Do Fish Like to Be Petted?

"It is a basic characteristic of animal behavior that animals will approach desirable things and retreat from undesirable ones," he said, adding that the fish "appears to like the touch because s/he swims back to the hand repeatedly."

Are there fish that like to be petted?

Groupers are not the only fish that enjoy being petted, it seems. According to videos on YouTube, other species of fish that appear to like the interaction include koi, cichlid and discus fish.

Do fish like when you touch them?

Touching your pet fish is usually a bad idea. It's advised to avoid touching or grabbing fish with bare hands in an aquarium unless in emergency situations. From sanitary concerns to fish safety, there are many reasons to avoid touching them altogether.