I think Occum's Razor...
...shaves off all but the natural explanation. That is that we perform as designed by nature. That goldfish perform as designed as well. That there is only a differrence in degree, between goldfish and humans (and a difference of far less degree between humans and chimps).
I don't know why self-awareness is considered to be all that special, really. Biologists/technologists would have as much trouble designing a functioning pancreas as a self-aware brain.
And I doubt that humans have the corner on the self-aware market on earth.