Researchers from the University of Sydney and Macquarie University in Australia conducted experiments on African cichlids, a popular aquarium species known for its social behavior.
During the study, the fish were exposed to a simulated predator, which caused fear in the subjects. Other fish that were not exposed to the predator were then placed next to the frightened fish. The researchers showed that these “pure” fish exhibit timid behavior, which means they feel the plight of their peers.
The researchers then used oxytocin antagonists to block the hormone’s effect in the fish. The results showed that when oxytocin was blocked, naïve fish no longer showed fear when introduced to frightened fish. This indicates that oxytocin plays an important role in fish empathy and communication.
Source: Ferra
I am a professional journalist and content creator with extensive experience writing for news websites. I currently work as an author at Gadget Onus, where I specialize in covering hot news topics. My written pieces have been published on some of the biggest media outlets around the world, including The Guardian and BBC News.
