Young fish like noisy neighbours - study

File photo / Northern Advocate

Young fish looking for a reef to make a home like noisy neighbours, research shows.

Researchers from Auckland University and Bristol University in England found juvenile fish listen to the sounds made by other underwater creatures, such as other fish, shrimps and lobsters, before choosing a reef and settling down.

The international team of marine biologists played recordings from different types of habitats next to artificial reefs and discovered fish used acoustic cues to distinguish between different communities, lead author Craig Radford, of Auckland University, said.

"This biological symphony varies depending on which animals make up the local community and, as a result, signature sounds give a strong indication of the type of habitat," Dr Radford said.

Researchers used underwater microphones to detect the noise produced by sea creatures - a combination of "clicks, pops, chirps and scrapes", he said.

- NZPA