Ten Weird, Crazy and Interesting Facts About Fish

There are probably millions of interesting, weird and crazy facts about fish and the environments they live in, but I thought I would pick just ten of the best for you to read. Also, as the perfect accompaniment to them, I bring you some fish with funny names to enjoy at the same time…

The Bastard Trumpeter

FACT: Fish might well be cold-blooded, but because their internal body temperature changes as the surrounding temperature of the water changes, they have been known to reach near warm-blooded temperatures as well! Cold fish, hot fish and just about right fish.

The Sarcastic Fringehead

FACT: Electric eels have been known to discharge up to 550 volts! They use this shock tactic to catch food, but also as a deadly defence tactic to escape.

The Humuhumunukunukuapua’a

FACT: Arowana fish have been seen and studied to have the ability to jump out of the water to catch prey such as insects, birds, and bats at heights of up to 20ft!

The Slippery Dick

FACT: More species of fish are found in the Amazon River than all the rest of the fish found in rivers, lakes, oceans and stream in all of Europe! That is one very active river.

The Bombay Duck

FACT: The female seahorse transfers the eggs to the male’s pouch, where they are incubated until birth, but this is not the only species in the world to do this as some fish have been known to do it as well.

The Cookiecutter Shark

FACT: The largest fish in the world is, in fact, the whale shark which can grow up to a very scary 41 feet long! Might need a bigger tank for one of those!

The Mola Mola

FACT: The male banggai cardinalfish incubates the eggs in his mouth and continues to hold the young within his mouth cavity after hatching to further protect them. But while the coast is clear they don’t hold them in there, they spit them out!

The Wahoo

FACT: The Australia grunter fish is so named because it emits an audible grunting sound when handled out of the water. Wouldn’t you if you lived underwater!?!

The Monkeyface Prickleback

FACT: Feather blennies lay their eggs in empty oyster shells, but that is not the only amazing thing about these highly territorial predators as they are also known to use their strong jaws to snap up and eat small fish and crabs making them a very deadly predator.

The Jack Dempsey

FACT: Remember Finding Nemo? Well, he had a leader, because in a group of clownfish there is a strict dominance hierarchy. The largest and most aggressive female is often the leader of the whole group. Maybe it was Nemo’s mum!