What a fish knows : The inner lives of our underwater cousins

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An underwater exploration that overturns myths about fishes and reveals their complex lives, from tool use to social behavior. With over thirty thousand species, fish surpass all mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians combined. Despite their diversity and beauty, we often overlook how fish think, feel, and behave. Ethologist Jonathan Balcombe takes us beneath the sea and beyond the aquarium glass to uncover the capabilities of fish, how they function, and their motivations. He introduces groundbreaking insights in animal behavior and biology, challenging our perceptions of fish as unfeeling creatures. Instead, he portrays them as sentient beings with social structures, engaging in elaborate courtship rituals and forming lifelong bonds with shoal-mates. Fish exhibit complex behaviors such as planning, cooperative hunting, tool use, punishing wrongdoers, and even deception. Their senses are remarkably sophisticated; for instance, the reef-dwelling damselfish recognizes its peers by face patterns visible only in ultraviolet light, while some species communicate using electric signals in murky waters. Through these discoveries and personal encounters, Balcombe encourages a deeper understanding of marine life, promising to transform your view of our aquatic relatives, including your pet goldfish.