Three Second Goldfish Memory Theory: Debunked

kalila courban

May 24, 2021 11:00 AM EDT

Goldfish are known for their poor memories. However, this is a complete myth that! Despite its lack of scientific backing, this concept has spread widely and remained largely undisputed for many years. What if I told you that goldfish memory can actually last weeks, months, and even years! You'd be all like: bish whaaaaat. Well, it's true! These uniquely beautiful little fishies are easily recognizable by their distinct orange hues covering their little bodies and spreading as well to their extensive fins.

Live Science recently reached out to Culum Brown, an expert in fish cognition at Macquarie University in Australia, who told Live Science: 'We've known about the reasonably good memories of goldfish since the '50s and '60s. Despite what everybody thinks, they're actually really intelligent.' 'Brown has studied the intelligence of fish, including goldfish, for more than 25 years and thinks the misconception comes from a combination of ignorance about fish intelligence in general and guilt, because pet owners often keep them in small, boring tanks.'

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'In reality, goldfish have such impressive memories, they're often used as a common model for studying memory and learning in fishes, Brown said. As a result, "there are thousands of studies [on goldfish] that show fish have excellent memories," Brown said. "And the rate of which these studies are being published is growing exponentially."'
Interesting! Who would have known??
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'Goldfish are also good problem-solvers and have been taught to escape nets and navigate mazes, Brown said. They can even remember how to repeat these tasks weeks, and even months, later, Brown said. Other evidence suggests that goldfish can recognize and remember other individuals, even after long periods of separation.'
Well, speaking as someone who had a goldfish for a solid 2 months in the third grade, I cannot confirm this claim. But hey, science is science!
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