Goldfish can hear music and tell different kinds of music apart, but there is no good evidence that they enjoy it. Research shows they can learn to distinguish pieces and composers. It does not show that they prefer one over another, or that music reduces stress. So, as far as anyone can show, goldfish notice music but don’t clearly like it.
Can Goldfish Hear Music?
Yes. Goldfish have a chain of small bones, called the Weberian apparatus, that links the swim bladder to the inner ear. This gives them better hearing than many fish. Goldfish hearing is typically reported as sensitive from roughly 100 Hz to 4,000 Hz, with the best sensitivity in the mid-hundreds to low thousands of Hz. That covers much of the range of speech and most instruments, though not the lowest bass notes.
What Does the Research Show?
- Goldfish can tell Bach from Stravinsky. In a 2013 study from Keio University (Shinozuka, Ono and Watanabe, Behavioural Processes), goldfish were trained to nibble a bead when one composer played. They picked out the right piece about 75% of the time, but it took over 100 training sessions. The researchers concluded the fish could detect properties such as pitch and timbre.
- They didn’t show a preference. In the same study, the fish did not spend more time near one composer’s music than the other.
- Koi, a close relative in the carp family, can sort genres. Ava Chase’s 2001 study (Animal Learning & Behavior, vol. 29) found koi could be trained to tell classical music from blues.
The key point is that these are tests of discrimination, trained with food rewards. They show fish can hear differences. They don’t show enjoyment.
Can Music Hurt Your Goldfish?
Loud or constant sound can. In a lab study of goldfish (Smith et al., 2004, Journal of Experimental Biology), noise exposure caused a short spike in the stress hormone cortisol and temporary hearing loss. Sound travels well through water and glass, and speakers placed against or on the tank send vibration straight into it.
How to Play Music Near Your Goldfish Safely
- Keep the speaker off the tank and the stand, and a few feet away.
- Keep the volume low, at a level you could talk over.
- Avoid heavy bass, which carries as vibration through the stand and glass.
- Don’t tap on the glass, which is a sudden loud sound for the fish.
- Watch your fish. If they hide, dart around or stop eating when music plays, turn it off.
Boredom is better solved with a larger tank, plants, rocks to explore and varied food than with a playlist.