seconds and that no matter how small its tank is, it will always discover new places and objects," Rory said.

"I wanted to challenge this theory as I believe it is a myth intended to make us feel less guilty about keeping fish in small tanks."

Rory's experiment involved teaching a small group of fish to swim to a beacon by establishing a memory connection between the beacon and food.

Over a period of three weeks, he placed a beacon in the water at feeding time each day, waited 30 seconds and then sprinkled fish food around the beacon.

The time taken for the fish to swim to the beacon reduced dramatically, from more than one minute for the first few feeds to less than five seconds by the end of the three weeks.

Following the initial three-week period, Rory removed the beacon from the feeding process.

Six days later, he once again placed the beacon in the water and despite not seeing it for almost a week, the fish swam to the beacon in 4.4 seconds, showing they had remembered the association between food and the beacon for at least six days.

"My results strongly showed that goldfish can retain knowledge for at least six days," Rory said.

"They can retain that knowledge indefinitely if they use it regularly."

Rory also conducted a number of other experiments to show goldfish were capable of negotiating a simple maze, by having them move onto a second beacon if they found no food at the first.

"My experiments showed that goldfish have the mental capabilities to learn and remember fairly complex concepts and they can retain that knowledge for at least a number of days," he said.

Australian Science and Mathematics School principal Jim Davies said the series of experiments were an excellent example of science investigation made fun.

From The Daily Telegraph

Just goes to show, Denver, that you will have to find a bigger Rosso bottle next time!!!

steve w · #2 20-02-2008, 19:44

you saying denver has got only a three second memory or the fish?and anyway everyone knows guppies kick ass at trivial pursuit when playing goldfish!

visa2003 · #3 21-02-2008, 07:42

Just a thought that the Guppy circus may be a goer after all. Denver kept giving up on teaching them to jump out of the water for food after 3 seconds!!!!!
(or should I be refering this to LiL nowadays????)

Soupdragon · #4 21-02-2008, 10:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by visa2003

Just a thought that the Guppy circus may be a goer after all. Denver kept giving up on teaching them to jump out of the water for food after 3 seconds!!!!!
(or should I be refering this to LiL nowadays????)

Haven't you heard ?? Bee challenged the Guppies to a game of trivial pursuit but after 3 seconds got bored and went to make a sandwich for LiL (no erection) but she forgot the fish out of water thing. Anyway the cats happy. Don't tell Denver !!!

LivinLOS · #5 21-02-2008, 12:57

She lasted 3 seconds ?? Thats a new personal best

!!

The Gupster has however gone to the great toilet bowl in the sky..

visa2003 · #6 21-02-2008, 13:13

So sad!!!! I'm sure that Denver is guppied....... sorry gutted!!!!

Denver · #7 21-02-2008, 18:31

Yerse can all get fcuked.

That were a 5 baht prize winning show guppie that were and it's down the farking bog. Poor little bleeder. God rest it's tiny guppy soul.

B0llocks to the lot of yers.

I'm off to get pissed.................Oh the bars are shut, whoa is me!

FCUK IT

Soupdragon · #8 22-02-2008, 10:36

Don't shoot the messengers. I have a really good recipe for Guppy A' La Mangosteen should you decide to get back into fish though it does involve genocide to get a decent portion.

Denver · #9 22-02-2008, 22:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by Soupdragon

Don't shoot the messengers. I have a really good recipe for Guppy A' La Mangosteen should you decide to get back into fish though it does involve genocide to get a decent portion.

Sod that, I've got a tin of diet tuna in the fridge, at least it will be when I've washed the mayonaisse of it.

Bloody Guppys..............I've had it with 'em.