# Are Betta's High Functioning Fishies?



## McLareN (Aug 1, 2017)

I've been wondering lately how much Betta's remember.
Like do they keep clear memories or more of a memory instinct.
And just how much their awareness, or lack thereof dictates their personality.


I dont want to get all scientific about it, as just when i think i have them figured out they do something
innately Human or the best representation of it.

My latest boy 'Mclaren' (like his namesake) is less emotional than my previous VT and is very down to business.
He seems to know how good looking/graceful he is for a VT, and acts as such.
He is always building a nest and patrolling. Goes for the pellets when my finger is within jumping distance, then
swims off. Takes it all very for granted you could say.

I dont know if it's because my last guy was less the "Hunter-Gatherer" and more of a Goof-Off.
Like he was always doing "that's so funny/cute, must txt/instagram " stuff.
Every morning he would be in the same place waiting for attention & food of course.
He would watch TV with me for example. Seemed to like the attention.

It's only after 4 weeks Mac has chilled out enough for me to be near the tank, and for him to keep doing his thing.

I think I may have strayed reminiscing from the point of the Thread, as any Betta owner notices loves their traits.

Their Obviously unique, most living things are. 
I think if I had one Solid question regarding their Smarts it would be, How does their memory compare to other fish?

Any discussion welcome


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## LittleBettaFish (Oct 2, 2010)

After seven years of keeping bettas, I am actually surprised they haven't gone extinct long before now. There are days my bettas make my guppies look like rocket scientists by comparison. 

I think bettas often seem more intelligent than other fish, because they are a solitary fish. They are also very curious (possibly due in part to their territorial nature), so seem to spend more time investigating their surrounds and interacting with their owner. 

Many cichlid species exhibit similar behaviour. My older brother had a large Synspilum, and he was always at the front of the tank and certainly seemed to have more of a 'personality' than say a neon tetra. 

As to how their memory compares, I'm not really sure. My fish certainly recognise me as the provider of food, but they respond in a similar fashion to whatever human walks through my fish room door. So I can't say for certain that they remember my face specifically. Although I do believe a study was done on goldfish that showed they could recognise and remember individual faces. 

They _do_ seem to remember which corner of the tank food is more commonly dropped into, as this is where they will gather when they see me. I also forgot to add that my fish associate a tap on the front of the tank with food, so they obviously possess enough intelligence to learn this.


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## McLareN (Aug 1, 2017)

Gone extinct, heh. With their curiosity and love for food. In the wild,they could do themselves a mischief pretty easy you'd think.

I forget they are a solitary fish, and solitary literally as they are the only fish in most Learner Tanks.
They're curiosity leads to hijinx and as you said interactivity which i I think is the kicker.

You can interact with an animal, we associate them as being smart(er) straight away.
And anything Cute you can interact with is lovable
This is what makes your first few Betta's so much Fun.

I drop my food in the middle of the tank, but they definitely know which direction i come from, and
all hang out in that corner of the tank too.

It's your imagination i think that makes them so kool so
I hope in a few years, I dont see them simply as another fish. Not insinuating you do of course.
You gotta love em to breed em no doubt

I think we can agree there is more going on upstairs with the "cichild" species than some other beautiful fish, which appear
to just be breathing and doing the same lap over and over


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

If one uses the definition of "high functioning" as something that does more or performs at a higher level than others of its kind then Betta are not. Fish pattern train be they Betta or Neons or Cichlids or Goldfish. If you repeat something often enough such as food in the same place, etc., fish, no matter the species, pick up on and cement that pattern. If you feed in the right corner for months they will go to that corner as you approach. If you suddenly switch to the left it will take them a while to re-pattern to the left. They will automatically go to the right corner first for several days or weeks before going to the left. It may take that long for the pattern is broken so they go to the left first.

As LBF notes, they are solitary fish which means they don't depend on a shoal so they don't have a "herd" mentality and are freer to explore their environment. Shoaling fish are normally prey so must develop a stronger sense of preservation than a predator such as a Betta or an Oscar; although put a Betta in with an adult Oscar and the Betta becomes prey. I would bet Neons would be better at avoiding that Oscar than a Betta would. YouTube videos seem to prove this out.

The most important thing is to avoid anthropomorphism.


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