Fish Are Not Insentient Dullards - Ben Goldfarb, Nautilus (April 26, 2023)
CW: imprisoned (farm and lab) animals (not graphic)
An increasing body of evidence shows that captive fish experience pain and have complex minds that need stimulating and safe environments to thrive.
Many species benefit emotionally, mentally, and physically from living in structurally complex environments closer to the conditions of the free-roaming members of their species.
Fish can recognize themselves in photos, further evidence they may be self-aware - Betsy Mason, Science News (February 6, 2023)
CW: imprisoned (lab) animals (not graphic)
Previous research showed that bluestreak cleaner wrasses can pass the mirror test, an ability usually attributed to species with larger brains.
In this study, cleaner fish who passed the mirror test were also able to distinguish their own faces from those of other cleaner fish in still photographs.
This suggests that the fish identify themselves by forming a mental image of one's face - the same way humans are thought to do.
Failing to pass the mirror test is also not necessarily evidence of a lack of self-awareness; for instance, animals that rely more on other senses besides sight may not pass the mirror test.