How Quickly Do Fish Become Habituated to an Object?
Chapter 28: Animal Behavior

Animals that are repeatedly exposed to a source of disturbance will often become habituated to that stimulus if it proves to pose no real danger. After habituation, the animal will no longer react to that particular stimulus. You can observe the habituation of fish to a new object is you…

Try This

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1. Observe an established aquarium for 10 minutes.
2. At the same time each day for a week, drop a small object, such as a marble, into the aquarium. Observe and record the behavior of the fishes. After 10 minutes, remove the object.

Analyze Your Results

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1. How many days did it take for the fish to become habituated to the object?
2. Did some aspects of their behavior change?
3. Did any species of fish become habituated to the stimulus more quickly than others? If so, which ones?

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