Fashion A Fish
Modified from “Fashion a Fish,” Project WILD Aquatic
Objectives

Students will be able to:




Describe the adaptations of fish to their
environments
Describe how adaptations can help fish survive
in their habitats
Interpret the importance of adaptation in
animals
Construct a fish with a given set of adaptations
Background

Aquatic Animal adaptations have occurred
over the course of several years

Adaptations increase likelihood of survival

Some have adapted to a point that they
are vulnerable to slight changes
Mouth 1:
 Sucker
Mouth
Shaped
 Advantage:
Feeds on very
small plants
and animals
 Examples:
Sucker, Carp
Mouth 2:
 Elongated
upper jaw
 Advantage:
feeds on prey it
looks down on
 Examples:
Spoonbill,
Sturgeon
Mouth 3:
 Elongated
Lower Jaw
 Advantages:
Feeds on prey it
sees above
 Examples:
Barracuda,
snook
Mouth 4:
 Duckbill
Jaws
 Advantages:
Grasps prey
 Examples:
Muskellunge,
Pike
Mouth 5:
 Extremely
Large Jaws
 Advantages:
Surrounds Prey
 Examples:
Bass, Grouper
Body Shape 1:
 Torpedo
Shape
 Advantages:
Fast Moving
 Examples:
Trout, Salmon,
Tuna
Body Shape 2:
 Flat
Bellied
 Advantages:
Bottom
Feeder
 Examples:
Catfish,
Sucker
Body Shape 3:
 Vertical
Disk
 Advantages:
Feeds above or
below
 Examples:
Butterfish,
Bluegill
Body Shape 4:
 Horizontal
Disk
 Advantages:
Bottom Dweller
 Examples:
Flounder,
Halibut
Body Shape 5:

Hump Backed


Advantages: Stable in
fast-moving water
Examples: Sockeye,
Salmon, Chub,
Razorback
Coloration 1:
 Light-Colored
Belly
 Advantages:
Predators have
difficulty seeing
it from below
 Examples:
Most minnows,
Perch, Tuna,
Mackerel
Coloration 2:
 Dark
Upper Side
 Advantages:
Predators have
difficulty seeing
it from above
 Examples:
Bluegill,
Crappie,
Barracuda,
Flounder
Coloration 3:
 Vertical
Stripes
 Advantages:
Can hide in
vegetation
 Examples:
Muskellunge,
Pickerel,
Bluegill
Coloration 4:
 Horizontal
Stripes
 Advantages:
Can hide in
vegetation
 Examples:
Yellow and
White Bass,
Snook
Coloration 5:
 Mottled
Coloration
 Advantages:
Can hide in
rocks and on
bottom
 Examples:
Trout, Grouper,
Rock Bass,
Hogsucker
Reproduction 1:
 Eggs
deposited
in bottom
 Advantages:
Hidden from
Predators
 Examples:
Trout, Salmon,
most minnows
Reproduction 2:
 Eggs
deposited
in nests
 Advantages:
Protected by
adults
 Examples:
Bass,
Stickleback
Reproduction 3:
 Floating
Eggs
 Advantages:
Dispersed in
high numbers
 Examples:
Striped Bass
Reproduction 4:
 Eggs
attached
to vegetation
 Advantages:
Stable until
hatching
 Examples:
Perch, Northern
Pike, Carp
Reproduction 5:
 Live
Bearers
 Advantages:
High Survival
Rate
 Examples:
Guppies