Fun Facts about Fish

• Fish have been on earth more than 450 million years
• There are over 25,000 species of fish on earth
• There may still be over 15,000 fish species that have not been identified 
• There are more species of fish than all the species of amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals combined.
• 40% of all fish species inhabit fresh water, yet less than .01% of the earth's water is fresh water
• 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 specialized sense organs 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 long
• The smallest fish is the Phillippine goby which is less that 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 have 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% of tropical fish deaths 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.