Shut up.
I don’t have to be in the water all the time.
Mudskipper, New England Aquarium, Boston
Matthew Swarts, Untitled (@ New England Aquarium), 2013.
Awesome image of the tarpon at the New England Aquarium! This species can grow to be 8 feet and live for more than a decade. They’re some of the biggest fish at the aquarium.
Reblogged from CITY OF CONCERN
I found Dory even before the movie comes out!
Palette surgeonfish at the New England Aquarium, Boston.
Can Fish Really Feel Pain?
I just finished reading an article for Uni, for my lab meeting; Can Fish Really Feel Pain? by Rose et al. My first instinct for this 30-page long paper was to treat it with utter disbelief, because as an animal lover and a student, I fully believe that yes, fish feel pain. But it’s a damn interesting read.
The paper concludes, for those of you who want a quick answer, that no, fish do not feel pain. For the rest of you, here is why:
This review found that most research in which it was concluded that fish feel pain are actually really bad science. One big problem is that most researchers ignore the difference between nociception (“the neural processes of encoding and processing noxious stimuli”) and pain. So, researchers look at fish behaviour and determine from that if it is a pain response, without actually considering that it could simply be pain-free behaviour to remove an unpleasant event or sensation.
The distinction is important because, as it turns out, there is little evidence to suggest that fish even have the physiology to be ABLE to feel pain.
To go a little more in-depth into science, teleosts have quite a few “A-delta fibres”, which are responsible for the first “That’s hot! Jerk my hand away!” reaction. This is a huge survival advantage as it removes fish from an injury-causing stimulus. But they have very small concentrations of “C-type fibres”, which provide the more intense, lasting and suffering-inducing pain, such as ‘burning’ pain. And that makes sense, too; in a highly dangerous environment, needing to take the time to rest and recover due to lasting pain would only increase the likelihood of predation.
So far, there simply isn’t enough evidence to say that fish do feel pain. And assuming that they do from poor research typically prevents exactly the type of research needed to be able to conclusively determine the correct answer one way or another.
At least, according to this paper. I definitely recommend giving it a read if you have a few spare hours. It will probably challenge your current ideas, even if just a little.
Reblogged from For (Animal) Science!
neaq:
Mangrove habitats are wonderful and intricate places! Get a good look at this fusilier and the upside down jelly at the Aquarium when you peer into the live mangrove exhibit! Details and more photos.
Fish and Jelly
Reblogged from New England Aquarium
neaq:
The snow may be swirling outside, but the fishes in our Pacific Lagoon are enjoying balmy tropical waters. Get a look at this dartfish up close when you visit the Aquarium!
Hey there buddy.
Reblogged from New England Aquarium
neaq:
An entirely synthetic fish: Award-winning journalist, aquatic ecologist and lifelong fisherman Anders Halverson will discuss the discovery of rainbow trout, their artificial propagation and distribution of this commonly stocked fish at the New England Aquarium tomorrow night, 7 p.m.
This lecture is FREE and open to the public! Find more details and RSVP here.
Reblogged from New England Aquarium
neaq:
Keith Ellenbogen has captured some lovely pictures of coral reefs in Fiji — from the tiny moments of a fish resting to the commotion of a school of fish darting this way and that. Look back at the Fiji expedition here.
Reblogged from New England Aquarium
neaq:
A dive back in time: When a comet darts past Bailey during a dive in Fiji, memories of popular Aquarium exhibits come flooding back to him. Get the story.
Reblogged from New England Aquarium
neaq:
Click play to learn how this tiny cowfish that belongs in the Bahamas was rescued off the coast of Rhode Island! Next time you come to the Aquarium, take a closer look at the exhibits and ask around with the Aquarium educators to learn more stories just like this!
Love this little fellow!
Reblogged from Just Me
