Category: Fish
Also called the suckermouth catfish, the common pleco is an armored catfish native tropical northeastern South America and has been introduced to several other countries. The sucker-like structure of their mouth allows them to adhere to surfaces and rasp at food such as algae – this feature endears them to aquarists, who value them as a way to control algal growth in their tanks.
The fish that could drown (and other amazing tales)
Fish are masters of aquatic living, though some manage to do pretty well on land, too! Of living species, the mudskipper is probably the best adapted to life out of water - in fact, a mudskipper will drown if it can’t periodically come to the surface! This unusual fish uses its powerful, almost leg-like fins to walk on land and can even use them to “skip” up to 2 feet in the air! Similar to many amphibians, the mudskipper is able to breathe through its skin and the linings of its mouth and throat. It also seals water in its gill chambers when it leaves the water for extended stays on the land, much like a scuba diver brings air with them!-
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