Do fish have any feelings?

Fish Have Feelings, Too: The Inner Lives Of Our 'Underwater Cousins' : The Salt Jonathan Balcombe, author of What A Fish Knows, says that fish have a conscious awareness — or "sentience" — that allows them to experience pain, recognize individual humans and have memory.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on npr.org


Do fishes have no feelings?

Not only do fish have feelings, but this ability might have evolved hundreds of millions of years ago. Emotional states in animals are still a matter of debate for biologists. Now, for the first time, Portuguese researchers have demonstrated that fish have emotional states triggered by their environment.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on zmescience.com


Do fish feel pain when they get hooked?

Fish have numerous nociceptors in their mouths and thus getting hooked is certainly a painful experience for them.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on sentientmedia.org


Can fish feel loved?

Researchers have found that fish recognize each other and gather information by eavesdropping. They're capable of remembering past social interactions that they've had with other fish, and they show affection by rubbing against each other.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on peta.org


Can a fish feel happy?

Most pet fish that are happy and comfortable spend less time hiding and more time moving around. And just like humans, happy fish usually have a vibrant glow which is a sign of good health.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on scmp.com


Do Fish Have FEELINGS?



Can fish love their owners?

Surprisingly, science has found that fish are capable of recognizing their owner's face, even if the owner is standing by the tank with other people. Fish can develop an association between something they like, being fed, with the person who feeds them.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on small-pets.lovetoknow.com


Do fishes cry?

"Since fishes lack the parts of the brain that set us apart from the fishes — the cerebral cortex — I doubt very much that fishes engage in anything like crying," Webster told LiveScience. "And certainly they produce no tears, since their eyes are constantly bathed in a watery medium."
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on livescience.com


How do I tell my fish I love him?

This one is pretty simple—place your finger on your betta's tank and wait for him to respond by swimming towards your finger. Move your finger in all directions on the outside of his tank and watch him follow your finger around. Reward your betta with a small piece of food each time he follows your finger.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on wikihow.pet


Do fish remember you?

Can your pet fish recognize your face? A new study says, Yes, it probably can. Researchers studying archerfish found the fish can tell a familiar human face from dozens of new faces with surprising accuracy.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on cnn.com


Do fish get lonely?

What is this? Goldfish are just not the same as humans – they're not social animals in the same way that we are, and they don't have the same capacity to get bored or long for companionship. In fact, many of the longest living goldfish have been kept alone, with no obvious harm to their well being.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on thegoldfishtank.com


Do fish get thirsty?

The answer is still no; as they live in water they probably don't take it in as a conscious response to seek out and drink water. Thirst is usually defined as a need or desire to drink water. It is unlikely that fish are responding to such a driving force.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on irishexaminer.com


Is fishing cruel?

Pierced through the mouth with a sharp metal hook; dragged out of the water, convulsing and struggling, into an environment where they can't breathe; and killed outright, left to suffocate or flung back into the water, traumatised and sometimes fatally injured – fish suffer horribly at the hands of anglers.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on peta.org.uk


Can a fish drown?

Most fish breathe when water moves across their gills. But if the gills are damaged or water cannot move across them, the fish can suffocate. They don't technically drown, because they don't inhale the water, but they do die from a lack of oxygen.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on livescience.com


Do fish get bored?

Just like any other pet, fish can become bored, too. And while they won't chew up your shoes, keeping them occupied will ensure they live a healthier life.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on petguide.com


What do fish feel like when you touch them?

There's something distinctively fishy about holding a wet pet. Fish secrete a glyco-protein slime from the cells in their skin to make it harder for parasites to attach. Some fish even secrete toxins into the slime to deter predators.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on sciencefocus.com


Can fish hear you talk?

However, yes, they can hear your voice.

They just know someone is speaking. They can associate sounds with action, though. For example, if you are to say your betta fish's name – let us call him George – each time you sprinkle food in his aquarium, he will eventually associate the sound of “George” with food.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on japanesefightingfish.org


Why do fish follow you?

Because fish often rely upon a complex web of senses beyond sight, many signals - chemical, hormonal, activity and sound - will attracts them and they know when you are, and will trail you, long before you see them.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on tripadvisor.com


Do fish feel sad when other fish dies?

No, fish do not get “sad” if another fish dies. Fish do have a brain that is capable of some type of “emotion” but not to the extent that humans feel. They don't feel anything like sadness, but may feel something to a smaller extent.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on quora.com


Can you play with your fish?

It's also good for your pet as it keeps them active and helps prevent boredom (yes, fish can get bored!). With patience and a little persistence, you can teach him to do things like follow your finger, eat from your hand, swim through a hoop, play soccer, and even jump out of the water or come up to be petted.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on aqueon.com


Are fish sad in tanks?

Fish become frustrated and unhappy when kept in cramped bowls or tanks. House fish in a large filtered tank. All tanks should have a pump to keep water flowing continuously.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on peta.org


Can a fish scream?

Fish don't audibly scream when they're impaled on hooks or grimace when the hooks are ripped from their mouths, but their behavior offers evidence of their suffering—if we're willing to look.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on peta.org


Do fishes fart?

Most fish do use air to inflate and deflate their bladder to maintain buoyancy which is expelled either through their mouth or gills which can be mistaken for a fart. For example, sand tiger sharks gulp air into their stomachs at the surface which they then discharge out the back door to attain a desired depth.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on scuba.com


Do fish have friends?

Science writer Stuart Blackman reveals whether fish really do have companions. While it's clear that many fish seek out each other's company, they don't tend to nurture relationships with their shoal-mates. Rabbitfish are a rare exception.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on discoverwildlife.com