How Does a Fish Swim?

Many people keep fish as pets. We watch them swim around their tanks, eat their food and simply amuse us as we watch them in their habitat. Have you ever wondered how a fish swims? It is actually rather simple for a fish. Using their fins, bladder, muscles, skeleton and scales assists them while swimming through the water so effortlessly.

Fins - A fish uses its fins to aid them in moving in the directions in which they want to go. The side fins which are called caudal fins are the main fins that they use to determine their directions. The other fins are used to aid in movements from side to side.

Muscles - The body of even the smallest fish such as a goldfish has hundreds of muscles that are able to move simultaneously in conjunction with its flexible skeleton. The force of the muscles work with the flexibility of the skeleton to help them swim as fast or slow as they want to go.

Flexible Skeleton - The fish’s skeleton is unique because it is completely flexible. The only part of a fish’s skeleton that is not flexible is the area that surrounds the skull. Having a flexible skeleton aids the fish in swimming by allowing it to move its skeleton in conjunction with its fins to propel them in the water.

Bladder - A fish’s bladder is able to perform a great task for them. It expands and deflates according to their depth in the water. This allows them to stay at the water level where they are without floating to the top of sinking to the bottom. The gases in the bladder provide a vital function for the fish. This is why a fish that is dying will turn belly side up. The bladder is not working correctly and the gases are not regulating the fishes depth.

Scales - All fish’s bodies are covered with scales. These scales are coated with an oily coating. The combinations of the already slick scales that are naturally covered in an oily substance allow the fish to glide through the water effortlessly with little resistance.