Goldfish are one of the most popular freshwater fish because many people keep them in the aquarium as pets because of their colors. They are very very entertaining fish and could surprise you with a strange behavior that is new to you anytime, one of such behaviors is kissing themselves. If you have seen them do this for the first time, you will be very surprised and amazed because it is very entertaining. The question you might be willing to ask when they do this is why they do it, don’t worry, this article will explain everything for you.
Why Do Goldfish kiss? Goldfish kiss each other to show dominance and as a sign of courting each other.
Fish are funny creatures and could be very amazing sometimes with the behaviors they exhibit from time to time.
Goldfish are tropical freshwater fish that is mostly kept in captivity in the home aquarium and they are very popular because of their golden color.
They are less aggressive fish and could get aggressive when their living conditions are not okay.
Although they are not the aggressive type, but they do show dominance in their tanks and might fight over hierarchy, that is why you might sometimes see them chase each other, especially when you introduce a new goldfish in a tank where they have already established a hierarchy.
The female is not aggressive, but the male is not either, but they display it by fighting for dominance.
Although they might fight over dominance, but they don’t often do that because they have a way of displaying it peacefully without a fight which is by kissing.
Apart from Goldfish, other fish do kiss to establish or show dominance too, such as Gouramis, so they do it to establish a hierarchy instead of fighting, and it is their nature.
Another reason why they do this is when they are about to mate.
Goldfish are not livebearing fish, they lay eggs and they hatch and become fish when they mature.
Sometimes if you see them acting aggressively like chasing each other, or if it looks as if they are nipping each other’s fins and tail, it is very likely that they are courting.
Apart from the males chasing the females all over the tank, they court by kissing each other.
Apart from Goldfish, some other fish too could do this when they are ready to reproduce, they face each other as if they are kissing, this is one of their mating rituals.
After they finish kissing or the male finishes chasing the female, maybe because she got tired, she will release her eggs and the male will now release his Milt on the eggs, thereby fertilizing them.
As I explained above, goldfish kissing themselves is a sign that they are about to reproduce.
When the female develops eggs and they mature, the males will notice it and will either begin to chase her until she got tired and comply by releasing her eggs or she will comply by courting which is by kissing themselves.
Why Do Goldfish Rub Against Each Other?
Goldfish rub against each other to protect their territories.
Although they are not considered to be aggressive fish, but they do establish dominance or hierarchy when they are more than 2, and they establish their different territories too.
When other goldfish invade or trespass into their territory, they will show resistance by rubbing themselves on the invading fish.
This is their strategy to show dissatisfaction and to push the trespassing fish out of their territories.
So, goldfish rub on each other because they are territorial and this is a sign to pursue others from invading their territories.
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