How do scales help fish swim

Water enters the mouth, passes over the gills, and exits the body through a special opening. Gills absorb oxygen from the water as it passes over them. Fish have a stream-lined body.

They are typically long and narrow, which reduces water resistance when they swim. Most fish have several fins for swimming. They use some of their fins to propel themselves through the water and others to steer the body as they swim.

Fish have a system of muscles for movement. Muscle contractions ripple through the body in waves from head to tail. The contractions whip the tail fin against the water to propel the fish through the water. Most fish have a swim bladder. This is a balloon-like internal organ that contains gas.

By changing the amount of gas in the bladder, a fish can move up or down through the water column. Scales also allow fish to be more streamlined and flexible in the water. The way they overlap enables the fish to bend and curl despite being covered in these solid plates. The U.

Whether your fish is a common guppy or a rare tropical perch, they all have scales that have adapted to their particular needs, habits and habitats. Here's how. Fish take up less space than other farmed animals. Fish don't contribute as much to CO2 emissions on the planet. Aquaculture reduces bycatch of other species. Shellfish clean our waters. Fish are important to ecosystems. Fish are bioindicators. People hear by detecting sound vibrations.

Our ears and brain translate vibrations into sounds and language. Fish hear , but their "ears" are on the inside. Bony fishes detect vibrations through their "earstones" called otoliths. Some fish swim vertically. The sea horse is one example but there are many others in the fish world including the razor fish or shrimp fish , that swim a vertical position.

Many fish can swim backwards. Eels are best known for this. Some fish eat plant life. They may scrape algae off rocks or eat plants that grow in the ocean or sea. Some fish, called predators, prey on other fish and animals. Paul Cartmell began his career as a writer for documentaries and fictional films in the United Kingdom in the mids.

Working in documentary journalism, Cartmell wrote about a wide variety of subjects including racism in professional sports. Cartmell attended the University of Lincoln and London Metropolitan University, gaining degrees in journalism and film studies.