Piranhas and Acoustical Communications by Fritz Dean Firgo 12A2

Do Piranhas Communicate Acoustically?

Hypothesis: Piranhas produce sounds naturally, using them for fish acoustic communication, which uses mechanisms to generate sounds. Materials: Hydrophone Fish tank Water (not salt water) Fish tank heater Filtrator

Procedure: 1. Set up two proper fish tank environment. Fill the two fish tank with freshwater, filling most of the tanks space. 2. Set up the fish tanks with heaters and filtrators, maintaining a clean water circulation cycle with temperature between 78 -82 degrees Fahrenheit. 3. Suspend the hydrophone into each of the fish tanks, so any recordable sound may be heard and recorded. 4. Release two or more red belly piranhas to ensure social interactions. 5. Hydrophones turned on to suscept vibrations and sounds. 6. Stimulate the swim bladder muscle to observe changes. 7. Note the sound patterns. Control Group: 1. Two or more piranhas of the same species. 2. Temperaturd kept between 78-82 F. 3. Before hydrophones are used, piranhas are well fed. Independent Group: Swim bladder muscles of piranhas are stimulated in one fish tank, not the other Dependent Group: Swim bladder muscle is directly associated with the frequency and bark of the piranhas sounds will change when they are producing sounds.

Results:

The team found that the fish were generally silent. However, they became quite vocal as soon as they entered into a confrontation producing the same barking sound that they had produced when held in the scientists hands. They also produce different sounds; a short percussive drum-like sound when fighting for food and circling an opponent; and a softer croaking sound produced by their jaws when they snap at each other.

So, as the team stimulated the swim bladder muscles to contract, the swim bladder stopped vibrating as soon as the muscles finished contracting. In other words, the muscles were driving the swim bladders vibration directly and the frequency (pitch) of the bark and drum sounds was determined by the muscles contraction frequencies. They also found that the rear half of the swim bladder did not vibrate, so only the head portion of the swim bladder contributed to sound production.