"Yawning" Fish

hawkey992 · 02/26/2008, 05:08 PM

I've read that when a fish "yawns" it is a sign of poor water quality, especially if it is accompanied by a quivering of the body, but over the years, I've seen some of my fishes "yawning" in water that tested fine IMO and the other fish in the tank always did fine, no one ever died mysteriously. Hawkfish seem to do it a lot so I'm wondering if it may just be a natural part of some fishes behavior or is it something to be alarmed about ?

kar93 · 02/26/2008, 05:18 PM

Where did you hear that? My fish always "yawn" and no ones dead yet

hawkey992 · 02/26/2008, 06:14 PM

In a book, Tropical Fishlopedia by Mary Bailey and Peter Burgess, it's more geared for freshwater fishes but I was still concerned.

kar93 · 02/27/2008, 01:22 PM

I dont think you have any need to be concerned. I havent noticed any problems with my freshwater yawning either.

sunfish11 · 02/27/2008, 01:28 PM

They are drinking water. Both Saltwater and freshwater fish drink the tank water , so you are seeing them take a gulp when they "yawn."

Lisa

kar93 · 02/27/2008, 01:36 PM

OH, i just thought they was actually yawning. lol

jmaneyapanda · 02/27/2008, 04:40 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by sunfish11
They are drinking water. Both Saltwater and freshwater fish drink the tank water , so you are seeing them take a gulp when they "yawn."

Lisa

where did you get this information?

LobsterMan · 02/27/2008, 07:24 PM

My Royal Gramma yawns.Nothing is wrong with it.

dickhordishay · 02/27/2008, 08:23 PM

my royal gramma yawns all of the time too.

my clowns never really seem to though.

snorvich · 02/27/2008, 08:27 PM

One data point. In the wild, I have photographed various fish yawning, and normally it is when I have been hanging around too long and the fish feels uncomfortable. Now, admittedly this is anecdotal in origin so the causal relationship may be wrong. However it is clearly not water quality.

sunfish11 · 02/28/2008, 12:49 AM

BTW, freshwater fish absorb water through their skin/osmosis. Only saltwater fish drink water. Sorry about that...

I heard about the fish drinking water at IMAC last year (and it being gulped during the yawn/flare). I can't remeber who mentioned it...but it was a presenter.

I have been doing some more research (of course this was just google research so could also be wrong) on this and it turns out that I was may be wrong as heck about the yawning (as was the person who I heard it from). The fish do drink the water but it probably isn't what is going on when they yawn. Although I don't think they are doing it because they are tired either. I am confused now.

Lisa

adtravels · 02/28/2008, 01:04 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by sunfish11
They are drinking water. Both Saltwater and freshwater fish drink the tank water , so you are seeing them take a gulp when they "yawn."

Lisa

True apparently they are altering there internal water balance, osmoregulation, at leaslt part ot the process, along with constant excrtion of ions via cells in the gills.

dont worry they're not bored you dont need to aquascpe yet

adtravels · 02/28/2008, 01:06 AM

They may also be realigning the jaw after feeding.

just dave · 02/28/2008, 01:16 AM

From what I've read the "yawning" is the fish stretching their muscles and I've seen this a few times from different authors. Here is one quote.

Quote:

Anthiids exercise their mouth by yawing to keep their muscles flexible and ready to strike fast, often in quick succession, at prey when feeding on zooplankton. Rudie H. Kuiter

This make more sense to me as all saltwater fish must take in water to compensate for the water being leached out of their bodies by the surrounding saltwater and I've only ever noticed yawning from certain types of fish and they are all the type that would need quick strike capabilities for prey capture.

sunfish11 · 02/28/2008, 01:23 AM

I have seen all my fish do it at one time or another...It made sense to me that they were getting a drink

Here is the Naso doing it

natan · 02/28/2008, 01:54 AM

Different fish do it 4 different reasons. some just realling their mouth (like snakes do after feeding), otheres also as a territorial threat display (namely, grammas and some gobies). Than u can usually see what they display at (another animal or a person). It may also be an attempt to dislodge parasites on the gills (trematodes, ich) or part of the display to invite cleaners to take care of the pests. But, in case of parasites, fish are more likely to "caugh", trying to expell as much water as possible as fast as they can from the guills.

sunfish11 · 02/28/2008, 01:56 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by natan
Different fish do it 4 different reasons. some just realling their mouth (like snakes do after feeding), otheres also as a territorial threat display (namely, grammas and some gobies). Than u can usually see what they display at (another animal or a person). It may also be an attempt to dislodge parasites on the gills (trematodes, ich) or part of the display to invite cleaners to take care of the pests. But, in case of parasites, fish are more likely to "caugh", trying to expell as much water as possible as fast as they can from the guills.

