Why do fish jump? (like out of the water for no ovious reason- not when they're on a hook)?

Question

The do it when there isn't food (so while that is a contibutor, it isn't WHY)
Some females do it when they're spawning, but males do it too.
Sometimes the oxygen in the water is low, but they do it even when the oxygen is fine.
Fish do it even in completly still tanks.
All species of fish do this.

Answer 1

Actually not all species of fish do this.
Most often it's top water species who have predators that stalk from below (mullet, killifish, topminnows, etc.) and a lot of the times they do this as an escape mechanism.
A large majority of fish can't 'breathe' oxygen from the air - their gills aren't set up that way.. so this wouldn't really be a reason why fish would leap out of water.
Most fish that can breathe air are Labryinth/Anabantoid varieties (Bettas, Gouramis, etc.) which evolved in low oxygen habitats and evolved the "Labryinth" organ - or species like mud skippers, etc., who have specially evolved organs to breathe oxygen from air (though they can still use their gills to breathe through water).

Answer 2

Hi Chris, any number of things can cause fish to jump-being chased by predators, catching flying insects, too small a tank or bad water conditions are just some of them. However if none of the above apply fish sometimes still jump occasionally & my guess is they are simply having a whale of a time [no pun intended]

Answer 3

Not all fish do this. The Koi in my pond start jumping every afternoon about 3:30.
I have never seen any scientific answer for it, so I just think they are having fun, like Dolphins. Mine jump as much as a foot and a half high and flip. They seem to be loving it. Just playing is my guess.

Answer 4

To impress a potential mate. Some fish enjoy the sensation against their scales. Other fish instinctively jump out of water to look for food, like flies or other insects.

Mine have never jumped out of the water. Not all species of fish do this.

Answer 5

they lke to be jumpy it is best to put a lid on the aquarium fish jump out of the water because they think there is more water through the clear glass and sometimes they get bored so they do it

Answer 6

My guess is to get oxygen or insects flying low over the water.

Answer 7

They don't leap out of the water to get oxygen, there gills are cannot absorb the oxygen directly.

Answer 8

they're trying to escape.

Answer 9

Because they can.

Answer 10

proves God exists.people are blind.......think of me in bed tonight