Online attention trainer

Tagged Fish: keep your eyes on the tagged fish

Also known as: multiple object tracking test, MOT test online, divided attention game, track the tagged fish

A few fish in the tank are tagged for a couple of seconds. Then they all look the same and start swimming. When they stop, tap the ones that were tagged. A game lasts a minute and a half. You can play 10 minutes a day without signing up.

Go to the game ↓
  • 1.5 minutesone game
  • 2 → 6 targetsamong 6–12 fish
  • No sign-up10 minutes a day
  • Progress30-day chart
What it trains

What Tagged Fish trains

The exercise works your divided attention: you have to follow several moving targets at once without mixing them up with identical neighbors. Looking at each fish in turn won’t work, so you have to keep track of the whole group at the same time.

Your score is the number of fish you find correctly. Once you sign up, results are saved and you can see a chart in your account.

  • You lose track of kids at the playgroundWatching several people at once is hard
  • Heavy traffic wears you outToo many things moving around you
  • You miss players in team gamesYour attention locks onto just one
  • You want a 90-second warm-upA simple rule, no words or numbers

Divided attention

Following several targets at once.

Sustained focus

Staying on task for every second the fish swim.

Visual tracking

Telling identical objects apart by how they move.

Speed

The fish swim faster at every level.

Rules

How to play

  1. Remember

    Press “Start”. A few fish turn green with a yellow outline for a couple of seconds.

  2. Follow

    The tags disappear, all fish look the same and swim around the tank for a few seconds.

  3. Find

    The fish stop. Tap as many fish as were tagged. Tapping a fish again removes your mark.

  4. Check

    Each fish you find correctly earns a point. Missed fish get circled, wrong picks get highlighted.

  5. Level

    A round with no mistakes brings more fish that swim faster. Two failed rounds in a row, or a round with two misses, lowers the level. The game ends after a minute and a half.

Play online

Play Tagged Fish online

Press “Start”, remember the tagged fish and find them after they swim.

Tagged Fish

A few fish are tagged, then they all look the same and swim around. When the fish stop, find the tagged ones.

Free play left today without signing up: 10 min

Method

The science behind the exercise

It’s based on the multiple object tracking task proposed in the late 1980s by Canadian psychologists Zenon Pylyshyn and Ron Storm. A person follows several targets among identical dots and, once everything stops, points out which ones were marked. The task is used in attention research.

For a different kind of attention workout, try Wide View and the Schulte Table.

2 of 6StartTwo tagged fish among six, swimming slowly.
4 of 10MiddleMore fish, swimming faster and longer.
6 of 12MaximumSix targets among twelve, at the fastest pace.
Who it’s for

Which ages

Adults

A minute and a half of attention training with no words or numbers. Works well as a break between tasks.

Kids

Not part of the “Kids” collection. If your profile says you’re a child, the fish swim slower and there are no more than four targets. Suitable from age 6.

60+

Not part of the “60+” collection. The pace adapts: after failed rounds there are fewer fish and they swim slower.

Program finder

Get your program in a minute

Answer 4 questions and we’ll put together a daily program of 5 trainers. We’ll email you the full 2-week plan.

Question 1 of 4

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Questions

Frequently asked questions

How long does a game last?

A minute and a half. One round takes about ten seconds, so you get around seven rounds per game.

What if I tapped the wrong fish?

Tap it again to remove the mark. The check starts once you’ve marked as many fish as there were targets.

Why do the fish bounce off each other?

So they hide behind one another less often. Your attention decides the result, not a random overlap.

Do I need to sign up?

No, you can play 10 minutes a day right away. A free account lets you keep playing, save your results, track your progress and unlock the daily workout.

Does it work on a phone?

Yes, the trainer runs in the browser on phones, tablets and computers. Nothing to install.

Save your results and track your progress

Free sign-up: round history, a chart by skill and a daily workout of 5 exercises. No credit card needed.

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