Can Hewbie hear me? Yes he can!

[AydenLincoln]

I discovered something today. I can call Hewbie’s name and he comes right up to me he will be on the opposite end of the bin and unable to see me and when I call him he comes excitedly swimming over and pokes his little head out of the water. This is something I never truly thought about but realized today. Fish do in fact have ear canals and can hear and there have been multiple studies of them responding to music and how they can hear different frequencies. And it just occured to me Hewbie is probably aware of what his name is and literally comes when called responding to my voice. I have tested this theory out a few times and every time I’m in the room where he can’t see me I call him and he swims really fast towards me. Fish and especially Hewbie are a lot smarter than we give them credit for.

 

[rogueshrimp88]

That's both fascinating and adorable!

 

[purpfish]

That’s crazy!

 

[RockRash]

How cool!

 

[AydenLincoln]

This comment wins!

 

[RockRash]

I remember years ago when I had my first tank and was active on reef central. Someone posted something about a puffer playing catch with a pingpong ball they would toss it in and the puffer would spit it back. I always found that thread fascinating and would love to see a video of something like that.

ETA: Maybe he threw it in and the puffer swam it back. Cant remember now its been years but cool nonetheless.

 

[BeanAnimal]

I had an Oscar fish for maybe ~15+ years. Raised it from the size of a thumbnail. It was like a house cat or dog. Liked to be petted, hand fed and spent time on whatever side of tank I was on... followed me around.

It recognized specific people and would get extremely excited for me, my father, etc. Different behavior for each person to an extent. It would splash water out for my father (he regularly fed it night crawlers). I was away at college and my father nursed it back to health when it got extremely sick. He spent days moving it through the water and keeping it in front of the power head in hopes of keeping it breathing and feeding it with a syringe. Mind you it was the size of a shoebox by that time. My mother said he barely slept for days and spent a fortune on meds to make sure Oscar pulled through.

I had a friend that it disliked and would jump to bite every time he put his hand above the tank. It also hated plastic plants, it would destroy them. The silky ones were fine, just not plastic.

Oscar also had a huge pleco and weather loach friends for close to 10 of those years, but they had to be moved out at some point because Oscar decided that they were no longer friends.

Oscar was also fond of watching the red belly piranhas in the neighboring tank - and all in, i think oscar was more efficient at dispatching crayfish and minos... One gulp, no bloodbath.

 

[Townes_Van_Camp]

Post about Hewbie? I need an auto up vote bot.

 

[AydenLincoln]

I remember years ago when I had my first tank and was active on reef central. Someone posted something about a puffer playing catch with a pingpong ball they would toss it in and the puffer would spit it back. I always found that thread fascinating and would love to see a video of something like that.

ETA: Maybe he threw it in and the puffer swam it back. Cant remember now it’s been years but cool nonetheless.

I tried this with him and he just tried to eat it lol!

 

[AydenLincoln]

I had an Oscar fish for maybe ~15+ years. Raised it from the size of a thumbnail. It was like a house cat or dog. Liked to be petted, hand fed and spent time on whatever side of tank I was on... followed me around.

It recognized specific people and would get extremely excited for me, my father, etc. Different behavior for each person to an extent. It would splash water out for my father (he regularly fed it night crawlers). I was away at college and my father nursed it back to health when it got extremely sick. He spent days moving it through the water and keeping it in front of the power head in hopes of keeping it breathing and feeding it with a syringe. Mind you it was the size of a shoebox by that time. My mother said he barely slept for days and spent a fortune on meds to make sure Oscar pulled through.

I had a friend that it disliked and would jump to bite every time he put his hand above the tank. It also hated plastic plants, it would destroy them. The silky ones were fine, just not plastic.

Oscar also had a huge pleco and weather loach friends for close to 10 of those years, but they had to be moved out at some point because Oscar decided that they were no longer friends.

Oscar was also fond of watching the red belly piranhas in the neighboring tank - and all in, i think oscar was more efficient at dispatching crayfish and minos... One gulp, no bloodbath.

That’s awesome! I have heard they are incredibly smart and personable. I’ve never had one personally but have heard the personality and intelligence is similar to a puffer.

 

[Dom]

Does Hewbie have his own social media account?

 

[AydenLincoln]

Does Hewbie have his own social media account?

He shares it lol! https://www.instagram.com/hewbieandfriends/profilecard/?igsh=azkyemk3a2VhM2E1

 

[AlyciaMarie]

 

[kchristensen8064]

I have a rabbit-fish that loves to be pet! And no, I have never been stung. He keeps his fins down when getting his belly rubs. He just loves the attention and even just looking in the tank has to be right there in front of you.

 

[Doctorgori]

-Our fish absolutely knows who feeds them, there is almost no reaction when a visitor walks up

I believe you with the sound thing…they can hear noise outside of the tank , so to associate a person with a sound and/or sound with feeding, is fully plausible

This needs further exploration

 

[Doctorgori]

Maybe A dog clicker at feeding time ? LOL

 

[Knucker]

If you put your hand in your tank with a Skillet fish it will cuddle with your hand and take food from your hand. Who says you can't pet fish.

A sexy shrimp will remember you and when you feed. They will do a dance to get your attention.

I feel fish and invertebrates are smarter than we think.

 

[Lavey29]

I discovered something today. I can call Hewbie’s name and he comes right up to me he will be on the opposite end of the bin and unable to see me and when I call him he comes excitedly swimming over and pokes his little head out of the water. This is something I never truly thought about but realized today. Fish do in fact have ear canals and can hear and there have been multiple studies of them responding to music and how they can hear different frequencies. And it just occured to me Hewbie is probably aware of what his name is and literally comes when called responding to my voice. I have tested this theory out a few times and every time I’m in the room where he can’t see me I call him and he swims really fast towards me. Fish and especially Hewbie are a lot smarter than we give them credit for.

It's when he starts talking back to you that you might be in need of professional intervention.

 

[AydenLincoln]

Maybe A dog clicker at feeding time ? LOL

You know what he does like I tried lasers. He was more interested in me and food though lol.

 

[Sophie"s mom]

I have a rabbit-fish that loves to be pet! And no, I have never been stung. He keeps his fins down when getting his belly rubs. He just loves the attention and even just looking in the tank has to be right there in front of you.

I have never tried to pet my Naso tang, but that is how he is! Anywhere I am looking up close in the tank, here he comes front and center of my view! IT's like he is saying " hey, look at me!