Can you teach a goldfish to drive

Can you teach a goldfish to drive?

Well, the answer is yes, you can teach a goldfish to drive.  We have been telling you for a while that fish are very smart and can be trained – Smithsonian agrees.  According to an article published in Smithsonian Magazine, a group of researchers designed a mobile tank for goldfish to drive on land.  The study was performed to learn about fish navigation skills, no matter the habitat.  The study was published in February 2022 in Science Direct.

Going on to say that the fish were taught to make movements necessary to propel the vehicle to dispense food.  This enabled the fish to navigate over land and obstacles visually thru the Fish Operated Vehicle (FOV) walls.  Their FOV, simply put, is a fish tank on wheels.

ABC News goes on to report that before the experiment could begin the fish needed to be taught how to drive the car. The scientists were surprised how quick the fish learned  to get the food dispensed.  Once the fish learned how to drive the FOV, they were successfully able to drive the vehicle on land and their skills drastically improved with repeated attempts.

The Can you Teach a Goldfish to Drive Study had 2 conclusions. First, fish navigational ability is universal to the species rather than specific to the environment. Second, it showed that goldfish have the ability to learn complex tasks in an unfamiliar environment and make adjustments to survive.

“It shows that goldfish have the cognitive ability to learn a complex task in an environment completely unlike the one they evolved in. As anyone who has tried to learn how to ride a bike or to drive a car knows, it is challenging at first,” study author Shachar Givon, a graduate student at Ben-Gurion University, said in a statement.

Green Aquarium Water

Green Aquarium water isn’t always bad for fish and plants, certainly not pleasing on the eyes but can be easily treated.  Green water is caused by an increased growth of single cell algae blooms, technically called phytoplankton.  When the blooms become too concentrated in your aquarium it turns the water green. Plants and fish like green water as phytoplankton is the start of the food chain in a productive aquatic eco-system in both fresh and salt water aquariums.  Healthy tanks have a balance of phytoplankton in fact, it creates oxygen and is a food source.

What are the Causes of Green Water in an Aquarium?

Bacteria and algae lives everywhere in the aquarium, in the substrate,  filter, filter media, and on decorations.   In order for phytoplankton to bloom, there needs to be excessive light, an imbalance of aquarium nitrates and room to grow.

• Lots of light either natural sunlight or artificial tank lights
• Left over food in the water
• Too many fish and waste
• Dirty water
• Not enough good quality water changes
• Dirty substrate
• Poor tank maintenance

Rid your Tank of Algae Blooms

Algae blooms can be cleared in your tank once you recognize what caused the bloom to start in the first place. Algae need the proper amount of food and light to bloom.  You can rid your fish tank of green water by adding chemicals, adding a UV clarifier, half tank water changes and thorough substrate vacuuming.  Following a couple of suggestions can help get your fish tank or aquarium back to crystal clear water.

• Chemicals, called algaecides can be used to help kill the algae
• Control the lighting
• Install an Ultra Violet Clarifier, often called a UV Filter
• Completely break down your filter, clean or purchase filter media
• Do a thorough water change
• Clean the tank, substrates, glass, decorations, rocks or wood
• Vacuum to clean the gravel or sand
• Install an algae eater

Prevent Green Water in your Aquarium

Green water in your aquarium isn’t always a bad thing.  It creates food and oxygen for your fish and plants to eat, but an over amount of blooms will turn your tank water into pea soup like green water.  If the water remains untreated it will ultimately lead to problems for fish by raising the pH too high, starving the tank of oxygen, blocking filters, and trapping fish.  

• Reduce the amount of light:
  • put your tank lights on a schedule
  • make sure you have an aquarium background installed to reduce light coming from back
  • control direct sunlight, do not put your tank in direct sunlight
• Install a UV clarifier
• Do regular tank maintenance:
  • Water changes, do a full water change of up to half or a third of the water
  • Proper substrate and gravel cleaning and vacuum your gravel and substrates
  • Remove visible algae from the glass with a proper Aquarium Glass Cleaner
  • Wash all ornaments, plants centerpieces, rocks wood pieces, and decorations
  • Perform regular water changes
  • Clean filter media
• Regularly remove uneaten food and wastes, don’t over feed your fish (check out our blog on feeding aquarium fish)
• Maintain proper aquarium water parameter’s by purchasing a water testing kit
• Floating aquarium plants that eat algae like duckweed, water sprout or guppy grass

For all aquariums, big and small AquariumH2o has the supplies you need to keep your dream aquarium crystal clear! When we say we have all the supplies you need, we mean it, we are a one-stop shop for all that you need. If you have any questions call us at 856-985-9339 or email us at sales@aquariumH2o.com.

Picking your first Aquarium

The most important things needed to consider prior to buying or picking your first aquarium:

• Size – what size aquarium do you want?  Tanks are available based on gallonage.  Water weighs about 8 pounds per gallon with or without salt.  Will the floor hold the weight of the tank with the water and all the equipment required to run the tank?
  • Popular tanks sizes start as small as a fish bowl and go to as large as you would like.
• Location – you want to consider the location of the aquarium.  Place the setup in a room that is lived in.  You don’t want the tank located in direct sunlight or in a cold room where you need additional heaters to keep the water at specified temperatures.
  • This is a big decision, as most aquatic species are very social.
• Glass or acrylic tank – Acrylic insulates the water better, weighs less and more impact resistant than glass.  However, acrylic will scratch much easier and tends to dull over time.
• Fish – The selection available for tropical fish is almost endless.  How many can fit in the tank you have, marine fish or fresh water fish, carnivores or omnivores, will they mate?
• Plants – Live plants or artificial plants.
  • There are so many pro’s and con’s to both, do research.
• Water – salt water also known as a marine tank or a fresh water aquarium.
• Expense – When you start to think about all the expenses included in this hobby is that there is a ton of expenses associated with aquarium owning.  Filters, fish, plants, lights, pumps, food, heaters, decorations, theme, electricity.
• Maintenance – How much time are you looking to invest in the hobby?  All the decisions listed above will dictate how much cleaning and maintenance.

In summary, there is a lot to think about prior to purchasing your first aquarium or fish tank.  The popular aquarium size choices seem endless.  You will find that there is plenty of information available to make the necessary decisions and plenty of people to talk to about your new hobby.  Check out our online store for all of our fantastic inventory…

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