It's a common belief that fish can't remember anything for longer than seven seconds. It may seem sad to think that every moment in their lives would be like seeing the world for the first time. But don't be so quick to feel sorry for them. A new study has found that fish have much better memories than we used to think.
In the study, researchers from Mac Ewan University in Canada trained a kind of fish called African cichlids to go to a certain area of their tank to get food. They took the fish out and then waited for 12 days before putting them back in the tank again. They found that after such a long break the fish sill went to the same place where they first got food.
In fact, scientists had been thinking for a long time that African cichlids might have a good memory. But there was no clear evidence until the latest findings.
Just as a good memory can make our lives easier, it also plays an important part when a fish is trying to survive in the wild. "If fish are able to remember that a certain area contains (容纳) safe food, they will be able to go back to that area without putting their lives in danger," lead researcher Trevor Hamilton told Live Science.
So next time you are watching your pet fish from outside the tank, perhaps you should feel close to them-they may remember who you are.
