# Do fish sing?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-fish-sing/6131>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [January 12, 2000, 10:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-fish-sing/6131 "2000-01-12T10:45:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\
**Post date:** [January 12, 2000, 10:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-fish-sing/6131/1 "2000-01-12T10:45:00Z")

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Do fish have voices? Or make noises? Apart from “splish splash.”

I know other undersea creatures do - dolphins, whales, etc. And that’s while they’re underwater - sound carries well under there.

Most other creatures make noises: insects, birds, mammals, reptiles, even if it’s just a hiss or gurgle.

So why not fish?

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**-PIGEONMAN-**  
Returns!!!

[The Legend Of PigeonMan](http://www.hotkey.net.au/~guanolad/pigeonman/) - **You asked for him, now he’s back!** Hurrah!

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**Author:** ![funneefarmer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9fc348/32.png) [@funneefarmer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/funneefarmer)\
**Post date:** [January 12, 2000, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-fish-sing/6131/2 "2000-01-12T12:57:00Z")

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“Sound is also used for communication. Sounds are produced by grinding teeth, rubbing body parts together and with the swim bladder, an air sac inside the body used to regulate buoyancy. Drum, croakers and toadfish get their names from the sounds they produce with their swim bladders.”

From the site…  
[http://www.aqua.org/education/teachers/activities/fishanatomy.html](http://www.aqua.org/education/teachers/activities/fishanatomy.html)

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**Author:** ![aha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eada6e/32.png) [@aha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aha)\
**Post date:** [January 12, 2000, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-fish-sing/6131/3 "2000-01-12T13:57:00Z")

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Some catfish make a distinct barking sound when captured…  
( and a screaming sound just before I drop them in the hot grease.)

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“I think it speaks to the duality of man sir.”  
(Private Joker in Full Metal Jacket)

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**Author:** ![Beruang](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/77aa72/32.png) [@Beruang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beruang)\
**Post date:** [January 14, 2000, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-fish-sing/6131/4 "2000-01-14T15:32:00Z")

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Let’s not forget grunts.

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**Author:** ![Yarster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/7c8e57/32.png) [@Yarster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yarster)\
**Post date:** [January 14, 2000, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-fish-sing/6131/5 "2000-01-14T16:36:00Z")

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In Northern California where I used to do marine biology research, there is a fish commonly known as the ‘Midshipman’ (I can’t remember what species it is however). Actually, I’m sure it’s found all along the Pacific Coast.

Well, that fish makes a noise like a motor boat engine and gives off a bioluminescent flash on it’s underside at night that you can sometimes hear on a calm night walking on the beach