# Signs of Community Fish Intelligence are they really Borg or Little Smart individuals



## jadaBlu (Feb 14, 2013)

I thought of this topic today because I had not fed my community fish at the usual time They are really large Gold Barbs, Giant Danios and some Corys. They all range in the shyer fish personality

The I was sitting a nearby table doing some computer work I noticed they were staring at me I kept working slowly but the Gold barbs gathered facing each other at the back of the tank. After they gathered one of the largest ones left the gathering zipped full force and smacked the thermometer and rejoined the hovering group. The were all turned toward me staring.
I had that Duh moment I guess they want food.

I am probably just tying a random event to this but it seemed rather purposeful and not their normal behavior. I have been feeding them less because I started finding uneaten food. My barbs seem really fat I am not sure if they are normal size or just chunky.

Anyway have you observed any behaviors in your community fish that indicate more intelligence or awareness than you thought they might have?

What kind of fish are they?

I have found most community fish not to be interactive with people. I think that is why people have hard time believing that bettas are interactive and don't understand the interest in having them.


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## LittleStar (Oct 2, 2015)

What a cool share. Well from my view the personality and level of intelligence depends on the fish. From what I can tell its just like with cats. Some are more friendly than others, some like attention from people or tank mates and some don't. Some are nice until you put food in there and then they get ugly with their tank mates. I tend to really like Platys a lot. They are curious, and want to swim over and see what their tank mates are doing, especially curious when you have them with a Molly because the Molly pecks and bobbles around so much. But when the Molly gets food they are like little pigs and they snip and dart at any other fish trying to eat. Then the Platy gets really upset about this aggressive behavior and the Platy starts speeding up and down along the floor of the tank in the funniest way as if to say "What is your problem can't you see I need to eat too!"

LOL - I watch the "show" of behavior between the fish in my three tanks and laugh all of the time. I love it, keeps my perspective about my day more in focus. 

They are here to be loved and we are lucky if we feel loved in return. 
And sometimes we do!


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## jeaninel (Aug 24, 2007)

I agree, it depends on the fish. However, my two tanks in my living room definitely let me know when it's feeding time. My 135 community has angels, severum, Bolivian rams along with other community fish. I think the Rummynose and cardinals follow the lead of the cichlids as even they will be swarming the glass when it's dinner time. I feed once per day and I can always tell when I get home from work if my husband has fed them yet or not. They still greet me but not with the same urgency as when they've not been fed yet.

The other living room tank is my 150 American cichlids tank and, well, yeah they are full of personality and intelligence.


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## centaurii (Aug 31, 2015)

I believe fish are a lot more intelligent than we give them credit for, especially wild fish that haven't been dumbed down by domestication. 
It was recently discovered that fish communicate through sound underwater- we of course can't hear it, but special microphones can pick it up. Places like reefs are a cacophony of different fish talking to each other, they whistle, snort, grunt, bark, click, everything you can think of.

Fish can also be taught tricks if you use positive reinforcement training, a great example of this is the R2 Fish School - http://www.r2fishschool.com . 

My own betta Omicron caught on quickly to positive reinforcement (rewarding a behavior the moment it happens with food). I had a long term goal of teaching him to push a ping pong ball around, he's gotten to the point of biting the ping pong ball but not pushing it yet. I also read a blog of a student who taught her betta to associate a pen light with food (in the same way a dog associates a clicker or a "good boy" with food). She could then teach him behaviors by rewarding him with the pen light. It took several weeks using that method.


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## Rennie Sky (Feb 27, 2016)

Fascinating discussion! Over the past years of having community tanks I thought Angels seemed more intelligent than most. However, my closest relationship was with a Pearl Gourami. Hard to explain, but he seemed very intelligent and interacted with me a lot.


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## jadaBlu (Feb 14, 2013)

Nice to hear I've thought about a Pearl Gourami.


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## Rennie Sky (Feb 27, 2016)

jadaBlu said:


> Nice to hear I've thought about a Pearl Gourami.


I would highly recommend one! Mine could have been unusual, but he was one of my all time favorite fish and so interactive. He followed me around and took all his meals from my fingers. Its been so long I can't remember too many specifics, but he was totally cool and stood it amongst a slightly overstocked 60 gallon.


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## jadaBlu (Feb 14, 2013)

What size tank do you recommend for one? I've read about them but I am curious to see how big yours got.


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## jadaBlu (Feb 14, 2013)

The other thing I've noticed about my Gold barbs is if they are hungry and are not finding food they go find a cory and "herd" it along trying to get it to disturb the substrate and brush up some goodies.BTW If you are wondering why I don't just feed them more it's because I suspect they are already too fat.


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## Rennie Sky (Feb 27, 2016)

I had my Pearl in with tons of other fish in a 60 or 70 gallon ( having a mental block at how big my large tank is as it's stored.) The only two big guys though were an angel and that gourami. They both hung out in separate areas of the tank and I had a ton of silk plants to create territories. Personally, I don't think I'd go below a 30, if that was going to be your focal fish, with a few groups of tetra, Cory, etc. However, I'm far, far from an expert! I just spent an inordinate amount of time researching what I could put in my big tank together, that would work and cover different depths. Then there was some trial and error as well.

ETA: That's really cool about your barbs herding the cory!


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## jadaBlu (Feb 14, 2013)

I have a 30 I was considering it as the only fish because I've read they are territorial. What kind of tetras would you try if I did go beyond the gourami?


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## Rennie Sky (Feb 27, 2016)

Again, not an expert! And my tank was a slightly overstocked 60. However, as far as tetra I had 7 cardinal and 7 rummy nosed. Never a problem with either with the Gourami. But with fish your millage will vary. I also had Cory and Harliquin Rasbora. From a quick Google the Rasbora were mentioned as a good combo with Pearls, though both are going to hang near the top of the tank.

I'm betting our more experienced members can help more. Good luck!


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## Rennie Sky (Feb 27, 2016)

Arranging plants makes a difference as well. I used fake plants, but I had heavy cover for a gourami territory ( and another for my Angel), but also more open areas for the schoolers so the could go the full length of the tank.


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## jadaBlu (Feb 14, 2013)

Well the latest evidence of intelligence would be with one of my giant Malabar danios thHe He at I have named Delgado. Somehow he has become the self elected beggar in the tank. I have started studying at my dining room table in front of their tank. While other fish are off doing their own thing at the other end of the tank he stays at the end closest to where I sit. He swims waving his body back and forth to the side and he clacks his mouth up and down. If thinks he has my attention he will swim in circles in the same spot.

If actually get up and head toward the tank he races off excitedly to go "tell' the others food is coming.

He probably is hungrier than the other fish. He might be smart enough to figure out how to get fed but he is not the best forager like the others.


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