Do Fish Feel Pain?

[GoldfishAttentionSpan]

However, it was proved then fishing would probably be banned!!

By that logic hunting would be banned.

 

[Opcn]

Some fish sit on heaters until they get burnt which says to me that they can't feel pain, otherwise they would move away from the heater. However, it was proved then fishing would probably be banned!!

Heat is detected by a different set of receptors. If fish had these receptors they would respond without delay to a heater (even if they did not experience anything like pain). However fish generally do not encounter high heat areas other than water thats too warm so they have no reason to have the receptors needed to sense intense heat.

We will never be able to prove that they feel pain, we can't prove that dogs feel pain, or that Paul the wolf feels pain.

 

[paul_219]

I guess they do feel pain, they start suffering from pains. And they get hurt when oher atart nipping it.

 

[kniesh]

Pain is an alert from your brain indicating some sort of defect, i.e burnt, hit or something similar, therefore anything with a conventional brain, i.e one big enough to establish simple tasks should feel pain. The fish sitting on the heater and not moving until burnt surely proves they do feel pain, not that they don't. Just that they may be a bit stupid for not moving earlier, but they do move when burnt indicating some sort of feeling.

 

[Spacecloud]

Some fish sit on heaters until they get burnt which says to me that they can't feel pain, otherwise they would move away from the heater. However, it was proved then fishing would probably be banned!!

Heat is detected by a different set of receptors. If fish had these receptors they would respond without delay to a heater (even if they did not experience anything like pain). However fish generally do not encounter high heat areas other than water thats too warm so they have no reason to have the receptors needed to sense intense heat.

We will never be able to prove that they feel pain, we can't prove that dogs feel pain, or that Paul the wolf feels pain.

Good point!!

 

[dwarfgourami]

From the fact that fish show a recognisable stress reaction when injured or caught by a hook, it should be possible to deduce that they experience some sort of unpleasant sensation. Whether this is a sensation that you or I would recognise as a feeling of pain is of course a difficult question. But then we don't even know within our own species how another person experiences pain. Often when watching my husband with a cold I have found myself wondering if I am really capable of experiencing pain on this sort of level. Perhaps my brain just isn't developed enough....

 

[Scott MacAdam]

I would have to say that Fish most deffinatley feel pain....

there was a comment on fishing and hooking the lip, and the fish swims away....

The lips of most fish are somewhat like a rubber, meaning a thick flesh resilliant to damage, also on that note, I believe that the fish does not have sensory receptors near this area. (i will explain the meaning behind this)

brief crash course.....

spine is made of nerves, traveling to the brain
connected to the end of the nerves, are sensory receptors
so when stimuli, touch, reacts with these receptors, the impulse travels to the brain and back with a reaction, this case pain,

a good example of this is your elbow..... try pinching your skin on your forearm, then apply the same pressure pinch to the elbow,
less pain??
less receptors in the elbow to pick this feeling up.

everything with a brain would have the rest of the nervous system and be able to feel pain....

I think the best sign for fish is when another fish sneaks up and nips the fins. the other fish takes off and hides, if it could not feel, would it not just float there and take the nips?

I am open minded so ask away and i'll see what i can come up with ! this is really interesting

 

[Opcn]

I hate to break it to you but fish actually have more receptors around there face and mouth than any other part of there body. The reason they pull away is that they know that if they go were they are pulled they will probably die.
Also the elbow has just as many receptors as other parts of the body, its just that pinching the skin does not induce pain, try sticking your self in the elbow with a needle and you will see what I mean.

 

[Rhiannon]

How terribly sad. I thought she would of felt it.

My bristlenose died this morning too, I didnt even know he was even sick.

So I am feeling pretty bad right now.

Well its better off that they are not suffering or feeling any pain now.

 

[Scott MacAdam]

well the fish was a guess, but upon research, i have found a study in which scientists took 20 trout and could not find a sensory receptor in the mouth region at all, on all 20 fish......

so as for the elbow, we have done this study in biology. It's not the fact that there are less present...... it's that there are less close enough to the surface to accually pick up the feeling.

 

[kribensis12]

I was told that the reason fish dont feel pain in there mouth area is that if they got into a figh( lock lips) and one of the fish jaw got busted, do you know how much pain that would be, or if there mouth was cut the pain would make them not want to eat. I do belive fish fell pain just like people feel pain. Also if the fishes mouth had receptors then when they pick up rocks with thier mouth, wouldnt they feel extreme pain?

 

[Bignose]

well the fish was a guess, but upon research, i have found a study in which scientists took 20 trout and could not find a sensory receptor in the mouth region at all, on all 20 fish......

would you please cite that research, i.e. what journal it appeared in, when, and the name(s) of the authors. I'd like to read it myself. Thanks.

 

[Opcn]

Well, I was going off of hearsay, so your source would definitely trump me Scott, I apologize.

 

[Scott MacAdam]

yeah for sure! hold on.... i'll find it again, I was shocked myself..

 

[Scott MacAdam]

well, I must say, I believe I have stumbled upon the 1st report..... (ending in no receptors in the mouth region) In the second however, same study, they expose to heat and chemicals and found that there was brain activity suggesting that the DO INDEED feel pain.... apparently they were now able to locate 58 spots where receptors are located.... ugh I'm lost now.....

http/www.abc.net.au/science/k2/moments/s1739175.htm

I think that this is another website from the one that i oridginally visited but it contains the "Part 2" and I think, a wrap up for the study.....

After reading both again, this website does not mention the first not finding the receptors the first time around, I will find that when i get home from class and post it....