7 Fish Facts You Won't Believe

It's hard to believe that fish come in so many different shapes and sizes. And, with over 28,000 species in the water, you won't have to dig hard to find a show-stopper. These creatures and the things they do are as interesting as it gets, ranging from amusing to frightening to outright weird. In light of this, we've assembled a list of some of the most incredible fish facts available. Let's get started!

Parrotfish Sleep in a Blanket of Snot for Protection

Nothing irritates a fish more than a blood-sucking parasite preventing you from getting a good night's sleep. That is precisely why Parrotfish would go to great lengths to stop this.

Parrotfish secrete a mucus cocoon that envelops their entire bodies with a defensive biopolymer every night before going to sleep, similar to a mosquito net. The brilliant part is that this net allows small molecules to move through, but anything larger is blocked (i.e. bloodsucking parasites).

Yeah, and the whole procedure uses just about 2.5 percent of the Parrotfish's daily energy budget. For a good night's sleep, it's not too expensive!

All Fish Have One of Only Three Mouth Shapes

Fish mouths are as varied as they come, from the fang-filled jaws of a Barracuda to the massive gulpers of a Basking Shark. How is it possible that each of the thousands of fish species has just one of three mouth types? The answer can be found in the places where they get their food.

Fish mouths can be upward-facing (superior), downward-facing (inferior), or forward-facing, depending on where they search in the water column (terminal).

Since they're used to sneaking up on their prey from below, animals like Bass have upward-facing mouths. Catfish, on the other hand, are bottom feeders with downward-facing mouths. Pelagic predators including Tuna, Barracuda, and other fish with forward-facing mouths stalk their prey all over the water column.

“The mouth, Chico, it never lies,” as Tony Montana would say. Or anything along those lines.

Salema Porgy: The First Psychedelic Drug

The Salema Porgy is a type of Bream that can be found in the East Atlantic and Mediterranean. You'd say this guy is as unremarkable as it comes, due to his gold-blue stripes. But you'd be mistaken. You're totally wrong. This is the epitome of the phrase "appearances can be deceiving."

The Salema Porgy, which means "dream fish" in Arabic, has the potential to cause vivid, LSD-like hallucinations. The ancient Romans were aware of this and used the fish as a recreational drug.

The fact that the intoxication is caused by the fish's head means that the chances of you being infected are slim. Unless, of course, you're doing it on purpose.

Flatfish Aren’t Born Flat

If you've ever seen a Flounder or Halibut, you know how special they are in appearance. These fish, which belong to the Flatfish family, have eyes on one side of their pancake-like bodies. But it wasn't always like this.

Flatfish are born tiny and round, much like any other fish. It's not until a month or two later that these creatures begin to alter drastically.

Their skulls begin to move first, dragging the eye along with them. The color of the skin varies as the body flattens. On the bottom, they get lighter, and on the top, they get darker. Finally, when they move from plankton to other species, their gastrointestinal system adjusts. For a three-week stretch, that's very amazing!

Anglerfish: Literally Anything About Them

It just takes one look at an Anglerfish to notice that it isn't a beauty queen. That is, unless "underwater demon" becomes a reality.

However, it is not their presence that distinguishes these fish. Anglerfish have a distinct hunting style. Anglerfish bait their prey with a flashing antler and a slice of dangling meat, just as an angler would. They patiently wait for their prey to approach, then zap! They strike as quickly as lightning to bite their unsuspecting victim.

Can you imagine what this thing would be like if it was the size of a shark? Half of the ocean will be swimming in the opposite direction.

Another interesting aspect of Anglerfish is their mating behavior. To reproduce, smaller male Anglerfish merge with larger female Anglerfish, merging into one for the rest of their lives. That doesn't sound romantic, does it?

Sure, why not? Only the males lose their brains, hearts, and eyes in the process, leaving them with only a pair of testes to use when necessary. Oh, and in her lifetime, a single female will “fuse” with up to six different males. The tale was turned down by Hollywood.

Fish Have a Built-In Radar

Have you ever wondered how fish can feel something that they can't see? Fish can detect the movement of an aquatic creature from miles away, much as a bear can smell a distant carcass. How do you do it? Using the lateral line as an organ.

To avoid being too technical, the lateral line is a series of sensory cells that runs along the side of a fish. Fish can sense even the tiniest movements in the water and convert them into electrical impulses using these cells. Fish can tell the difference between predators, prey, and even potential mates because their senses are so acute.

Many fish species travel in groups to “jam the radar,” which explains why they do so. When a large number of fish swim together, they create vibrations that their predators' lateral lines can't detect.

Salmon: The Hero’s Journey

When people Google "truth about salmon," they usually expect to find information about how safe it is to eat one. However, these fish give far more than omega-3 and protein. Salmon are top-of-the-food-chain predators and, without a doubt, some of the most interesting animals on the planet.

Salmon are anadromous fish, meaning they are born in freshwater but spend the majority of their lives at sea. They embark on an exciting journey to get there, covering thousands of miles in the process! Salmon spend years in the ocean, feasting on all the sea has to offer, and rising massively as a result.

But the adventure doesn't end there. Salmon return to their natal waters to spawn in order to complete their life cycle. Nobody knows how salmon are able to locate their natal waters with such precision. But it's what happens to Salmon along the way that really steals the show.

Salmon are anadromous fish, meaning they are born in freshwater but spend the majority of their lives at sea. They embark on an exciting journey to get there, covering thousands of miles in the process! Salmon spend years in the ocean, feasting on all the sea has to offer, and rising massively as a result.

But the adventure doesn't end there. Salmon return to their natal waters to spawn in order to complete their life cycle. Nobody knows how salmon are able to locate their natal waters with such precision. But it's what happens to Salmon along the way that really steals the show.

And So Many More

The list of impressive fish facts could go on indefinitely. These creatures are strange, enigmatic, intelligent, terrifying, and all in between! The crazy thing is, we haven't yet started to scratch the surface in terms of finding them all. Who knows what else we might find!

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