150 Interesting Facts About Fish

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Fish are aquatic animals, found in small ponds to large oceans, they are found in sizes and shapes ranging from the shape of a small thread to large ships. It has more species than any other organism in the world, most of the world's fishes are classified as "cold-blooded animals".

Interesting Facts About Fish

A baby seahorse is called a "fry."
Starfish don't have a brain or blood
Fish have fins on their body and lay eggs.
Sharks are the only fish that have eyelids.
Most brands of lipstick contain fish scales.
Starfish are not fish. Neither are jellyfish.
Most fish have taste buds all over their body.
Seahorses are the only fish that swim upright.
There are over 30,000 different kinds of fish.
Yes, there are probably scales in your lipstick
Fish have gills, slippery scales, and lay eggs.
Mudskippers are also able to jump 2 feet in the air
What is the loudest fish? The answer is, the croaker.
The entire body of a catfish is covered with taste buds
Lampreys are jawless and have a round sucker-like mouth
A flying fish can glide for up to 650 feet (200 meters).
Another threat to fish is their habitat getting destroyed.
There are a few things that all fish have in common, though.
Fish can be plant eaters, meat eaters, or a mix of these two.
Catfish have over 27,000 taste buds. Humans have around 7,000.
For fish that can be eaten, one of the biggest threats is humans.
Catfish have over 27,000 taste buds, whereas humans have only 9,000.
The oldest fishhook ever found dates back to about 42,000 years ago.

Amazing Facts About Fish

Their teeth are so big that they can't close their mouths completely
Seahorses are poor swimmers and can die of exhaustion in stormy waters
Chalk bass is a fish that can change its sex up to 20 times a day! (25)
Electric eels and electric rays have enough electricity to kill a horse.
Anableps, four-eyed fish, can see above and below water at the same time.
Lampreys and hagfish are the most primitive form of fish still living today.
The smallest fish is the tiny goby, which grows no longer than half an inch.
Fish are threatened by overfishing as well as their habitat getting destroyed.
The shark is one of those fishes that can’t stay afloat as they lack an air bladder.
The fastest fish is the sailfish. It can swim as fast as a car travels on the highway.
Some desert pupfish can live in hot springs that reach temperatures greater than 113° F.
Humans have 10,000 taste buds on average, but catfish have more than 100,000 taste buds.
The largest fish is the whale shark Rhincodon typus, which grows up to 50 feet in length.
Most fish cannot swim backwards. Those that can are mainly members of one of the eel families.
Empty dogfish egg cases sometimes wash up onto the beach. Some people call them mermaid purses.
Although the fangtooth fish is only a few inches long, it has teeth about the size of a human’s.

Important Facts About Fish

Some fish do not have scales. Sharks, for example, have rough sandpapery skin instead of scales.
Most fish have little salt in them. Sharks, however, have meat as salty as the ocean they live in.
Almost all fishes swim horizontally in the water. However, seahorse and shrimpfish swim vertically.
Did you know, American Lobsters have longer life spans than both cats and dogs, living over 20 years.
Up to 51% of the fishes in the world, that is, more than 18,000 different species, live in freshwater.
They can live in high mountain streams, rivers, lakes, and all the way down to the bottom of the ocean.
An estimated one third of male fish in British waters are changing sex due to pollution in human sewage.
About 3,000 species of fish live in the Amazon River, and 40 percent of these are catfish and characines.
Pufferfish is a unique fish that contains a toxin called tetrodotoxin, which is more poisonous than cyanide.
The word "halibut" means "holy flatfish" (hali=holy + butte=flatfish) because it was only eaten on holy days.
A lot of ocean fish live in coral reefs while those in freshwater bodies might find a river basin or an inlet.
Fish would suffocate if they tried to chew because chewing would interfere with water passing over their gills.
The West African lungfish can survive on land without water if needed because it has both gills and lungs (29).

