Fish Sound.

Question
Dear David

Do fishes make sound?.

If no, Could there be the biological reason of absence of Vocal cords?.

Thanks
Prashant

Answer
Hi Prashant:

Yes, fish can make sounds, including when hunting for foods, during mating, while swimming, and when threatened by a predator.

How do fish produce sounds?

Fishes produce different types of sounds using different mechanisms and for different reasons. Sounds (vocalizations) may be intentionally produced as signals to predators or competitors, to attract mates, or as a fright response. Sounds are also produced unintentionally including those made as a by-product of feeding or swimming. The three main ways fishes produce sounds are by using sonic muscles that are located on or near their swim bladder (drumming); striking or rubbing together skeletal components (stridulation); and by quickly changing speed and direction while swimming (hydrodynamics). The majority of sounds produced by fishes are of low frequency, typically less than 1000 Hz.

Thank you for the question.