Are you aware that fishes have their unique schools?Yes, fish schools are real! These schools comprise a group of fishes that organize themselves in a coordinated fashion to ensure sustainability.Have you ever gone deep-sea diving? Earth’s water bodies are replete with a variety of marine plants and animals. With differences in shapes, sizes, and colors, a fish is perhaps the most beautiful aquatic creature of all. Some are even taken up as pets for aquariums owing to their magnificent appearance. You must have commonly seen fishes pairing up in aquariums but have you ever witnessed a fish school? Like mammals, every species of fish portrays a unique set of habits and behavior. Some roam about solitary while others form pairs and some others school. Fish also display differences in feeding tendencies. However, what drives every living organism is its survival instincts and a fish is no exception to this rule. Let’s decipher why.If you want to explore some more about the fish world then don’t forget to read through these fascinating facts about why do fish jump and how often do you feed a betta fish.What is fish schooling?Let’s plunge right away into the meaning of what fish schooling means.What comes to your mind when someone talks about a school? Schooling forms a vital part of a child’s life where students grow and develop their skills through proper education but can you imagine a fish with a schoolbag marching into a school to receive an education? Sounds ridiculous, right? Fish schooling is a completely different concept. Fish schools are not even constructed out of brick or mortar. A fish school is a closely bound group of fish where they engage in coordinated swimming in a particular direction. A fish school is usually composed of a minimum of four individuals of the same or varying species. However, the numbers are not limited to single digits, there are schools of hundreds and thousands of fish swimming together. However, the exact reason why it is called the ‘school of fish’ is not known.What is fish shoaling?Now that you’re acquainted with the concept of fish schools, it would be easier to grasp the meaning of a shoal.Shoaling refers to groups of fishes swimming in a conjoined manner. Generally, a shoal aids socialization within small to large groups which also contributes to selecting mates. The major difference between schooling and shoaling is that in shoaling innumerable fish engage in swimming together in loose communities whereas, in a school, the body postures and movements are exceptionally well-coordinated just like in a group dance. It’s almost impossible for one fish to escape death by evading its predator but even a shoaling fish has better chances of survival against its predator. Nevertheless, shoals or schools may not always be successful in saving their lives by dodging predators.Why do fishes school together?Nature is undoubtedly the best educator when it comes to teaching about survival. The adaptations among certain fishes that join forces are the perfect example. Here are the reasons behind fishes forming schools and traveling together.It goes without saying that one fish is more susceptible to attacks from carnivorous predators when compared to an entire unified group. The unified movement of a fish school most importantly allows the group to defend itself from the attacks of predators while also benefitting foraging activities. Detection of predators becomes easier and the threats are comparatively reduced when it comes to individual captures. Small fish schools can often be spotted feeding on plankton near the reefs. Did you know that cetaceans like porpoises, whales, and dolphins also form organized groups? Such a group is known as a pod.Everything being said, the question about the time when schooling fish was discovered crops up. Time to find out the answer!Innumerable small to large fish species school together. Species such as the silver dollar, neon tetra, hatchet fish, corydoras catfish, harlequin rasbora, and black skirt tetra are some of the schooling fishes while the cherry barb and zebra danio are fishes that shoal. These fishes school to secure their lives against predators that include large fishes like sharks. According to research, fish schooling dates back 200-220 million years ago. It was recorded among the early Teleostei fish species. Nevertheless, conclusive statements about the first schooling fish cannot be offered owing to the dearth of data.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for fish school then why not take a look at where do silverfish come from, or how big do angelfish get.
Are you aware that fishes have their unique schools?