Historical Facts About Fish for Kids

Fishes are one of the oldest survivors on Earth. They have inhabited the planet for more than 450 million years!
The oldest known age for a fish was an Australian lungfish. In 2003, it was still alive and well at 65 years old.
Did you know the sailfish is considered to be the fastest fish in the ocean? It can swim at speeds of up to 70mph.
Fish don’t have vocal cords, but they use their other body parts to make sounds. Gulf corvina is the loudest fish.
Another way that many fish protect themselves from predators is to camouflage, or blend in, with their environment.
Contrary to general perception, jellyfish and starfish aren’t fish as they don’t have gills, scales, and backbones.
Most fish reproduce by laying eggs, though some fish, such as great white sharks, give birth to live babies called pups.
Some fish, such as the great white shark, can raise their body temperature. This helps them hunt for prey in cold water.
A tambaqui is a giant, bass-like fish that has sharp teeth. It can eat palm nuts and rubber tree seeds effortlessly (16).
A fish can drown in water. Like humans, fish need oxygen, so if there isn’t enough oxygen in the water, they will suffocate.
Hagfish are some of the slimiest animals on earth. An Atlantic hagfish can make enough slime in one minute to fill a bucket.
Fish are beautiful animals that can be seen in aquariums, exhibits, lakes, rivers, oceans, and even in your nearest restaurant.
Since a fish’s jaw is not attached to its skull, many fishes can shoot their mouths forward like a spring to catch startled prey.
The number of people who fish for sport in America—about 40 million—outnumbers all the country’s golf and tennis players combined.

Mind-Blowing Facts About Fishes

Climbing perch is a fish that can breathe and move on land, generally between pools. They use their pectoral fins to move on land.
Fish will adapt their colors to match the sand, or even have fins and scales that look like plants you could see in the coral reef.
A fish can get sunburn even when underwater. Yes, you heard it right! Although rare, it can happen in fish farms at high altitudes.
Whether you like to fish for fun, keep them for a pet, or eat them for dinner, fish play an important role in our life and our Earth.
Did you know that Antarctic fishes have antifreeze in their blood that lets them live in temperatures as low as minus degrees Celsius?
There are nearly 450 species of fish that can change their sex and even fertilize their egg if there’s no partner from the opposite sex.
Is it true that a fish surrounds itself by its snot to protect itself? Yes - parrotfish produce a mucus "tent" that completely covers them.
About half of the species of fish live in the ocean, while the other half live in freshwater environments, like lakes, rivers, and streams.
It was not until 1853 in London, UK, when aeration and filtration of water was understood, that people were able to keep fish as indoor pets.
The most poisonous fish in the world is the stone fish. Its sting can cause shock, paralysis, and even death if not treated within a few hours.
The amazing Spotted Climbing Perch is able to 'gulp' oxygen from the air and can crawl over land using its strong pectoral fins in search of water.

Scientific Facts About Fish

Some fish, such as the herbivorous fish (grazers), often lack jaw teeth but have tooth-like grinding mills in their throats called pharyngeal teeth.
The diet of a fish depends on what type of fish it is. Some fish are herbivores, who only eat plants, while others are carnivores, who only eat meat.
Scientists have explored only 1% of the ocean depths. They believe millions of new kinds of animals and fish are down there, waiting to be discovered.
On average, flying fish can glide 160 feet (50m), but have been known to glide as far as 660 feet (200 m). And they can reach heights up to 19 feet (6m).
A male bangaii cardinalfish can hold eggs and babies in its mouth (mouthbrooding) until they are ready to swim independently. Until then, it doesn’t eat.
Did you know that fish have a specialised sense organ called their lateral line, which works much like radar and helps them navigate in dark or murky water?
Which kind of fish can live in the coldest temperatures? The answer is the Antarctic ice fish, which have antifreeze in their blood, live permanently at -1°C.
The batfish plays dead when danger is near. It floats motionless on its side when scared, making it look like a dead leaf floating on the surface of the water.
Fish eat fish, but did you know some fishes eat plants too? Rabbitfish, unicornfish, and surgeonfish are some small, herbivorous fishes that eat brown seaweed.
A fish does not add new scales as it grows, but the scales it has increase in size. In this way, growth rings are formed and the rings reveal the age of a fish.
Now, we aren’t talking about driving around in a building where students take classes. Schools of fish are when large numbers of a certain group travel together.
Now, any guesses what the slowest fish is? Well, a seahorse is the slowest fish. It swims so slow that if you don’t pay attention, you can’t tell it is swimming.

