Fish Stress Signals: What Are They?

In previous article, stressed-out fish: understand where the stress begins, I explained why almost all fishes in the aquarium store are stressed-out. Since you can’t do much about the fact that they are being transported from one location to another, what you could do is to minimize your fish stress level when you brought them home.

How Do You Know If Your Fish Are Stress

There are many stress signals to indicate that your fish are stressed. Generally, if your fish don’t look happy, they’re probably stressed-out!

You’ll know your fish are stressed when they act abnormally. Once you’ve kept fish for some time, you’ll be able to tell how each species behaves. You may even be able to tell individual fish apart and discern their idiosyncrasies.

Of course, there are vast differences in different species. While some fish tend to stay near the water surface, others feel more at home near the base of the tank. And while some active souls are continuously finning from place to place, others prefer a quieter, more placid existence.

These differences make it all the more interesting to watch your pet fish. But it also means having to keep a close watch on your fish to see if they are acting out of the ordinary.

What Are The Common Fish Stress Signals

There are various common symptoms of fish stress. Here are some common warning signs to look out for:

Not Eating Well: One big danger sign is when your fish refuses or becomes unenthusiastic about food. The most possible causes are:

• Your fish could be ill or getting bullied by other aggressive inhabitants.
• It could also mean there isn’t enough cover for it to feel safe to swim about and eat unhindered.

Wounds: Another clear sign of stress is when your fish has ragged fins or open wounds that do not heal. Small cuts normally heal quickly. If they don’t, it’s a sign that the fish’s immune system is being suppressed by high stress.

Stress Diseases: Disease is, of course, a common sign and cause of fish stress. Fungus, parasites, and other ailments come in all shape and forms, presenting a major danger of infection spreading throughout the tank.

Most of the time, a healthy fish has a strong immune system which keeps it from getting sick in the first place. So when it does get sick, it can indicate that stress made the fish susceptible to disease.

Breathing Difficulties: If all the fish are gasping for breath at the water’s surface, there may not be enough oxygen in the tank. Lack of oxygen can be due to poor circulation. There can also be high ammonia content from fish waste due to overcrowding in the tank.

If only one or two fish are exhibiting this behavior, they could have damaged their gills due to disease or fighting.

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