What is It Like to Be a Fish

What's It Like to Be a Fish?

Fish live in water—in lakes, ponds,

aquariums, and even plastic bags.

Your pet goldfish can live in a bowl. You canwatch the golden fish slip over and under thecastle, hide among the water plants, and glidequietly around in their underwater world.

A fish's body is just right for living underwater, just as your body is right for living on land. You can swim, but a fish can swim better! A fish'ssleek body is the perfect shape for swimming. Finsstick out from the fish's body. They help the fish toswim. A goldfish's tail fin pushes it through thewater. Six other fins steady, steer, or stop it.

Most fish have skin that is covered with scales. Scales help fish to swim too. The scales are hard andclear. They overlap like shingles on a roof. Thesmooth, slick scales let fish slide easily through thewater. A clear slime covers the scales. It helps fish glidethrough the water too. Scales and slime also help to keep a fish healthy. The stiff scales protect a fish's delicate skin from cutsand scrapes. Many germs in the water get stuck in afish's slime coating and are washed away before theycan make the fish sick. Both scales and slime keepwater from seeping into the fish's skin.