Why would they try to expell as much water as they could from the gills. They are in the water...doesn't make any sense for me. It definitely looks like they are sucking in and not pushing water out.

Lisa

jmaneyapanda · 02/28/2008, 07:33 AM

Fish may certainly ingest water when yawning, but that is not why they yawn. I yawn can act as a sneeze does for us. If parasite, debris etc. were caught in the gills or gill rakers, the VELOCITY of water from the yawn can dislodeg such issues, in adition to the numerous other benefits mentioned by others.

At any rate, in regards to the OP, it is certainly NOT a bad sign.

hawkey992 · 02/28/2008, 08:21 AM

I looked this up in my ichthyology text book and it can also be "gill ventilation" when fish reverse the flow of water over their gills to clear debris ever so often. Anyways, my fears are at ease so thanks very much!

Kanicky · 02/28/2008, 12:48 PM

Haha, isn't it cute when they "yawn"? My Highfin Banded Goby did it twice last night, and I was like, "Holy moly, he's got a big mouth!"

I'd like to catch a picture of him doing that.

I have a picture of my deceased Golden Head Sleeper Goby yawning... pretty neat!

Interesting stuff on the "yawning," though. RC and RC'ers are amazing!

02/26/2008, 05:08 PM	#1
hawkey992 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Lincoln, MA Posts: 259	"Yawning" Fish I've read that when a fish "yawns" it is a sign of poor water quality, especially if it is accompanied by a quivering of the body, but over the years, I've seen some of my fishes "yawning" in water that tested fine IMO and the other fish in the tank always did fine, no one ever died mysteriously. Hawkfish seem to do it a lot so I'm wondering if it may just be a natural part of some fishes behavior or is it something to be alarmed about ? __________________ How vain it is to sit down to write when you have not stood up to live - HDT Current Tank Info: 90g reef w/ freckled hawkfish, Bluejaw trigger 55g fowlr with and redspotted goby, Orchid dottyback, 2 sixline wrasse, Falco Hawk, Bicolor Goatfish 25g FO w/ pearly Jaw

02/26/2008, 06:14 PM	#3
hawkey992 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Lincoln, MA Posts: 259	In a book, Tropical Fishlopedia by Mary Bailey and Peter Burgess, it's more geared for freshwater fishes but I was still concerned. __________________ How vain it is to sit down to write when you have not stood up to live - HDT Current Tank Info: 90g reef w/ freckled hawkfish, Bluejaw trigger 55g fowlr with and redspotted goby, Orchid dottyback, 2 sixline wrasse, Falco Hawk, Bicolor Goatfish 25g FO w/ pearly Jaw

02/27/2008, 08:23 PM	#9
dickhordishay Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 214	my royal gramma yawns all of the time too. my clowns never really seem to though. __________________ J Current Tank Info: corals: xenia, red mushroom, German blue polyp

02/27/2008, 08:27 PM	#10
snorvich Team RC member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Outlander Posts: 40,953 Blog Entries: 46	One data point. In the wild, I have photographed various fish yawning, and normally it is when I have been hanging around too long and the fish feels uncomfortable. Now, admittedly this is anecdotal in origin so the causal relationship may be wrong. However it is clearly not water quality. __________________ Warmest regards, ~Steve~

02/28/2008, 12:49 AM	#11
sunfish11 Premium Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Weyauwega, WI Posts: 2,365	BTW, freshwater fish absorb water through their skin/osmosis. Only saltwater fish drink water. Sorry about that... I heard about the fish drinking water at IMAC last year (and it being gulped during the yawn/flare). I can't remeber who mentioned it...but it was a presenter. I have been doing some more research (of course this was just google research so could also be wrong) on this and it turns out that I was may be wrong as heck about the yawning (as was the person who I heard it from). The fish do drink the water but it probably isn't what is going on when they yawn. Although I don't think they are doing it because they are tired either. I am confused now. Lisa Last edited by sunfish11; 02/28/2008 at 01:13 AM.

