The effects of steady‐state acoustic stimulation on resistance to fatigue as shown by reduction of swimming time was studied on three sublines of mice, one of which is genetically deaf. High frequencies (500–10 000 Hz) reduce swimming time from 25% to 50% in mice with normal hearing at a 60–80‐dB threshold, but have no effect on deaf mice. Low frequencies and infrasounds (6–50 Hz) reduce swimming time in all mice similarly, even deaf animals, but the threshold is higher (160–115 dB). The use of genetically deaf animals therefore permits elimination of the auditory component; differentiation of the effects of air‐born sound from those of mechanical vibrations are thus possible.