Do fish have feelings?

Question

We picked up our fish from boarding today (he went with the dogs and gecko over Christmas) anyway we got him home and hubby and I got into a discussion and he insists fish don't have feelings but I think they do!! What do you think?

Accepted Answer

Who voted no? lol they're animals. They have feelings, and so do other animals. They feel pain. They bond. They have personalities just like your other household pets do

Answer

I've had my gold fish for 4 years now, I definitely think ms Dorthy has feelings lols ❤️

Answer

No ones quoted Nirvana on this topic yet? …I feel old.

Answer

Lol such an odd question

Answer

They are animals so i'm going to say yes. I once watched a documentary about this suba diver, they were tagging and tracking some type of fish and this certain fish everytime it seen her, it would rush out of it's hole and rub up against her. However it never did it to any of the other divers. I've seen multiple things about fish that do that, even sharks and dolphins so yeah, they have feelings.

Answer

If anyone is wondering who said no, and why... there's specific brain anatomy required to have emotions. Fish don't have the same brain anatomy that we do, and lack the requisite wiring to have feelings. Long story short, few non-mammalian species have feelings. And to say that "oh they have feelings because this fish did this" is just personification. That fish did that because it was conditioned to. At some point that fish received positive reinforcement for its actions.

Answer

Whoever voted no, please go back to school and retake biology.

Answer

I think every animal does! I used to have a big black moor goldfish (the kind with the big bug eyes that stick out) and when I would clean his tank he would swim up and nuzzle my hand. He would also let me pet him between the eyes. I loved that fish and was really bummed when he died.

Answer

My fish has a personality (I was shocked) and gets excited to see me or food :) so yes!

Answer

They do. We had an oscar for about 7-8 years. He'd get cranky, lie on the bottom of his tank and go very dull in colour when we cleaned his tank, moved things in his tank or covered his tank (we only covered it when we were using things that might be dangerous to him). He'd also spit water at you as you walked past and follow you up and down the tank as you walked past. We've had many other fish since and they're all similar- they respond to what's going on around them. Very interesting creatures!

Do fish have feelings?

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