Fish

Fish are aquatic animals that live in freshwater or saltwater environments. They have been around for millions of years, and they can be found all over the world. There are more than 30,000 species of fish, ranging from small minnows to large sharks. Fish come in a variety of shapes and sizes depending on their environment; some even have special adaptations such as bioluminescence or protective scales.

Most types of fish feed by filtering food through their gills which extract oxygen from the water at the same time. Some fish also hunt smaller prey or scavenge for food near the surface or bottom of bodies of water with both active hunting methods (like ambush) and passive ones (such as waiting). The various ways that different kinds of fishes eat makes them an important part in many ecosystems across our planet: providing vital nutrients to other organisms like birds, mammals and other larger predators who rely upon them for sustenance.

The reproductive cycle is usually divided into two stages: spawning where eggs are released into open waters; then fertilization once sperm has met egg cells outside a female’s body cavity – sometimes via external means like broadcast spawning when masses congregate before mating season begins! After hatching larvae develop quickly before maturing into adults capable surviving life cycles within whatever habitat they inhabit best suited towards each particular species’ needs/habits e-g coral reefers prefer shallow warm lagoons while cold deep sea dwellers thrive under extreme pressure & darkness etcetera…

Fishing is one way humans interact with these creatures – either catching them directly using nets/traps/lines etcetera; gathering up shells along coastal regions whilst relying on wild stocks elsewhere so not depleting local populations too rapidly thus allowing conservation efforts aimed at preserving biodiversity throughout our beautiful blue planet!