Fish Anatomy - Body Shape
Fish have evolved over time to suite the environment that they live in, both in their structure and their behaviour. This evolution has made them vulnerable to changes in the environment that they live in. An understanding of how fish work and why fish look different is useful for any aquarium
keeper.
Fish Body Shape
The body shape is a clear identification of the type of swimming a fish is required to do to survive. Some fish swim at speed because they either need to catch food or avoid predators, for migration or to keep their position in strong and fast flowing currents. Some fish have streamlined bodies that resemble a torpedo shape. The tails of fast moving fish provide the power but also have a very narrow area to the base of the tail to minimize drag. Fish that don't need a burst of speed have evolved and have less streamlined bodies. The body is normally deeper and flatter. This shape is ideal for manoeuvring between plants. Fish with fatter and more rounded bodies are stable in fast flowing water. There are basically five types of body shapes :-
| Disc Shape |
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Straight Topped |
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| Cylindrical Shape |
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Deep Bodied |
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| Flat Bottomed |
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