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Ultrasonic pest Control and fishkeeping

Posted: 25 May 2004, 22:53
by S. Allen
I was wondering if anyone knows the general range of sound fish are able to detect? Sounds like a silly question, but I got an ultrasonic pest repeller thing for my birthday... Says it operates above 27,000 Hz(no specific range actually stated), which is above what dogs and cats tend to hear, but it's well within the range of rodents. Now I wouldn't have thought anything of using it but I mentioned it somewhere and someone said not to use it with fish. The range on the unit's about 2 times the size of my house, so there's nowhere the fish wouldn't be exposed to it. Basically keeping south american catfish and stingrays now, with a few other fish, such as a group of dwarf puffers... Anyone know if that would bother the fish?

Posted: 25 May 2004, 23:03
by Silurus
Generally, most fish can hear sounds of less than 10KHz (even for those with enhanced hearing capabilities like ostariophysans). There are a few species that can hear in the ultrasonic range, but these are limited to a few marine species not likely to be aquarium fish.

This gives a good overview.

Posted: 26 May 2004, 00:04
by Dave Rinaldo
It may be that this unit may not affect anything!

http://www.rce.rutgers.edu/pubs/pdfs/fs609.pdf