The dancing fish of Silverfin University

Recently, a newly published study on the communicative behaviour of social fish species, that was conducted at the university of Silverfin, has been showing promising and exciting results.

The head of the aquatic behavioural studies department Dr. Marlin and her assistant Dr. Mackerel have started observing swarms of herrings, silver sharks and rummy-nosed tetras years ago and have been analysing their social behaviour with the help of students ever since.

Recent findings of the study suggest that the fish in the swarms show playful demeanour during their everyday lives. Most prominently this can be observed through what the study calls "dancing", a swarm movement that serves no purpose other than the movement itself, which suggests that its purpose might be bringing the fish positive emotions. Usually, these swarm fish move together for several reasons; firstly, to protect each other from predators, secondly to communicate about food sources, and it has also been theorized that they are able to foresee major weather changes and warn each other about those.

“Playing is a behaviour that triggers positive emotions, which suggests that fish can have emotions other than hunger and the need to propagate.”

The "dancing" however, serves none of these purposes, which confirms Dr. Marlin’s theory that fish are able to play. Playing is a behaviour that triggers positive emotions, which suggests that fish can have emotions other than hunger and the need to propagate. This is a huge breakthrough in the field of aquatic behavioural studies, since for the longest time it has been assumed that fish are not capable of emotions other than basic instincts. Thanks to this study, we are now aware that fish are indeed social animals. It has even been observed that partners will reduce the usual distance held to other members of the swarm when swimming next to each other. Furthermore, young and adolescent fish show the playing behaviour more often than adult animals.

Recent studies on how fish experience emotions have already been set in motion, and we are looking forward to new, exciting results in the coming months and years. Surely, this newfound knowledge will change the way we see and treat aquatic life forms in the future.