Fish Part 1

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Oh how I wish I was a fish to swim in the deep blue sea.
I would swim up and down and all around in laps of two or three.
There would be no rules to follow,all fun down here.
On land rules are trouble,a real pain in the rear.
K.B. Butler

Whenever you swim in the Caribbean, whether it is over the reef, in amongst the dark sunken roots of mangrove trees, or above sparkling white sands, you are sure to spot a fish or two darting and diving, making the most of the three dimensional wonderland.

Bony fish, like the sort you eat by the seaside in your fish and chips, are a particularly colourful component of the reef. Some are brightly painted to attract a mate, whereas others warn of their poisonous spines. Certain species have large black spots at their rear end to trick passing predators into thinking their front is their back and their back is their front … confused? Well so are the fish snapping at their heels. And then there are the ‘cryptic’ species; those that blend into the background using carefully controlled camouflage.

Colour isn’t the only feature that changes between species, the body shapes vary to an amazing degree, each form allowing the fish to excel at their chosen lifestyle. Take the tuna for example; you know it is as lumps of pink flesh in a tin, but don’t underestimate the power of this individual. It has a strong, streamlined body wrapped up in a brilliant silvery scaly form. With just one formidable flick of its tail, the tuna can shoot off into the deep blue to catch food or escape a hungry shark. Or if you prefer a slower target, watch out for the fat lumpy scorpionfish, which lurks on the bottom, never moving far, waiting for an unsuspecting meal to swim by.

Unlike humans who need air in order to breathe, fish can take the oxygen they require straight from their watery home. Big gulps of water are pumped from their mouths across their gills. These gills filter out the oxygen allowing it to pass into the blood, just like your lungs move the air you breathe into your blood system.

This is just part one of my blog on fish, soon I will be posting the second half, telling you all about sharks, the scariest of marine creatures!

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Comments

[juliakp]

I am a fan of skuba diving but unfortunatelly I haven´t been in the caribean island doing this sport. But now that I have seen your photos I really have to go there.