Archerfish suffer ‘stage fright’

Experts at St Andrews University believe a hunting fish may suffer from stage fright.

The scientists discovered that archerfish, which shoot their prey with jets of water, appear to take more time perfecting their aim when they are being watched by other fish.

The new study, published in Animal Behaviour, found the hunter would realign its body to a different angle when there were fish in a neighbouring tank. This change in behaviour may be a tactic to reduce competition from other archerfish.

The creatures are capable of determining where and when a shot prey will land, meaning rivals can sneak in and steal the prize. It’s thought the stalling technique might give the archerfish a better chance of reaching their prey before it’s snaffled by a non-shooting thief.

The research was led by scientists from the Centre for Social Learning and Cognitive Evolution at St Andrews in collaboration with Bayreuth University in Germany.

It is the first study to be completed as part of a programme of research into social aspects of archerfish.

Lead researcher Nick Jones said: “Archerfish may be famous for their shooting ability, but they may be even more remarkable for their capacity for making rapid decisions with high accuracy. Our study suggests archers are affected by social context and may sacrifice speed to better ensure success when foraging.”