Re: Fish feelings...

["F. Tadeo" <el_boy@hotmail.com>]

i have one rather touching story as well...

i had six ram cichlids, two males and three females.  two of the females who 
spawned ate their eggs every time.  the two males were not good fathers 
either.
but one of the females defended her brood ferociously, even when i stuck my 
hand or a fish net into the tank!  the male she mated with was kept under 
constant supervision by this female.  she forced him to watch over the brood 
and pecked at him occasionally to keep him on top of business.  hence, he 
did not eat the fry and became a wonderful father.  one week after the fry 
became free swimming, a black smelly thing started growing on the gravel 
(the tank they bred in was heavily planted and well established for five 
years.  to this day i still dont know what caused the plague)!  it did not 
subside so rather than lose the fry and parents i removed them all.  the 
mother did not take it well, refusing to eat or swim. she just sat there, 
degenerating  .a week later, the female died, of sadness i believe :(  the 
fry died as well under my care because i guess no one can replace momma!
interesting thing was with the male.  afterwards, whenever he spawned, he 
became a very good father.  i think he actually learned how to be a good 
parent.  he watched over the brood while his mate (either one of the other 
two females) just swam around, not acknowledging the eggs.  he even cared 
for them after they became free swimming, unlike the other females.  
whenever the other females moved fry around, they would swallow five and 
spit out only two....
so, i believe that fish (or at least cichlids if not all) have feelings, as 
well as the ability to learn.
-frank
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