Abstract: Social hierarchy is an important part in the research of fish behavioral ecology. It refers to a certain sequence of hierarchy formed by intraspecific competition in a population of social fish, with consequence on fish physiology and behavior. In the processes of aquaculture and artificial seedling, fish social hierarchy may result in more attack, pressure and growth variation, and thus lead to poor animal welfare. We reviewed the literatures on fish social hierarchy and its driving factors including selfconditions such as gene, personality trait, metabolism, body size, and social experience, and the environmental factors such as density, food and shelter. We described the experimental design and identification for the study on fish social hierarchy, discussed the deficiencies in previous research on social hierarchy, and proposed the possible directions forfurther research. This review aimed to provide referential information for the research on social behavior of fish, and for its application in aquaculture and artificial seedling to avoid the deficiencies of social hierarchy and improve fish welfare.