Fish can pique curiosity in children. If your little ones want to know more about them, our post on facts about fish for kids can be interesting. After all, these wonderful water creatures move so swiftly that even adults find it fascinating. Also, they are an important part of our environment and ecosystem, and children need to know their role in our lives. So introduce your child to the world of fish and make them understand some of the coolest facts about these underwater marvels.
Interesting Information About Fish For Children
Anatomy of a fish
More than 35,000 species of fish exist in the world (1). They come in different shapes, colors, sizes, and forms. However, they all have these body parts. Image: Shutterstock
Eyes: A fish has no eyelids, and its eyes stay open at all times, even while sleeping. The shape of a fish’s eyes depends on its habitat and what it feeds on. For instance, predator fishes have forward-facing eyes, while prey fishes have eyes on the sides of their heads. Some fish have color vision, and a few can see in UV light (2).
Mouth: Like its eyes, a fish’s mouth shape also varies from one fish type to another. This variation depends on what they eat and how they hunt (3). Their teeth are also of different shapes depending on their diet. And based on the species, the teeth can be located in the lips, mouth, jaws, tongue, or even throat! (4)
Gills: Unlike other mammals, fishes breathe through their gills (2). The gills of a fish have three parts—gill arch, gill filaments, and gill rakers. The gill arch supports the gill filaments. The gill filaments absorb oxygen from the water. A continuous passage of water from the fish’s mouth to the gills and then back to the water body helps the fish breathe.
The gill rakers are comb-like structures that filter food from the water before it passes to the gill for oxygen absorption. It helps keep the food inside the mouth while the water moves.
Vertebral column: Fishes have a simple skeletal structure wherein the skeleton supports the connective tissues and protects the organs. The vertebral column or backbone isn’t hard but stiff and is made of small bones called vertebrae. These small bones have holes from which the spinal cord passes. The spaces between the vertebrae allow the backbone to bend (2).
Fins: Fins are delicate structures composed of tiny bones or cartilages covered by skin. The primary function of the fins is to stabilize the fish while it is swimming. But, in some cases, they also offer protection. Most fishes have two kinds of fins—median (dorsal, caudal, and anal fin) and paired (pelvic and pectoral fins) (2).
Different fins under each kind serve a specific purpose and enable the fish to swim swiftly. For instance, the caudal fin, also known as tail fin or tail, acts as a propeller and helps the fish move in different directions.
Lateral line: Most fishes have a lateral line. It is an anatomical structure with holes that runs the entire length of the fish. Its prime function is to sense vibration in the water and locate predators, prey, or obstacles (2).
Scales: Most fishes have scales that protect their skin. There are four different types of scales—placoid, ganoid, cycloid, and ctenoid scales (2).
Where do fish live?
Lakes, ponds, streams, rivers, seas, and oceans—fishes live in all aquatic habitats. However, different fish live in different places. For instance, cod, tuna, and halibut live in saltwater, whereas trout, catfish, and pike live in freshwater (5). Some fishes, such as salmon and striped bass, can live in both freshwater and saltwater habitats and are known as anadromous fish. Catadromous fish, such as most eels, on the contrary, live in freshwater but move to saltwater to reproduce. Furthermore, some fish, such as sea trout, sea bass, and muller, live in estuaries. An estuary is a water body where freshwater meets seawater, and the resulting water is known as brackish. A fish’s aquatic habitat depends on factors such as water salinity, pH, temperature, and dissolved oxygen.
30 Facts About Fish For Children
Read this section to get some interesting and fun fish facts that you could share with your children. Almost all fishes swim horizontally in the water. However, seahorse and shrimpfish swim vertically (22).
