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Behaviour
Ethology
studies behaviour of animals and fish in any certain situation.
Every species has its own "composition" of behaviour reactions;
some conduct elements are inborn while others - artificial. Behaviour
is natural result or reaction towards a certain incitement. The
key impulses are usually accompanied with changes in colors or movements
of fishes. Each kind has a unique behaviour when, for example, chasing
their prey or eating it, and all of these actions are genetically
determined. Fish protects itself by camouflage, flight, and even
"weapons" - sharp prickles, poisonous glands, etc. Between
each other fishes may be friendly or inimically disposed, while
in other cases they do not pay attention to one another. When fish
are in room their behaviour is characterised as "yawning"
or sleep.
The relations between fish from one species are very interesting.
Most fishes constantly live in flocks where they are related and
dependant on each other. In the flock a fish can be aggressive,
timid, attractive, courting, etc. In other words it can be said
that fishes behaviour is very complicated and multiformal. |
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To
describe the term "behaviour" in general some others
should be introduced.
Fight During their whole life fishes fight for various
things, especially in the reproduction period. Fighting individuals
usually belong to one and the same sex. Fish seldom fight for
food but more often - for living site, shelter, female specimens,
for their offspring, etc. The martial bahaviour differentiates
some certain stages:
- Threatening
that is expressed in taking a frontal or cross position. Fish
spread their fins and open their gills.
- Swimming
around in a narrow circle. The head of one of fishes is near
the other ones' tai and vice versa. They make attempts to bite
and hit one another.
- Threatening
by tail hits.
Mutual biting and pressing their bodies.
- The
waeker individual runs away and takes sobordinate subjugated
position. It's interesting to notice that this changes fishes'
coloration.
Teritory Each fish has its area. Male individuals
are able to defend their teritory for hours and even days. The
purpose of area in nature is to disrtribute population uniformly
in the inhabited region.
Spawn Spawn of eggs is followed by their fertilization.
The true spawn is preceded by various long-standing preparations,
"overture" and sometimes "wedding dances".
The aims of these actions are mutual attraction, aqiaitance and
synchronizing of both partners.
Cares for progeny Some kinds look after their progeny.
It can be expressed in different means. Fishes may bring up little
ones on flat stones or plant leaves, in anest or small caves,
and even "incubate" spawn in their mouths.
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| Behaviour
of fish and animals in the wild very much differs from the one in
the home aquarium. It is not possible all aspects of their reactions
to be described. Unsufficient space, disability to choose an appropriate
partner, etc., have a cosiderable effect over fish's behaviour.
At that point almost everything depends on aquarists' ability to
"understand" fish. Demeanour of fishes is not constant
and a lot of patience is necessary. |
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