Fish are smarter than we think
Scientists have captured videos showing that primates, birds and other mammals are not the only organisms that utilize tools; the newest addition to this list is fish! The Blackspot Tuskfish has been filmed to pick up a clam and repeatedly throw it against a rock until it breaks open. Even though the ability to use tools has been identified in a wide variety of animals such as crows and octopus, this is the first time that evidence has proven that fish are just as intelligent.
Credit: Scott Gardner
Blackspot Tuskfish (Choerodon schoenleinii) are found in coral reefs located in the South China Sea as well as Southeast Asia including Australia. They are typically one foot long and weigh an average of about 14 kg.
Credit: Ian Banks
Professional diver Scott Gardner took the first ever photo of the tuskfish using a rock to crack open a shellfish off of the coast of the Great Barrier Reef. Even though this appears to be very simple task, the mental process that the fish must go through to associate throwing clams at rocks with cracking the shells is phenomenal and unexpected of typical wild fish. Gardner found many fragments of shells close to nearby rocks which indicate that this behavior was not a result of mere coincidence.
Credit: Scott Gardner
In 2009, evolutionary biologist Giacomo Bernardi from the University of California provided definitive proof of this process by capturing a video from the Pacific island of Palau. Experts who analyzed the video said that the fish are very “forward thinking in their hunt for sustenance.”
Below is the video that is taken by Dr. Bernardi:
November 4th, 2011 at 4:48 pm
This is very interesting. I’ve only heard about birds dropping their food from a height to crack their food. It’s interesting to know that some species of fish can do similar things. Great job on the findings! 🙂
November 5th, 2011 at 2:59 pm
The fact that these fish are only one foot long and weigh 14 kg (approximately 30 pounds) is very impressive in itself! I was wondering how much force/ how many times a fish would need to throw the shellfish against the rock in order to crack it because depending on the way it is thrown, there could be a lot of water resistance. However, from the video, it seems that because they are thrown so close to the rock water resistance may not be as significant! This is a very cool idea!
I also wonder if these fish are hunting clams because they are abundant in their aquatic environment or if they are easier prey than smaller fish?
November 7th, 2011 at 7:05 pm
I’m taking this course BIOL325 with professor Blake learning about animal locomotion, primarily fish swimming. It’s fascinating how the fish are (un-)streamlined in such a way that it maximizes the benefits of their hunting habits. Some fish are “designed” so that they could swim non-stop for days, while others remain still and capture the preys with sudden movements. Whether the abilities are innate or learnt, some of these fish are actually quite brilliant in observing the movement patterns of their prey and pick out the best time to grab their dinner!
November 7th, 2011 at 8:17 pm
Is Blackspot Tuskfish the only species of fish that uses tool?
November 9th, 2011 at 11:27 pm
Woah, the fish are really smarter than what we think and I thought only monkeys are able to utilize such tools like cracking the nuts. How are they able to learn the skill though? Is it by observing other aquatic animals like octopus or simply evolve as a coincidence?