02/26/2008, 05:18 PM	#2
kar93 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Lincoln Posts: 5,521	Where did you hear that? My fish always "yawn" and no ones dead yet

02/27/2008, 01:22 PM	#4
kar93 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Lincoln Posts: 5,521	I dont think you have any need to be concerned. I havent noticed any problems with my freshwater yawning either.

02/27/2008, 01:28 PM	#5
sunfish11 Premium Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Weyauwega, WI Posts: 2,365	They are drinking water. Both Saltwater and freshwater fish drink the tank water , so you are seeing them take a gulp when they "yawn." Lisa

02/27/2008, 01:36 PM	#6
kar93 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Lincoln Posts: 5,521	OH, i just thought they was actually yawning. lol

02/27/2008, 07:24 PM	#8
LobsterMan Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 221	My Royal Gramma yawns.Nothing is wrong with it.

02/28/2008, 01:06 AM	#13
adtravels you cant buy blue fingers Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 2,542	They may also be realigning the jaw after feeding. __________________ False facts are highly injurious to the progress of science, for they often endure long; but false views supported by some evidence, do little harm, for every one takes a salutary pleasure in proving their falseness. Current Tank Info: 90 gallon 36x24x24 reef

02/28/2008, 01:23 AM	#15
sunfish11 Premium Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Weyauwega, WI Posts: 2,365	I have seen all my fish do it at one time or another...It made sense to me that they were getting a drink Here is the Naso doing it

02/28/2008, 01:54 AM	#16
natan Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 356	Different fish do it 4 different reasons. some just realling their mouth (like snakes do after feeding), otheres also as a territorial threat display (namely, grammas and some gobies). Than u can usually see what they display at (another animal or a person). It may also be an attempt to dislodge parasites on the gills (trematodes, ich) or part of the display to invite cleaners to take care of the pests. But, in case of parasites, fish are more likely to "caugh", trying to expell as much water as possible as fast as they can from the guills. __________________ "Success is going from failure to failure without a loss of enthusiasm." Sir Winston Churchill

02/28/2008, 07:33 AM	#18
jmaneyapanda Commencing hatred Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 3,784	Fish may certainly ingest water when yawning, but that is not why they yawn. I yawn can act as a sneeze does for us. If parasite, debris etc. were caught in the gills or gill rakers, the VELOCITY of water from the yawn can dislodeg such issues, in adition to the numerous other benefits mentioned by others. At any rate, in regards to the OP, it is certainly NOT a bad sign.

02/28/2008, 08:21 AM	#19
hawkey992 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Lincoln, MA Posts: 259	I looked this up in my ichthyology text book and it can also be "gill ventilation" when fish reverse the flow of water over their gills to clear debris ever so often. Anyways, my fears are at ease so thanks very much! __________________ How vain it is to sit down to write when you have not stood up to live - HDT Current Tank Info: 90g reef w/ freckled hawkfish, Bluejaw trigger 55g fowlr with and redspotted goby, Orchid dottyback, 2 sixline wrasse, Falco Hawk, Bicolor Goatfish 25g FO w/ pearly Jaw

02/28/2008, 12:48 PM	#20
Kanicky Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 194	Haha, isn't it cute when they "yawn"? My Highfin Banded Goby did it twice last night, and I was like, "Holy moly, he's got a big mouth!" I'd like to catch a picture of him doing that. I have a picture of my deceased Golden Head Sleeper Goby yawning... pretty neat! Interesting stuff on the "yawning," though. RC and RC'ers are amazing! __________________ Katie & Nick Seahorse, 45G Hex: h. kuda (4); Sexy Shrimp (5) Undecided, 1/2G Pico: Possibly a couple of Sexy Shrimp Current Tank Info: 45G Seahorse