The ability of fish fins to display plastic responses has only been reported in the internal skeleton, or endoskeleton, and it is unclear whether the other half of the fin skeleton, the dermal skeleton, can respond in a plastic manner. Here, we test whether plasticity in the dermal fin skeleton can be induced in zebrafish through feeding trials that required altered movement in the water column. We find that the dermal skeleton is capable of plastic response. This shows that swimming in juveniles can affect the patterning of fins and might contribute to the evolution of fin skeletal diversity.in a plastic manner. Here, we test whether plasticity in the dermal fin skeleton can be induced in zebrafish through feeding trials that required altered movement in the water column. We find that the dermal skeleton is capable of plastic response. This shows that swimming in juveniles can affect the patterning offins and might contribute to the evolution of fin skeleal diversity.