You may have seen tiny fish swimming in groups in a pond or a river. You obviously must know that they are baby fish that are newborn babies and have not yet grown into larger fish. But, have you wondered what is another name used for the baby fish?
The baby fish that is not grown enough to be an adult and is almost half the size and age of the adult fish is called a “Fry”. The word “fry” came from the word “fricgean” which means to eat. The reason behind this name used for the small baby fish is that baby fish cannot swim properly and can easily be eaten by the large fish or the other predators in the water.
Fry normally grows to an adult fish within the time period of twelve months. Fry fish are very small in size and for this reason, they can be easily attacked and eaten by large fish. Fries however eat zooplanktons, insect larvae, and crustaceans for their survival.
Interesting Facts About Baby Fish
We have discussed what baby fish are called. Now, let’s jump onto some of the interesting facts about baby fish:
- Fry fish can be eaten not only by the predators that exist in the water but also by their own parents sometimes. The large fish usually eat their baby fish to keep the population minimized so that they can get enough food for them.
- Fry can change their color to warn or indicate to other baby fish in their surroundings about the presence of a predator.
- Fries can also make sounds in the water using their swim bladder when required. For instance, if there is a predator or a large fish that some fry fish notice, they instantly use their swim bladders to produce noise to alert the other fry fish.
- Fry fish usually move across different places in the water in groups. It rarely happens that a single fry fish swims alone in the water all day long.
- Although fry can easily become food for the other fish or the predators, they have the ability to hide themselves at different places in the water. For instance, they hide in the fish caves, grass, plants, and stones. For this reason, it is also recommended for the pet fish owners (that have different sizes of fish as their pets) to put some plants or artificial fish caves in the aquarium so that small fish can protect themselves.
The Bottom Line
The baby fish or the newly born fish that is small and not yet able to breed is called a “Fry”. They are often seen swimming in groups and not alone. They are small enough to be eaten by the majority of aquatic creatures including their own parents. However, they use their senses and capabilities like changing the color and making sounds to indicate a warning, and can also hide in the plants, stones, and fish caves.
