Science & Nature

Federal and some state biologists closely manage salmon to increase the sustainability of harvest for the commercial fishing industry, particularly in Alaska and Washington state. Among other...

Do you want to setup a fish tank but aren't quite sure how? This article will help walk you through it.

"Pelagic" is an adjective that means "of or relating to the open or high sea, as distinguished from the shallow water near the coast." It is most commonly used to refer specifically to animals...

Most people find dolphins engaging, sociable, funny and clever. They are also extremely efficient hunters, feeding on everything from tiny shrimp to great white sharks. The dolphin diet depends on...

Killies, commonly known as Minnow fish, can be used as bait to catch larger fish such as trout or salmon. Some people even catch killies and keep them as pets. Whatever the reasons for wanting...

Breeding rosy red minnows (Pimephales promelas or fathead minnow) can be an exciting and rewarding experience. In addition to the fun of seeing your hatchlings grow and reproduce generation by...

Throughout the eastern and central United States, fishermen have competition. Northern water snakes inhabit rivers, streams, pond and lakes, and they enjoy a nice fish dinner. These dark brown and...

Colloquially, both "guppy" and "minnow" may refer to diminutive fish. In scientific terms, however, the words have fundamentally different denotations and refer to freshwater fish not closely related.

In a healthy pond, approximately 10 to 20 percent of the pond floor is occupied by aquatic plants. Pond vegetation promotes pond health by providing fish with food, oxygen, and shelter for bedding...

A bug zapper is more formally known as an electrical discharge insect control system and is a common tool for killing insects outdoors. In order to be effective, these devices must attract insects...

Did you just catch your first northern pike but you don't know the first thing about taking out the bones and getting it ready to eat? Don't worry because the task is not as scary as it sounds. ...

While most people hear the term "minnow" and think of a small fish, there are some very large members of the minnow family. There are more than 2,100 different species of minnows in the world with...

The science of raising fish in a pond for harvest is known as aquaculture. The harvested fish are used for bait, food and pets for other farm ponds and small flower garden fishponds. After the...

Ocean City, Md., can be a fisherman's delight with 10 miles of coastal beaches and proximity to the Chesapeake Bay. Ocean City also boasts the world's largest billfish tournament, the White Marlin...

The best way to catch a fish, in my experience is with worms. People tell me all kinds of things you can use, from spinners to peanut butter, but I'm not buying it. I have done a lot of fishing,...

Keeping fish in an aquarium requires regular testing of water to ensure favorable pH (Power of Hydrogen) levels. Water chemistry, and an understanding of how it affects the biological filter, will...

Coral reefs are a widespread habitat strung along the world's tropical belt. Immensely diverse, they're home to the greatest densities of animal life in the world.

There are more than 22,000 species of fish in the world, and they all reproduce at an incredible rate. Along with being some of the most plentiful creatures on Earth, baby fish are some of the...

Brisling (also known as bristling) sardines are small fish that inhabit the North Atlantic. According to International Fish Canners, gourmets around the world consider brislings the tastiest,...

Black algae can clog and choke the life out of a fish pond if left unchecked. The algae grows rapidly when exposed to direct sunlight so good preventive measures include the installation of shade...

The great barracuda, or Sphyraena barracuda, is the largest of the saltwater barracudas. At maturity, it is more than 6 feet long and weighs more than 100 lbs., as compared with freshwater...

Epizootic ulcerative syndrome (EUS), also known as red spot disease, has affected more than 100 different species of fish. It primarily affects fresh water fish, but can also strike brackish water...

Duckweed is a family of plants known botanically as Lamnaceae. The floating aquatic plants are widely distributed around the world and are the smallest known flowering plant.

Saltwater fish play host to more than 100 species of parasites. The most commonly found are the Phocanema round worm and the Anisakis round worm.

Whether you are a novice or a professional aquarist, you will no doubt find yourself diagnosing aquarium fish illnesses from time to time. One of the most common ailments is Ichthyophthirius...

