We tend to credit animals like cats and dogs with a certain degree of mental complexity. But fish aren’t usually afforded that kind of praise.

“They do not talk, they do not bark,” says Caio Maximino, a neuroscientist at the Federal University of the South and Southeast Pará in Brazil. “We usually think, ‘Well, these are very simple-minded animals. They are like little robots that do not do much.’”

But personally, Maximino doesn’t believe that. “Those animals, they have very rich behavior that is mediated by these internal, emotional-like states,” he says.

Previous research has largely focused on the negative experiences of fish that are driven by fear, anxiety and discomfort. “It has been demonstrated that they feel pain, for example,” says Marta Soares, a behavioral physiologist at the University of Porto in Portugal. “And that was a huge step, actually.”

These fish may feel pleasure while being groomed by other fish

(text.npr.org)

It has always been strange to me that anyone would think animals don’t have a wide range of emotions. I understand that a scientist can’t ask how an animal is feeling, and must instead record avoidance/seeking behaviors, but it also seems vanishingly improbable that emotions aren’t part of a long and useful evolutionary methodology to get to the next generation. Cows have friends. Sure, it took effort to prove, but why wouldn’t we expect that? We see mothers nurture their offspring, and we could easily call it love and concern. It is good to see we now have proof that it isn’t just the cuddly creatures with emotions, but at least as far down the scale as fish.

We tend to credit animals like cats and dogs with a certain degree of mental complexity. But fish aren’t usually afforded that kind of praise.

“They do not talk, they do not bark,” says Caio Maximino, a neuroscientist at the Federal University of the South and Southeast Pará in Brazil. “We usually think, ‘Well, these are very simple-minded animals. They are like little robots that do not do much.’”

But personally, Maximino doesn’t believe that. “Those animals, they have very rich behavior that is mediated by these internal, emotional-like states,” he says.

Previous research has largely focused on the negative experiences of fish that are driven by fear, anxiety and discomfort. “It has been demonstrated that they feel pain, for example,” says Marta Soares, a behavioral physiologist at the University of Porto in Portugal. “And that was a huge step, actually.”

These fish may feel pleasure while being groomed by other fish

(text.npr.org)

We tend to credit animals like cats and dogs with a certain degree of mental complexity. But fish aren’t usually afforded that kind of praise.

“They do not talk, they do not bark,” says Caio Maximino, a neuroscientist at the Federal University of the South and Southeast Pará in Brazil. “We usually think, ‘Well, these are very simple-minded animals. They are like little robots that do not do much.’”

But personally, Maximino doesn’t believe that. “Those animals, they have very rich behavior that is mediated by these internal, emotional-like states,” he says.

Previous research has largely focused on the negative experiences of fish that are driven by fear, anxiety and discomfort. “It has been demonstrated that they feel pain, for example,” says Marta Soares, a behavioral physiologist at the University of Porto in Portugal. “And that was a huge step, actually.”

These fish may feel pleasure while being groomed by other fish

(text.npr.org)

Who says fish have underappreciated intelligence? Dolphins are always praised for their sociality and cunning

Who says fish have underappreciated intelligence? Dolphins are always praised for their sociality and cunning

Dolphins are mammals hombre. They crawled back in the water and evolved their legs away.

they’re mammals though, sharing a common ancestor with pigs (who are also renown for their intelligence)

Mammals are a kind of fish though. They eat fish just like fish do

Nah dog, your understanding of biology is all fucked up