marine biology

Blake · Post by **Blake** » Tue Oct 30, 2007 5:13 pm

I would to do a science project of fish sight. Do fish is color?
Can anyone help with how to set this up?

_Lisa_ · Post by **_Lisa_** » Tue Oct 30, 2007 10:08 pm

Blake-
Did you mean to ask if fish see in color? According to WonderQuest (http://www.wonderquest.com/FishSeeColor.htm) fish do see in color, but in certain circumstances, that color eyesight is not necessary.

First, before you jump into this project and get your mind set on this topic, make sure your teacher will let you work with live animals (fish). If so, secure some more research. Google is a great tool, all you need to do is type in "do fish see in color" and you will get many great results.

Let me know if you need some more help setting up your experiment after running the idea past your teacher.

Hope this helps!!
-Lisa

EmilyDolson · Post by **EmilyDolson** » Wed Oct 31, 2007 4:15 pm

If your teacher does allow you to do this sort of a project, another interesting thing to consider is the large effect that their surroundings can have on fish's ability and/or need to see. As you get deeper underwater, certain colors start to fade out and stop being visible to anyone. Similarly, some rivers and ponds are very murky, making it hard to see anything. Some animals in these environments have devloped improved eyesight, like fish at the bottom of the ocean that have big eyes to pick up all available light, while others have lost their eyesight to some degree, because it is no longer useful to them. In other environments, where it is easy to see, vision is more important, so it may be more strongly developed. Depending on what sort of fish you would be looking at, and what environment they live in, this may or may not effect your research, but it is still good to have in mind.

You have picked a fascinating topic; now I'm curious too! Good luck with your project and don't hesitate to ask any questions that come up!

adance · Post by **adance** » Fri Nov 02, 2007 9:19 am

If I recall correctly, one of my friends in college did an experiment that involved zebrafish differentiating between orange and purple. Zebrafish (danios) are a good choice because lots of research has been done on them and you'll be able to find lots of background info.
Good luck!
Amber

Willz · Post by **Willz** » Sat Nov 03, 2007 12:49 am

Hey Blake:

What is your project about specifically, whether fish can see light or is it about fish sight/vision in general?

According to my knowledge, fish can see color, albeit different types of fish see different wavelengths (colors). However, a fish's environment affects its ability to see and discern colors, as EmilyDolson stated before. For example, fish that live in dark caves or in the deep ocean where it is really dark may not be able to see at all, because vision is not necessary.

Take a look at this article I found; it talks a bit about the study of fish vision. Notice the graph also, as it shows the colors that different species are able to see. http://www.vims.edu/newsmedia/press_rel ... vision.htm

Hope this helps!

HeatherL · Post by **HeatherL** » Sun Nov 04, 2007 7:41 pm

Hi Blake,

The website that Willz gave you is cool, and should help you think about how you want to approach your question.

I have worked with someone who studied fish vision in tropical oceans (Mexico and the Caribbean), and some tropical fish can see ultraviolet (UV) light while other's can't. As the other experts have said before, the environment in which the fish lives really affects its visual abilities.

Be sure to post back with more specific questions, as you have started a very interesting thread!

Cheers,
Heather