In this study, the research team tested whether goldfish could perform a task central to spatial mapping-distance estimation. They trained nine goldfish to travel a distance of 70 cm within a narrow tank covered with a repeating pattern of vertical stripes every 1 cm. On reaching the set distance, the fish were prompted by an external cue to turn around and swim back to the start position. The researchers tested whether the fish would swim the same distance if the external cue was removed, and the starting position was shifted.They also tested if goldfish would swim the same distance when the background pattern was manipulated. Eight out of nine goldfish accurately estimated the set distance when the external cue to turn around was removed. The team also found that after changing the background pattern, the goldfish used the spatial frequency of their visual environment to estimate distance. Doubling the spatial frequency of the background pattern resulted in a large overestimation of the swimming distance.
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