The
group of aquatic animals we call freshwater fish as
evolved for over 400 million years to be the most numerous
and averse of the major verberate groups. Freshwater
fish have permeated all the waters of the world, adapting
an incredible variety of forms, lifestyles and behaviors.
From the seasonal freshwater streams, desert springs
and salty bays to the coral reefs and deep open oceans
different species of fish have found a created suitable
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There are well over 20,000 known species of fish that
currently inhabit the earth and many more are being
discovered every year. Since the salt water covers over
70% of your surface and freshwater only 1%, one would
expect that there would be many more marine (salt water)
species than freshwater species of fish. Actually, 41%
of the world's fish species inhabit strictly freshwater.
Although quite similar in many ways to their marine
counterparts, freshwater fish have adapted to a much
wider range of habitats and to a greater variety of
water conditions.
Because
there are no less than 8000 kinds of freshwater fish,
it is difficult to describe the typical fish. However,
all fish have some common patch abuse. Since water is
800 times denser than air, fish have developed a variety
of ways too move easily, breathe and feed in this dense
medium. The biological adaptations that developed for
life underwater include the body shape, fans, scales
and swim bladder.
A
great deal can be learned about a species of freshwater
fish by looking at its body for more shape. Freshwater
fish that are streamlined or bullet shaped our specially
adapted to open waters while flat or stocky fish are
well adapted or living on or close to the bottom.
Almost
all species of fish have fins in one form or another.
The fins are critically important appendages that allow
the fish to propel, stabilize, maneuver and stop. In
some cases, fins have developed to protect the fish
as well. Again, depending on the type of fish and the
habitat it lives in, the fins can take on many shapes
and functions. Bottom, sedentary or slower moving fish
possess rounded fins while faster, open water fish generally
have longer, pointed ends.
Fins
can be either paired or unpaired depending on the species
and function. The pectoral fins are the paired fins
closest to the head. These fins backed to help the freshwater
fish stabilize, turn, maneuver, hover and swam backwards.
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