Autism In Fish

[Supergeorge123]

This will probably cause a healthy discussion, i have seen multiple similar studies as well involving wild populations of fish living in water contaminated with low levels of pharmaceuticals. https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0032917

Beyond the potential human implications, what about the fish themselves? Is there any way to tell if a fish has autism? Has anyone observed a fish with behavioral anomalies that may be consistent with an autism disorder?

 

[kno4te]

I doubt it can be proven with certainty in fish. You’d have to be able to prove that normal fish ritual/behavior/interaction is so-called “off “ or not baseline. Just saying it in simple terms. Also not being induced from other environmental factors which are changing because of human development (fish acting off but not having autistic genes expressed simply responding to environment).

Either way interesting article.

 

[Nick Park]

Symptoms of autism:

• Severe communication difficulties
• Difficulty in social relationships
• Repetitive activities and routines
• An obsessive narrow range of interest

Anyone who keeps African cichlids will know that they already all tick those boxes.

 

[Go_redfish]

I would imagine also that any behaviors that might single out individual fish would make them a higher risk for predation in the wild. For example a fry that refuses to school with its siblings is an easy target.

 

[Jmahn]

Interesting read, I did see an Oscar on Facebook today schooling with clown loaches definitely was a special guy

 

[white specter crayfish]

Interesting read, I did see an Oscar on Facebook today schooling with clown loaches definitely was a special guy

My dads Oscar had a goldfish (meant to be a feeder) in his tank and he didn't touch him, though he ate every other goldfish

 

[Supergeorge123]

Given how inbred most aquarium fish are i wouldnt be surprised if a fair percentage of them had something similar to autism.