You finished setting up your aquarium a few days ago and are ready to add fish - ones you have hand picked yourself from the local pet store. They are your new babies. Over the course of the...

Painted turtles are popular pets due to their wide availability, docile demeanor and colorful markings. Painted turtles thrive in captivity as long as they have adequate housing and a balanced...

The freshwater biomes are flowing or still areas of water with less than one percent salt. They range from small trickles of water from melting snow to vast, permanent water bodies hundreds of...

The cookie cutter shark is a deep sea shark characterized by a round mouth and long body. It's also known as a luminous shark due to the green light emitted from the shark's belly.

Coral reefs are more than just bright colors, pretty fish and great places to snorkel and dive. They're also important and highly beneficial ecosystems. Considering their dwindling acreage, it is...

Suckerfish, also known as remoras, are found mostly in tropical open oceans. They are sometimes seen in temperate or coastal areas attached to a larger fish that comes into these waters. Remoras...

The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is a 19.6 million acre area of Northeastern Alaska set aside for the preservation of the region's wildlife in 1960. Many species of mammals, birds and fish call...

Florida's wetlands, from its salt marshes, rivers and mud flats to its bays, estuaries and watersheds, are essential not only to the sustainability of many species, but also to Florida's water...

The snapping turtle is a throwback to the days of the dinosaurs. This reptile, with a mouth like a hooked beak, eats a variety of things that exist within its habitat. However, it is often...

With a tongue that it can use as a fishing lure, the alligator snapping turtle has the right equipment to catch fish. Its powerful jaws, which resemble a beak, snap shut on the unsuspecting fish...

The scientific name for fish farming is aquaculture. Types of aquaculture include mariculture, aquaponics, monoculture, polyculture, and integrated multi-trophic aquaculture.

The fish we call salmon is actually several different species within the family Salmonidae, which also includes trout. There are two very different types of salmon, Atlantic salmon and Pacific...

Dive into almost any coral reef in the world and you will find yourself surrounded by diverse life forms. From fish to coral, anemones to larger life forms, they all live in complex harmony with...

Although fish aren't cute or cuddly, we still have reason to care about their survival. The Earth's waters are made up of different ecosystems, from shallow coastal waters to gulfs and bays and...

Almost all anglers know how vital minnows are to water ecosystems and a great fishing season. These fish are incredibly prolific and have specific characteristics. Out on the water, knowing these...

The Oscar Cichlid is part of the Astronotus Ocellatus species. It is a fish known by a number of different titles including oscar, velvet cichlid, tiger, and marble cichlid. The Oscar Cichlid...

It's a mystery: a new pond forms, where there was no pond before. Over time, it gets fish. Where do the fish come from? Flying fish jetting in from far off places? Fish materializing in the...

Moving is just as exciting as it can be frustrating and stressful. Many individuals will not think about how to move their fish tank, and their fish, until the last minute. How to move the fish...

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife has many regulations that cover fishing in Washington State. These rules cover such aspects of fishing as licenses, minimum lengths of fish, legal...

When oil is spilled into the ocean it can devastate life under the water. Although oil tanker accidents are the most highly publicized causes of water pollution, there are many other ways that oil...

Phytoplankton is one of the smallest and most plentiful organisms on planet Earth and is important to the health and well being of its life in a variety of ways. The collapse of the world's...

Fish obtain food in a wide variety of ways. The numerous species of fish have evolved many unique ways of feeding. Their diets range from microscopic plants to other large fish and aquatic...

Fresh water mussels (Unio) are mollusks. They are soft-bodied, non-metameric and bilaterally symmetrical invertebrates with a ventral flat foot and a visceral hump, living in a variety of fresh...

Fish are found in every temperature and every depth of the ocean, from the cold waters of the polar seas to the tropical, warm waters near the equator. They range in size from less than an inch...

While many pet and fish stores now offer to set up saltwater aquariums for a fee, setting it up yourself will make it a labor of love and will help you understand what is going on in your tank to...