Animal activists in China have raised objections to a stage performer's "magic trick" which appears to involve goldfish swimming in synchronized formations. Some allege that magnets or iron particles have been cruelly implanted in the fish (others suggests that these are not real fish at all...)
The performance is highly reminiscent of one first posted at Neatorama in 2007; that video has been removed, but another copy is available elsewhere on YouTube. And it's worth remembering that it is possible to train goldfish.
Edit: Updated with better video, found at BoingBoing.
The performance is highly reminiscent of one first posted at Neatorama in 2007; that video has been removed, but another copy is available elsewhere on YouTube. And it's worth remembering that it is possible to train goldfish.
Edit: Updated with better video, found at BoingBoing.
Animal cruelty and exploitation is never neat.
Abusive comment hidden.
(Show it anyway.)
I hope they aren't really hurting the fish.
Abusive comment hidden.
(Show it anyway.)
Honestly? With all of the human rights problems that China has, people are worried about whether or not there are some bits of metal or remote controls implanted in a few goldfish? They don't appear to be in any distress, and I don't see anything wrong with this, whether they were trained, manipulated, or controlled.
Abusive comment hidden.
(Show it anyway.)
I don't think there's any question that these fish haven't been trained to perform these moves. They're being controlled somehow. Personally, I'm not really convinced that the fish are real to begin with - they look rather shiny and plastic-like, even for fish.
Abusive comment hidden.
(Show it anyway.)
Of course they are not hurting the fish: they're not real! Watch their movements closely, especially the heads of the "fish". There are a couple points where they look quite mechanical. Not real fish, just good facimilies.
Abusive comment hidden.
(Show it anyway.)
If he did put implant some magnets or whatnot,I care not,I have bigger fish to fry.
Abusive comment hidden.
(Show it anyway.)
I'd say they are real fish. Real dead fish.
Abusive comment hidden.
(Show it anyway.)
It looks like they are fake or dead fish. There is no natural tail or head movement.
Abusive comment hidden.
(Show it anyway.)
They're bubble eyed, he's using a technique to fool them into thinking there is a wall. By holding your hands over a bubble eyed goldfish, since they tend to see upward as if to either side, you can quite easily guide them around a shallow tank.
Abusive comment hidden.
(Show it anyway.)
Shyeah... sure... like goldfish can really understand Chinese.
Abusive comment hidden.
(Show it anyway.)
While this is obviously some sort of trick, I once did research in a facility where other researchers were training fish to swim through mazes.
Abusive comment hidden.
(Show it anyway.)
MythBusters trained their goldfish too.
Abusive comment hidden.
(Show it anyway.)