There are tons of quirky questions that people like you and me have, and rightly so! We answer 6 of your questions in this article.
Table of Contents
Do fish smile
It is possible to see a fish “smile” from time to time, even if it is quite rare. However, this phenomenon does not mean the same thing as for us, humans.
At the risk of disappointing some people, what we take for a smile in fish is rather a sign of fear, submission or defense. It is an automatic behavior like the smile of a newborn baby who smiles from birth to be protected by its parents.
There are, however, certain animals, notably dogs, that learn to smile. In this case the animal imitates the human but does not really understand what a smile means. It just understands that we show our teeth when we are happy. The smile would thus be a very human characteristic!
Do fish sneeze
As in humans, sneezing is caused by irritation of the trigeminal nerves in the nasal mucosa. One can wonder, rightly, if this also happens in fish;
However, this is not the case, only animals with pulmonary respiration (tetrapods) have this defense mechanism which allows them to expel impurities before they reach the lungs.
Therefore, fish cannot sneeze.
Do fish sweat
No, fish do not sweat. We suggest that you find out why by comparing them with other living things, animals and plants that do sweat and what the purpose of sweating is. Is it as necessary for fish as for humans?
Perspiration, or the evacuation of water from the surface of an organism, is one of the natural physiological functions of living bodies. It regulates (downward, by “cooling”) their internal temperature to keep it constant, and partially characterizes the interactions between these living bodies and their immediate environment.
Unlike human skin, which transpires, fish skin does not. This difference can be explained by the environment or living environments of humans and fish. Humans live in the air and fish live in the water. The functioning of the organs of both are perfectly adapted to each other and to their way of life.
Do fish scream
Most fish have two ways of making noise, either by snapping their jaws and teeth, or with their swim bladder, but fish also use it as a drum, an amplifier of the noises caused by the extremely rapid contraction of certain muscles around it.
The ocean is not a world of silence, as Captain Cousteau claimed. Fish never stop talking, shouting and singing.
It is true that fish do scream, but since they are on a different frequency than us, it is impossible for us to wait for them with our ears.
Do fish feel emotion
For a long time, researchers did not know if fish could feel the same emotions as humans.
Research on animal sentience is becoming more and more important in our society. It has even become a public concern, especially for those who are indignant about animal suffering. Thanks to science, we can now begin to understand how different animals manage to express their feelings.
Fish actually feel the same emotions as humans. This is proven by a scientific study conducted in Portugal.
Do fish get itchy
It is quite possible that a fish starts to scratch itself, it is a behavior that occurs quite often in an aquarium, however, it is not always a good sign!
In fact, an itchy fish often means that there is a problem, either with the water quality, or that a disease is going around.
If this happens to you, we advise you to check the quality of your water, and to increase the mixing, so that the chlorine circulates better.
