Depression in Fish

[Fourstars]

I think we underestimate animals and their intelligence. Their brains and not that much different the ours. I watch blue planet the other night where a bottlenose dolphin carried around her miscarried calf for weeks, you could hear the sorrow in her calls.

 

[eatbreakfast]

But are we diagnosing depression in fish or rather depression like symptoms caused by a stressor and alleviated by the removal of that stressor?

There is also a big difference in emotional quotient between "higher" vertebrates such as the great apes and dolphins compared to zebrafish. That's not to say they can't, but rather would that truly be defined as clinical depression or something else?

 

[JacquieBeginnerReef]

Love the article. Do clowns become depressed or sad when their mate dies? Mine isn’t quite the same without her friend. Is this why it is recommended they are paired?

 

[cracker]

Just because we humans think we are so intelligent doesn't mean they can't be depressed in ways humans are too stupid to see it .
I agree with the author's views . Too small a tank,No mate , not getting enough food,aggression from other stressed out fish etc .
We become their soul provider & it's very important we do all we can to provide them with a happy long life.

 

[Fourstars]

But are we diagnosing depression in fish or rather depression like symptoms caused by a stressor and alleviated by the removal of that stressor?

There is also a big difference in emotional quotient between "higher" vertebrates such as the great apes and dolphins compared to zebrafish. That's not to say they can't, but rather would that truly be defined as clinical depression or something else?

I just always assumed most depression is caused by stressors, in all of us animals? I don’t think a clinically depressed fish would last long in the wild.

 

[Stigigemla]

I have too many times seen fishes putting theirselves "off". Just standing in a corner or lying on the bottom refusing to eat.
Many times it is possible to break the behavour just by moving the fish to a tank with small hungry fishes lika A. ocellaris or Chromis.
To me it looks very similar to a depression. What talks against that term is that they many times recover so fast.
Any way there is similarities in that it is often due to mobbing or aloneness. There is nothing as a single fish on a reef in the wild.

Whatever we call it fishes can get lethargic.

 

[ca1ore]

Their brains are not that much different than ours.

Fixed your grammar ..... fortunately for all of us (though perhaps not for the planet) that comment is not correct.

 

[ca1ore]

But are we diagnosing depression in fish or rather depression like symptoms caused by a stressor and alleviated by the removal of that stressor?

There is also a big difference in emotional quotient between "higher" vertebrates such as the great apes and dolphins compared to zebrafish. That's not to say they can't, but rather would that truly be defined as clinical depression or something else?

Precisely .....

 

[MnFish1]

I think I'll try to contact some of the scientists doing the research and do a follow-up piece. I'm actually surprised at all the push-back, but I'm a bit naive. It's a big paradigm shift for everyone to go from "fish are stupid" to "fish have complex emotional lives."

So to me there are 2 definitions of 'depression' (at least) - in the animal world a 'depressed' individual means listless, not eating, laying low - and probably has many causes It is used when veterinarians describe a listless animal - which might be from cancer, an infection, stress, etc etc. In People the word 'depression' signifies a serious illness requiring treatment. I think that it would be great to follow up with the researchers - and determine which version of the word they were using.

For another example in humans 'the infant appears depressed'... Is clearly a different type of 'depression' than 'Bobby who was 15 was depressed and attempted suicide'.

OH- and BTW - there is literature describing 'clinical depression' in dogs and infants - just pointing out that there can be more than 1 definition of the word. Since its impossible ti interview the fish as to what he/she is thinking - the word 'depression' - in these articles has to mean something different than 'clinical depression in people'

 

[MnFish1]

I think all fish become depressed when taken from the ocean and put in glass jails. Seriously, until someone can close the gap and actually talk to a fish, all these types studies are silly. We have a hard enough time explaining what depression is in people (who we can talk to). Observing a behavior is one thing, but stating the cause is depression is a leap of faith. Believe if you want, but it does not mean it is true.

If you feel this way - how can you justify owning an aquarium?

 

[MnFish1]

I think we underestimate animals and their intelligence. Their brains and not that much different the ours. I watch blue planet the other night where a bottlenose dolphin carried around her miscarried calf for weeks, you could hear the sorrow in her calls.

A Dolphin is a mammal..... Which seems a bit different. It could be instinct? It could be 'sorrow'? It could be something else. We don't know. But just like the Orca mother (and entire family group) - that tried to carry a dead calf around for several days - its impossible to know. My guess though is they were not 'happy' about the calfs death.