Does too much noise = stressed fish?

[Lloydy]

Hi all,

I have an internal filter that although it seems to be working ok, I think there is a small problem with the motor because this thing is making much more noise than normal.

I have turned it off for the moment in case the extra noise stresses the fish. Does anyone know whether fish get stressed by noise and if they do, how loud does the constant noise need to be to actually affect them?

[Richard B]

Hmmm - interesting question, but let me put down a few things to be considered.

We all know not to bang on the glass causing shockwaves but is this the same sorta sound as the filter makes - i think not.

You should have some filtration on the tank & turning it off for a period will kill off the good bacteria - not good.

Fish survive in the turmoils underneath waterfalls where gravel & rocks churns around which must create some noise but this seems relatively acceptable

In short i think a noisy filter is better than no filter

[Lloydy]

The filter I have turned off is my backup internal filter. I still have a Fluval 305 running and a powerhead 402 which I turn on and off from time to time so there is plenty of turnover.

I don't have anything which would record the decibel reading but my main TV is in the same room as the tank and I had to turn the TV up because the filter was drowning out the sound!

Maybe I will take the filter apart and try to find the problem...

[Carp37]

I don't have anything which would record the decibel reading but my main TV is in the same room as the tank and I had to turn the TV up because the filter was drowning out the sound!

I have to watch DVDs with subtitles on, due to the sound of water gushing from the filters!

[andywoolloo]

lol, me too with the subtitles ! And I am always saying huh? what? when someone comes to talk to me in the room where most of my tanks are.

[catmar]

For the past two years my wife's been self-employed as a childminder, kids shouting and running about like there's no tomorrow-my fish don't show any signs of stress; me on the other hand.......

[jerry58]

Hi
I always thought fish have no ears and in fact they detect only movement through their lateral line so a noisy filter will not affect the fish only the vibrations true?.
So noisy filter is acceptable to them yes?
But not us.
Jerry

[Bas Pels]

fish have no ears - that is, no ears we recognize as such

Catfish, just as the related carps and tatras (and so on) share het Weber Organ, a few bones on their swimbladder, an organ which amplifies sound

Therefore, these fish - at least - should be able to hear

Many catfish make sounds when taken out of the tank - but this might be a defense, not really communication among themselves, so perhaps they don't need te be able to hear that

The first fish I ever bred was Trichopsis pumilis - which made enough noise doing it, that my parents - in the other side of the room, complained about it. I think only part of their complaints was because of their surprise, it was really loud.

Why bother about making sound if one can not hear it?

But, on the other hand, I never ever witnessed fish acting 'annoyed' because of noises

[DJ-don]

i always thought that bronze corydoras are sensitive to vibrations but i never thought that a filter would pass through vibrations in the water but the fish dont really seem to mind it.

[Lloydy]

Thanks for your comments, I have had the filter running for about 18 hours now and seen no change in behaviour. I will keep an eye on the different fish in the tank and see if there are any future signs of stress...