Over the course of eighteen weeks, our Ocean Explorers club dives into the world of marine biology and explores different animals and habitats all around our oceans. Each week we change topic – one week we might be talking about life on the coral reef and the next might be a deep dive into sharks but all sessions are filled with inspiring images, videos, and facts. Every class is all-encompassing, so you can dip in and out for a week at a time or stay with us for the full cycle and become a fully-fledged Ocean Explorer! Let’s dive in and check out our topics. This time – fish.
Fantastic Fish
Did you know that there are over 34,000 species of fish living in the sea? That’s right – 34,000 different species of fish in the sea, meaning the total number of fish living in the sea must be enormous! Let’s meet a few of them!
Sailfish
The sailfish is one of the fastest fish in the sea! Reaching speeds of up to 60mph (90kmph), the sailfish speeds through the water effortlessly. They are named for their sail-like dorsal fin (the fin on the back of their body). The sailfish generally inhabits open oceans, where it preys on shoals of silver fish, using its sails and prolonged sword-like beak to hunt.
Pygmy Seahorse
Whilst on the other hand, the pygmy seahorse holds the record for being one of the slowest fish in the sea. Generally, seahorses are very slow movers, with some species moving around 1.5 metres (5 foot) every hour. That’s like taking an hour to move from your head to your toes! The pygmy seahorse is also an excellent master of camouflage, using its grippy tail to cling on to branches of coral and blend in to the reef.
Bumphead Parrotfish
The bumphead parrotfish is the largest of all the parrotfish and can grow up to 1.5m (5ft) long. Bumphead parrotfish inhabit coral reefs around the world and are regularly seen in large schools swimming over a reef and feeding on algae. Often a big school of these animals can be very noisy as the crunch on coral while travelling by!
Hagfish
The hagfish is a species of jawless fish that lives in deeper waters. They have a special ability – they can produce slime! If at risk of attack from a predator hagfish will produce a slippery, sticky mucus that will scare any attackers off. They have also been observed purposefully aiming this slime at the gills of sharks that are on their pursuit.
‘Fantastic Fish’ is just one of the 18 topics we have in our Ocean Explorers course . Here you will learn about the different groups of fish that live in the sea and we’ll meet some of the record breakers of the ocean!
Ready to start your ocean exploring journey? To sign up and become an Ocean Explorer today click here. While you wait for your first class, why not follow us on Facebook, where we regularly share fun facts, craft ideas and cute videos. You might also like to sign up to our monthly WiseKids newsletter for a monthly dose of marvellous marine-themed content straight to your inbox!
