Fish are perhaps the most diverse part of our animal kingdom. They all share two common characteristics: they reside in water and have vertebrae. Outside of those two basic traits, fish range drastically in appearance, reproduction method, and diet. Some fish eat other fish and are carnivorous, while other fish eat mostly seaweed. Some fish lay eggs, while others birth living young. Since 70% of the Earth is covered in water, it lends itself to a vast amount of varying species of fish from the common goldfish to the very bizarre eels and fish of the deep ocean. National Geographic
Facts about Fish |
Bill Nye Takes a Look at Fish |
1. Fish were present on the Earth before the dinosaurs, which make them the oldest animals on the planet.
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Popular scientist Bill Nye the "Science Guy" takes an in-depth look at fish. Link
Hippo Spa: Fish Helping Friends
Quick video about one of the many ways fish help the ecosystem!
Words to Know
Vertebrae each of the series of small bones forming the backbone, having several projections for articulation and muscle attachment, and a hole through which the spinal cord passes
Cold-blooded having a body temperature varying with that of the environment; poikilothermic.
Scale each of the small, thin horny or bony plates protecting the skin of fish and reptiles, typically overlapping one another
Gill the paired respiratory organ of fishes and some amphibians, by which oxygen is extracted from water flowing over surfaces within or attached to the walls of the pharynx
Omnivore an animal or person that eats food of both plant and animal origin
Carnivore an animal that feeds on flesh
Herbivore an animal that feeds on plants
Lateral Line a visible line along the side of a fish consisting of a series of sense organs that detect pressure and vibration
Dorsal Fin an unpaired fin on the back of a fish or whale, e.g., the tall triangular fin of a shark or killer whale
Get the full word list here.
Cold-blooded having a body temperature varying with that of the environment; poikilothermic.
Scale each of the small, thin horny or bony plates protecting the skin of fish and reptiles, typically overlapping one another
Gill the paired respiratory organ of fishes and some amphibians, by which oxygen is extracted from water flowing over surfaces within or attached to the walls of the pharynx
Omnivore an animal or person that eats food of both plant and animal origin
Carnivore an animal that feeds on flesh
Herbivore an animal that feeds on plants
Lateral Line a visible line along the side of a fish consisting of a series of sense organs that detect pressure and vibration
Dorsal Fin an unpaired fin on the back of a fish or whale, e.g., the tall triangular fin of a shark or killer whale
Get the full word list here.
Additional Resources
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To learn more about fish in your area, check out the Ohio Department of Natural Resources!
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The Newport Aquarium in Cincinnati contains thousands of fish from around the world! Get a first-hand look at some of the thousands of species of fish that populate our planet!
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The Boonshoft Museum of Discovery contains numerous exhibits in addition to fish to help familiarize kids with their local environment and get them excited about science!.
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