Do fish recognize strangers?

[goldfishfan]

I've noticed something interesting that happens in front of my 125 freshwater tank. It has mostly tiger barbs, a few gold barbs and some platys. When I'm around or my husband walks by, the tiger barbs follow him from one end of the tank to the other hoping for a meal. When my mom or strangers stand in front of the tank, all the fish hide as far back under the plants as the tank allows. Not even the cat walking on top of the tank, which is strongly discouraged, gets as much reaction as strange people do. So do fish recognize individuals?

 

[Innovator]

yes, fish can recognize shapes and patterns to a certain extent.

 

[Zagz]

Mine certainly recognize me as the food source. No one but me feeds them and when I go to the tank they all rush up. Anyone else and they just keep doing whatever they were doing.

 

[Sahabo]

Mine certainly recognize me as the food source. No one but me feeds them and when I go to the tank they all rush up. Anyone else and they just keep doing whatever they were doing.

My betta behaves the same way. He basically ignores my husband, but when I'm there he displays, zips back and forth in front of me, and seems to follow my movements.

 

[jrp1588]

My fish don't seem to care, but my turtle certainly recognizes people. My girlfriend has taken a liking to him, and she's usually the one that feeds him. Every time she comes into the room, he freeks out and starts rushing around the tank and making all kinds of noise. He never does this for me. haha

 

[happygirl65]

My fish do the same thing. They know me as I am the only one who feeds, they hide from or ignore the other family members. But me, they will follow all around.

 

[MisticX]

my tank is set at 10 cm left from where i stand when i work at the computer,

from time to time when i work, i take 2-5 mins break to watch them and play with them (yes u read good)

i play with them ;PPP
they come and "kiss" my fingers, and 2 of the black molly females actually rub themselves against the tip of my fingers.


when my wife does that, they hide as far possible in the plants.

furthermore, when a foreigner is in the house, you barely see fish in the tank even thou i have only 4 small plants in the tank.


answer to your question, i think that fish recognize to a certain degree their master/masters (will research more into it)

 

[Gillie]

I had an Oscar that would try to attack anyone he didn't recognize when they got too close to his tank. He also enjoyed being "petted" by anyone he did know.

 

[Ziggy953]

I know my SW fish recognize me as they all dart to the glass when I walk by. I think it is the food association, they know I feed them.

 

[Skyrmir]

Mine used to come to the glass when I came near. Since my wife and I started alternating feeding they only do it when we pick up the food can now. Otherwise we're pretty much ignored.

 

[krustykrab99]

I have heard that discuss, angelfish, and severums can recognize the difference between their owner and a stranger from about four feet away. I have had discuss and when someone walked into the room other than me they would imediately hide but when I walked in they would rush to the top. They seemed far more intelligent than most people give them credit.

 

[Dave66]

My dear lady keeps seahorses, Hippocampus reidi specifically, in a 180-gallon reef aquarium I gave her a couple years ago to do so. When she feeds them they blush deep red and eye her with great affection. When I feed them, until about 8 months ago, they do their Houdini thing and blend into the background, and stayed hidden until I was 10 or more feet way before they'd re-appear and feed. Now, they do come out to eat when I'm there, but they still view me with a jaundiced eye, like they suspect me of abducting Emily or something.
So yes, they do differentiate people, and it doesn't seem to be a food matter with the horses. They just adore her and barely tolerate me lol.

Dave