Jewel cichlid.. Emotion?

[elephantnose]

Do jewel cichlids have feelings. I have a breeding pair oh jewels. I just recently removed their fry. The fry had reached 1/2 an inch. The parents are no longer active. The female has laid down by my drift wood. The male is also just staying near here. They haven't really swam around. They still eat tho. they have also become dull. the fry will only be in here for a few days while their grow out tank is being finished.

 

[VioletGoby]

Yeah my parent fish get like that after I move their fry. I think that part of it is they have to transition into using lots of energy to protect their young to being childless fish again. I'm sure they are a little bummed and exausted.

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[jetajockey]

I don't think fish have complex emotions, like they aren't 'sad' that they lost their fry and are in mourning. As mentioned they are just transitioning back to no baby mode. My JDs do this every week or so.

 

[bubbacichlids]

I have 3 jewels I moved them all to a different tank. He turned jet black for a week he hid all that week. I finally moved him back to the tank I had him in before and whit in hours his red came back and he became much more active I was so happy. Idk if that's any help but I felt like I should share with you. I'm no expert but I think they do have feeling

 

[elephantnose]

Thanks, it's been a week and my two are still mourning about their being no fry. They have barely moved since I took their fry away.

 

[bubbacichlids]

Good luck.. They should be fine

 

[elephantnose]

Hoping they will breed again.

 

[bubbacichlids]

I wish mine would to they laid eggs few days later eggs were all gone they haven't since then this is about 2 months ago. I wish you luck tho. Are they the only ones in the tank ?

 

[elephantnose]

Yeah, they are in their own tank. I have 20 of their 1/2 in fry in a grow out tank.

 

[bubbacichlids]

Yeah they sure breed again I don't see why not. They just need time to adjust to no fry.. Next time they breed leave the fry in the tank a few extra days not to long tho that may help

 

[elephantnose]

I left the fry in until they reached 1/2 inch in which the parents stopped caring form them. the fry were hiding all over the tank. i even saw the parent eat one. it might of already been dead but idk? so i figured ity was time to remove the fry.

 

[jetajockey]

I left the fry in until they reached 1/2 inch in which the parents stopped caring form them. the fry were hiding all over the tank. i even saw the parent eat one. it might of already been dead but idk? so i figured ity was time to remove the fry.

That's one example of why I say they don't have complex emotion.

Sent from Peabody's rabbit hole.

 

[squirrilah fish]

It amazes me how emotionally responsive cichlids are. They are incredibly smart, incredibly adaptive, arguably the most intelligent fresh water fish.

I have totally seen "moods" in my cichlids. I can tell when they are happy, when they are pissed off, when my big electric blue is sulky.

There memory is better than most fish. But not very long, so once they switch out of "parenting" mode they will forget those fish are even it's children in a few days.

 

[jetajockey]

It amazes me how we as humans are quick to anthropomorphize our pets.

 

[squirrilah fish]

It amazes me how we as humans are quick to anthropomorphize our pets.

What's more interesting is how we only protect anthropomorphized animals, and neglect ones that aren't, like sharks.

 

[jetajockey]

What's more interesting is how we only protect anthropomorphized animals, and neglect ones that aren't, like sharks.

Yep. And feeder goldfish.

 

[elephantnose]

Noticed eggs a couple of days ago!!