Scientists train goldfish to 'drive' to get food

Scientists trained goldfish to control a vehicle made of a water tank and wheels to move to a target on land.

Many people think that animals can only navigate in the environment in which they evolved. However, a team of scientists at Ben-Gurion Negev University, Israel, demonstrated that goldfish can "drive" on land, towards a designated target to receive food, New Atlas on January 5 news. The study was published in the journal Behavioural Brain Research.

The vehicle used by the goldfish is called Fish Control Vehicle (FOV). This is a 35 cm x 35 cm x 28 cm acrylic plastic water tank, placed on a metal platform with 4 wheels that can be rotated in all directions powered by batteries. The fish's position in the tank is monitored by a downward facing camera connected to a small computer. The camera is mounted on a long pole that protrudes from the FOV.

The team of experts studied 6 goldfish, each of which was released into the car separately. Then they put the car in the middle of the rectangular room, measuring 3 m x 4 m. One wall in the room is fitted with a painted polypropylene panel. Initially, the scientists showed the goldfish that when they reached the board, a pellet of food would be dropped into the tank.

The vehicle used by the goldfish is called Fish Control Vehicle (FOV).

To get to the board on its own, the goldfish must know how to drive the FOV. In a few days, they learned that swimming to the wall in any direction would cause the FOV to move in that direction. When turning back to the middle of the tank, the car will stop. When the expert team moved the target to another wall, put some obstacles between it and the FOV, or placed distractions on other walls, the fish still successfully found its way to the right target.

"The study shows that the animal's ability to navigate is much broader rather than confined to a certain environment. Second, it shows that goldfish have the cognitive ability to learn how to perform a complex task within The environment is completely different from the one in which they evolved. Anyone who has ever tried to learn to ride a bicycle or drive a car knows that it is very difficult at first," said graduate student Shachar Givon.