Do goldfish feel pain?

Question

in the tail when eaten by other fish

My goldfish is dying and the other one is eating its tail. I just wondered if it hurts it or not. I can't separate them because I only have one fish tank and I don't want to do a mercy killing. It doesn't feel right. :-(

Answer 1

Yes, i think goldfish do feel pain. they are highly intelligent creatures, like its been proven that they can remember things for up to 3 months. I'm really sorry to hear about your fish. have you tried ringing your local aquarium? My sister's fish was ill, and they said she could take the fish to them and they would take a (painless) swab to work out what was wrong, and, hopefully treat it. I hope this helps love Liz

Answer 2

I'm not sure if they do or not, but I'm sure they would feel something horrible at being eaten alive and not being able to escape. Maybe you could try putting something like a piece or glass or plastic to seperate them for a while? At least until it finally dies. If you're sure it's dying, possibly take it out and put it in another largeish container (using some of the water from the tank) as a single gold fish can survive with no pump and filter for a few days and if it is dying it can at least die without being eaten too.

Answer 3

They need to be separated for the sake of both fish. If you don't have another tank at least get a tank divider. They fairly cheap and will protect the sick fish, but the water will still circulate to the other fish which could or could not be a problem depending on what is wrong.

Answer 4

firstly the 3 second memory is rubbish,latest research proves that they are well able to remember or they wouldnt have been able to complete certain tests, secondly every living creature feels pain, pain is also what makes you remember that something hurts or is dangerous.

I dont think its tail will feel much. I would take the poor critter out of the tank using some of the water and put in a bowl so he can either recover or die less stressed. Most creatures will turn on the sick and dying, also it will be less stressful for the healthy ones not to be 'trapped' with it.

Answer 5

Yes, they feel pain, but 95% of goldfish enjoy the sensation... then forget they enjoy the sensation... How do you know it's dying?! I always thought the definition of helpless was an owner of a sick goldfish. Hide a paracetamol between 2 bits of fish food and feed it to your goldfish. Otherwise it'll never take the tablet. I had the same problem with my Great Dane

Answer 6

There is nothing special about pain. It is the response an organism feels when something is detrimental to it's health.
All living organism would therefore have to experience pain.
We cannot prove this, but unless we find another mechanism that allows life to react against death, we must assume pain exists for all plants and animals.

All animals must be able to remember in order to survive. if your goldfish come to feed when you put your hand over the bowl, how is their memory span only 3 seconds. Science can get too narrowly focused at times.

Answer 7

I've heard that goldfish have a 3 second memory. But not sure about that. I would personally take the fish out of the tank and put him in the toilet (the sick one).

Answer 8

I don't know the answer to your question, but I'm sure it would distress them even if they didn't feel it as pain - they wouldn't want it happening to them.

Also, I don't think it is true that fish have a 3 second memory span - I think this is something people tell themselves to feel better about shoving them in a tiny bowl. The Koi Carp in my pond certainly seem to have memory - they are terrified of herons - avoid the cats, come to the surface for food in the evening when they see us approach with the food. People don't like to accept the intelligence of animals they might want to eat. Pigs are as smart as dogs, if not smarter, for example.

Answer 9

Welll i not a goldfish but if somebody came and bit me in the back i would feel pain. So your goldfish proably does too. And if you want to stop the goldfish from being eaten, put them in a sepatre tank.

Good luck!

Answer 10

No! goldfish do not feel pain-they do not have the same capacity as we do to interpret the different nurological imputs. Their brain does not function as ours do. They do not have the ability to think as we do-therefore "pain" is not something that goes through their mind! think more along the line of "action- reaction" you poke a fish, it will swim away-did it "feel" anything? no. secondly, there are no nerve endings in the tail