Knowing fish is half the battle won

Get to know some interesting facts about these finned creatures. You never know how it might help!

Interesting Facts

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 Fish have been on the earth for more than 450 million years.

 Fish were well established long before dinosaurs roamed the earth.

 There are over 25,000 identified species of fish on the earth.

 It is estimated that there may still be over 15,000 fish species that have not yet been identified.

 There are more species of fish than all the species of amphibians, reptiles, birds and animals combined.

 40 percent of all fish species inhabit fresh water, yet less than .01 percent of the earth's water is fresh water.

 The spotted climbing perch is able to absorb oxygen from the air and will crawl overland using its strong pectoral fins.

 Some fish like sharks don't posses an air bladder to help keep them afloat and must either swim continually or rest on the bottom.

 Some fish make sounds by grating their teeth and others like some catfish make sounds from their air filled swim bladder.

 Some species of fish can fly (glide) others can skip along the surface and others can even climb rock.

 Fish have a specialized sense organ called the lateral line which works much like radar and helps them navigate in dark or murky water.

 The largest fish is the great whale shark which can reach fifty feet in length.

 The smallest fish is the Philippine goby that is less than 1/3 of an inch when fully grown.

 Some species of fish have skeletons made only of cartilage.

 Fish have excellent senses of sight, touch, taste and many possess a good sense of smell and 'hearing'.

 Fish feel pain and suffer stress just like mammals and birds.

 Tropical fish are one of the most popular pets in the U.S.

 95 percent of tropical fish mortality results from improper housing and nutrition.

 Many tropical fish sold in the United States are harvested from the wild in Africa, Asia, and Central and South America.