Debate topic : do fish have emotions?

[AmyKieran]

Feel free to link reference scientific research, personal experience or just opinions on this topic

 

[AmyKieran]

@itiwhetu
@Slaphppy7
@AdoraBelle Dearheart

 

[itiwhetu]

I think fish come in many categories. Cichlids I know are more intelligent than we give them credit for. I know that the bond between two Cichlids can be full of emotion. I have seen this with Oscars and with Angels. I have had friends with Convict Cichlids and Keyholes that have experienced the same thing. Humans are not very clever when it comes to these types of things, we like to think we are smart, but we are arrogant, and self-centered at the end of the day.

 

[AmyKieran]

I think fish come in many categories. Cichlids I know are more intelligent than we give them credit for. I know that the bond between two Cichlids can be full of emotion. I have seen this with Oscars and with Angels. I have had friends with Convict Cichlids and Keyholes that have experienced the same thing. Humans are not very clever when it comes to these types of things, we like to think we are smart, but we are arrogant, and self-centered at the end of the day.

I defo think my cichlids are very intelligent. They know the difference between me coming to the tank to look at that and the me coming to the tank to feed them. They also are very particular about food, what they like and dislike. Which in itself is a part of the emotion disgust

 

[itiwhetu]

I will take this discussion a step further. If you believe that fish show no emotion, then why keep them? Because at the end of the day they are giving nothing back to you. Why would you bother with all the hassles if the fish showed no emotion and gave nothing back?

 

[Wills]

Just a pre-emptive mod post - guys this is likely to be a subjective topic so lets keep it civil and polite. If you feel your self getting angry, take a breath before you post and read back what you've written.

Wills

 

[AmyKieran]

I will take this discussion a step further. If you believe that fish show no emotion, then why keep them? Because at the end of the day they are giving nothing back to you. Why would you bother with all the hassles if the fish showed no emotion and gave nothing back?

I believe that fish do have emotions but I believe I have this answer to this one aswell, to look at. Fish are colourful and nice to watch swim around and stuff, regardless of their emotion

 

[itiwhetu]

Just a pre-emptive mod post - guys this is likely to be a subjective topic so lets keep it civil and polite. If you feel your self getting angry, take a breath before you post and read back what you've written.

Wills

Thanks for the warning, I will be careful. I think that I have had my say and will let others contribute.

 

[itiwhetu]

Just one thing.

Remember that the scientists only know what they know now and when they discover something new then they know that.

 

[Guyb93]

The word emotion is a stretch I believe , do I think if 1/10 tetra gets eaten they all sit and morn for it or feel sadness , no I don’t. Same as when an old fish gets sick do the other fish leave it alone and make sure it gets food . No they kick the crap out of it till it dies
I do think fish have intelligence but so does a Pig there estimated to have a higher IQ than a dog but one sleeps in my bed the other is on a sandwich
But then there’s the argument of bonded pairs , iv saw it myself one will waste away without there partner it’s a tough one is that genetic programming to mate for life or love

 

[Wills]

Thanks for the warning, I will be careful. I think that I have had my say and will let others contribute.

Hi @itiwhetu my message wasn't aimed at anyone or anything in the thread already - its a good topic thats likely to be a heated debate but we don't want it getting personal etc

 

[AmyKieran]

The word emotion is a stretch I believe , do I think if 1/10 tetra gets eaten they all sit and morn for it or feel sadness , no I don’t. Same as when an old fish gets sick do the other fish leave it alone and make sure it gets food . No they kick the crap out of it till it dies
I do think fish have intelligence but so does a Pig there estimated to have a higher IQ than a dog but one sleeps in my bed the other is on a sandwich
But then there’s the argument of bonded pairs , iv saw it myself one will waste away without there partner it’s a tough one is that genetic programming to mate for life or love

Some interesting points here, I know my cichlids are ruthless and will pick on the weakest and that is an emotion too. I’m not sure if ide say anger because they may not be angry while doing it, but the point still stands. In terms of the point about the pig and a dog. Regardless what the pigs IQ is, humans like the taste of it and don’t like the taste of dog. I don’t think there’s a correlation between the pig being smarter than a dog but it being eaten. It doesn’t matter what the pigs IQ is if it tastes nice.

Edit- to add to that, pigs are, for the most part, way to big or not ideal to keep as pets that lie in beds Eith us anyway, that is a contributing factor towards why a pig is killed, and a dog isn’t. Not IQ

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

I think fish come in many categories. Cichlids I know are more intelligent than we give them credit for. I know that the bond between two Cichlids can be full of emotion. I have seen this with Oscars and with Angels. I have had friends with Convict Cichlids and Keyholes that have experienced the same thing. Humans are not very clever when it comes to these types of things, we like to think we are smart, but we are arrogant, and self-centered at the end of the day.

Isn't insisting that fish not only feel emotion, but that you're able to accurately see and interpret that emotion, just the other side of the coin of someone insisting they don't feel anything? How is one less arrogant a viewpoint than the other?

 

[itiwhetu]

Isn't insisting that fish not only feel emotion, but that you're able to accurately see and interpret that emotion, just the other side of the coin of someone insisting they don't feel anything? How is one less arrogant a viewpoint than the other?

One is not less arrogant than the other, humans by nature are arrogant, me included.

 

[Guyb93]

Some interesting points here, I know my cichlids are ruthless and will pick on the weakest and that is an emotion too. I’m not sure if ide say anger because they may not be angry while doing it, but the point still stands. In terms of the point about the pig and a dog. Regardless what the pigs IQ is, humans like the taste of it and don’t like the taste of dog. I don’t think there’s a correlation between the pig being smarter than a dog but it being eaten. It doesn’t matter what the pigs IQ is if it tastes nice.

Edit- to add to that, pigs are, for the most part, way to big or not ideal to keep as pets that lie in beds Eith us anyway, that is a contributing factor towards why a pig is killed, and a dog isn’t. Not IQ

Well some people don’t eat dogs but others do ,certain nations don’t eat pigs weather out of religion or other cultural differences, live stock is determined on the area you live in and what acceptable in that society
All animals have emotions I guess weather it’s a human emotion and we can recognise it is the thing and the thing about IQ doesn’t matter if they tase nice I’d have to disagree, I would still say farming and eating chimpanzees is unethical lol