Wierd Facts About Fish

Fish can be found almost anywhere there are bodies of water. They can live high up in mountain streams all the way down to some of the deepest parts of the ocean.
The fish in the middle of a school control the school. The fish on the outside are guided by those in the middle. Only bony fish can swim in highly coordinated groups.
It’s a widely held idea that fish can’t live in warm water, but some species of pupfish can live in hot springs with a temperature of over 114 degrees Fahrenheit (27).
Fish were the first vertebrates with bony skeletons to appear on Earth. Unlike today’s fish, early fish had no scales, fins, or jawbone, but they did have a dorsal fin.
A seahorse can move each of its eyes separately. One eye can look forward while the other looks backward. Seahorses can also change their color to match their surroundings.
Did you know that bottlenose dolphins sleep with one-half of their brain active and one eye open? It’s believed they do this to stick together and keep an eye on predators.
Did you know, fish can get sunburn, but it is unusual unless there is something about their environment that does not allow them to seek deeper water or some kind of shelter.
Fish that depend on coral reefs can become threatened when the reefs are destroyed, and those living in rivers and streams can be hurt if a dam is built or water is polluted.
Unlike bony fish, sharks and rays do not have swim bladders. They have to swim all the time, even when they are sleeping. Otherwise, they will sink to the bottom of the ocean.
The way fish protect themselves again depend on where they live as well as what kind of fish they are. For a lot of fish, the best way to stay protected is to travel in a school.
A male emperor angelfish lives together with up to five female mates. If the emperor angelfish dies, one of the females turns into a male fish and becomes the leader of the group.
Fish live in the water and are vertebrate animals, which means that they have a spine. There are over 30,000 different kinds of fish, all of which have their own colors and sizes.

Random Facts About Fish

Most sharks have dual-shade bodies. It means their body’s upper side (dorsal side) is darker than the lower side (later side). This unique characteristic makes them hard to detect.
Unlike most other fish, the ocean sunfish does not have a tail. A female sunfish can lay 300 million eggs each year. Each egg is smaller than the period at the end of this sentence.
There are approximately 32,000 different kinds of fish in the world today, which is more than all the other kinds of vertebrates combined. Scientists are discovering new species all the time.
A lot of fish that live in coral reefs are eat plants and algae because it is in their habitat. Fish that are carnivores will eat other fish, shrimp, krill, crabs, or even squids and octopus.
Fish have gills that help them to breathe in the water, and they are covered in scales. These scales will usually get a layer of slime on them which helps the fish quickly glide through the water.
Fish have sleep-like periods where they have lowered response to stimuli, slowed physical activity, and reduced metabolism but they do not share the same changes in brain waves as humans do when they sleep.
Humans will overfish these populations of fish, such as cod and tuna, and then this hurts the entire species because the rest of the fish can’t reproduce fast enough to make up for the ones that were caught.
A Pacific salmon changes its color to attract a mate. After mating, it returns to its home stream, where it lays eggs. During this process, they stop eating and lose all their energy to return to the oceans and die.
The term “fish” is used when referring to one species of fish (e.g., 10 salmon are 10 fish). The term “fishes” is used when referring to more than one species (e.g., 10 salmon, 3 trout, and 1 angel fish are 14 fishes).
The biggest fish in the world is the giant whale shark, which can grow to nearly 60 feet, or the length of two school buses. It weighs over 25 tons and eats mainly plankton. It has over 4,000 teeth, though they are only 3 mm long.

