# Odd Question- Can Fish Sneeze?



## Aquastar (Jul 17, 2015)

So my newest boy ( http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=660778 ) can't swim up for some issue or another, so I make sure he can go to the surface. While watching him flap to the surface he got his air and sneezed? 

I don't know, it sounded like a mini budgie sneeze, which sounds like a cat sneeze if you've never heard a budgie. Is this even possible? It was very fast, but he opened his mouth and made a sneezing sound? He proceeded to 'chew' after that.

If you have any tips for helping him swim please also comment!


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## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

That wasn't a sneeze (and no, fish cannot sneeze. They can however, yawn, burp--really, it's just releasing bubbles, and urinate). It's what I call snapping, they go up to the surface and will snap at the top to either get attention or grabbing some leftover piece of food or something they think is food. Basically they grab some air at the surface and the way their mouth comes down, it makes a snapping sound that is similar to what you heard. Goldfish do it most notably if you look up videos on youtube of Goldfish snapping, something should come up


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## Aquastar (Jul 17, 2015)

I've seen them yawn before, there weren't any bubbles that I noticed. 
Thanks! I was very confused.


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## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

Aquastar said:


> I've seen them yawn before, there weren't any bubbles that I noticed.
> Thanks! I was very confused.


Bubbles don't usually happen when they yawn, I said when they "burp". It's really just the gill plate opening slightly to let out some air/gas. They do this to correct the gas amount in their swim bladder which can help either descend quicker in the water or rise when they take in more gas (yawning). It's just how they regulate their swim bladder is all.


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## Aquastar (Jul 17, 2015)

Yes, I assume it was a burp. One of my other fish is 'blubing', he sometimes glass surfs and when he does opens and closes his mouth? Not doing anything, just opening and closing it? Does he expect food to fall in?


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## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

Aquastar said:


> Yes, I assume it was a burp. One of my other fish is 'blubing', he sometimes glass surfs and when he does opens and closes his mouth? Not doing anything, just opening and closing it? Does he expect food to fall in?


No, that's just normal too. Fish don't always know what is food and what isn't so they try to bite anything and everything. It's also part of breathing as well.


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