Video: Fish - Cartoon Fun Facts

You think that fish are pretty boring? There are some amazing facts we would like you to know! Did you know that fish can drown in water? Or that they can suffer from sleep disorders? Some fart to communicate! Check out our 11 fun facts about fish.

Here is some extra info in addition to the video:

11. How Do Herrings Communicate? By Farting!

Sounds and noises behave differently under water. This is why we mostly hear fishes squeak and whistle. Farts can also have high, low, long and short sounds. And these can add up to a conversation. Eeek!

10. Archerfish Hunt Above the Water Surface

The archerfish doesn't always find enough food under water. This is why they shoot insects with a jet of water. It lets off water from its mouth with an enormous pressure so that it forms a water jet.

9. Handfish Walk on the Seafloor

Handfish are not too keen on swimming. They prefer to "walk" across the seafloor with the help of their hand-like ventral fins.

8. The Climbing Perch Covers Distances of up to 590 feet (180 meters) by Crawling With its Gill

The climbing perch lives in small ponds which sometimes dry up. Then the climbing perch has to leave and find a new home. It moves its body to and fro and drives its gill cover into the ground like an ice-pick. This enables it to move gradually forward.

7. If Water Does Not Contain Enough Oxygen, Fishes Can Drown

It’s a fact: Fish use their gills to filter oxygen from the water.

Find out more:
Animal Respiration: Gill Breathing
Animals That Are Best at Holding Breath under Water

6. The Horn Shark Lays Spiral-Shaped Eggs

The horn shark lays its eggs between rocks so that they are perfectly protected. With their spirals, the eggs cling to little cliff edges and thus cannot drift away.

Find out more:
Shark and Ray Facts

5. Four-Eyed Fish Have Only Two Eyes

Nevertheless the can see clearly below and above the water surface. Have you already tried to open your eyes under water in the swimming pool? Things do not appear as clear as above the water, don’t they? Roughly speaking, it's because in the water the light hits the eye in a different way. The four-eyed fish only has two eyes, but they are split into two halves, so that it looks as if it had four eyes. The halves are each adapted to see under water and above the water surface respectively.

4. Remora Have a Suction Plate on Their Head

They attach themselves to other fish to use them as ”taxis”. Of course, sucker fish are not too lazy to swim. They have a good reason to attach themselves to other marine animals. Learn more in Video: Symbiotic Animal Relationships!

3. Fish Enjoy Being Cleaned by Other Fish

Even though they are bathing and showering all the time. ;-) It’s true. Watch the video about symbiotic animal relationships to learn more about what’s getting cleaned by whom.

2. There are Fish Suffering from Sleeplessness

The zebrafish has a sleep pattern that is similar to mammals. If it does not get enough sleep, it also suffers from insomnia.

1. Sharks and Rays Use Electrolocation

They sense the heartbeat of other animals. The heartbeat of a mammal generates electrical signals that can be perceived by sharks and rays by means of specific sensory cells. Another animal with a similar sense is the platypus. The electric eel can not only perceive but also send electric signals. Find out more in our Hammerhead Shark fact sheet and Electric Eel fact sheet.