Unique Facts About Fishes for Kids

The mudskipper is a fish that spends most of its time out of water and can “walk” on its fins. It carries a portable water supply in its gill chambers when it leaves the water. It can also breathe through the pores of its wet skin.
The slowest fish is a seahorse. It swims so slowly that a person can barely tell it is moving. The slowest is the Dwarf Seahorse, which takes about one hour to travel five feet. It even looks like it is simply standing up, not swimming.
Fish that have thin fins with a split tail indicate that they move very quickly or may need them to cover great distances. On the other had, fish that live among rocks and reefs near the ocean floor have broad lateral fin and large tails.
What percentage of a fish's size is made up of brain? Fish typically have quite small brains relative to body size compared with other vertebrates, typically one-fifteenth (0.06 per cent) the brain mass of a similarly sized bird or mammal.
Lungfish can live out of water for several years. It secretes a mucus cocoon and burrows itself under the unbaked earth. It takes in air with its lung through a built-in breathing tube that leads to the surface. A lungfish has both gills and a lung.
Hammerhead sharks can live in schools of more than 500 sharks. The strongest female swims in the middle. When she is ready to mate, she shakes her head from side to side to signal the other female sharks to move away so she is the center of attention.
Sometimes tornadoes pick up fish while traveling over water and carry them over land, where the fish rain down. These “fish showers” have been happening for thousands of years. Roman writer Pliny the Younger describes this phenomenon in the 1st century A.D.
Saltwater fish need to drink more water than freshwater fish. Since seawater is saltier than the liquids in a fish’s body, water inside the fish is constantly flowing out. If they didn’t drink to replace the lost water, saltwater fish would dry up like prunes.
The freshwater Pygmy and Luzon gobies of the Philippines, the saltwater Marshal Islands goby, and the tiny rice fish from Thailand all reach a maximum length of 1/2", roughly the size of a grain of rice. They are typically considered the world’s smallest fishes.
A ship has a heavy keel in the lower part to keep it from capsizing. Fish, on the other hand, have the keel on top. If the paired fins stop functioning to keep the fish balanced, the fish turns over because its heaviest part tends to sink, which happens when it dies.
Most types of seahorses pair for life. Female seahorses lay their eggs inside a pouch on the male seahorse’s belly. When the babies are ready to hatch, the male holds onto a piece of seaweed with his tail and rocks back and forth until the babies pop out of his pouch.
An inflated porcupine fish can reach a diameter of up to 35 inches (90 cm). It puffs up by swallowing water and then storing it in its stomach. The stomach increases in size with more water. If the fish is taken out of water, it can inflate in a similar way by swallowing air.
Most fish can see in color and use colors to camouflage themselves or defend themselves and their territory. Most fish have the best possible eyesight for their habitat and can most certainly see you peering at them in a fish tank. Some fish can see polarized and ultraviolet light.
Male anglerfish are much smaller than female. While the female can reach up to 24 inches long, the males barely reach 1.6 inches long and live as parasites on their mates. They stay together for life. As the male ages, he gets smaller and smaller. The female anglerfish’s light is always “on.”
Fish have multiple Christian and pre-Christian overtones. For example, the Greek word for fish is Ichthys, which is an acronym for “Jesus Christ, God’s Son, Savior” and was used to mark early Christian tombs and meeting places. Because of their association with fertility, fish have also been linked to Isis and Aphrodite.
In Japan, the fugu, or puffer fish, is a succulent but lethal delicacy. It contains tetrodotoxin, a deadly poison. However, it is so delicious that Japanese gourmets risk their lives to prepare it. To make this high-risk dish, chefs must have a certificate from a special school that teaches preparation of this toxic fish.
Fish can form schools containing millions of fish. They use their eyes and something called a lateral line to hold their places in the school. The lateral line is a row of pores running along the fish’s sides from head to tail. Special hairs in the pores sense changes in water pressure from the movements of other fish or predators.
The word “piranha” is from the Tupi (Brazil) pira nya and means “scissors.” Found in freshwater rivers in South America, piranhas have razor-sharp teeth. They typically eat fish, insects, seeds, fruit, and even larger animals such as horses. While there are no proven reports of piranhas killing a person, they do eat human carcasses.
Fish use a variety of low-pitched sounds to convey messages to each other. They moan, grunt, croak, boom, hiss, whistle, creak, shriek, and wail. They rattle their bones and gnash their teeth. However, fish do not have vocal chords. They use other parts of their bodies to make noises, such as vibrating muscles against their swim bladder.
Humans have been amazed for centuries that salmon, after journeying across the ocean, can find the river where they were born. In the Yukon River in Alaska and in Canada, certain tagged Chinook salmon covered nearly 2,000 miles in 60 days. Salmon also have adapted to live in a variety of aquatic environments, including rivers, lakes, estuaries, coral reefs, and the open sea.

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