That Sounds Fishy to Me Trivia Quiz

Answer: An old sailors tool

Marlins are large saltwater game fish that have an elongated jaw that extends out into a spear-like snout. Marlins are known for their speed (50mph/80km/h) as well as the great fight they put up when caught. The Nobel Prize-winning novel "The Old Man and the Sea" by Ernest Hemingway is the story of the battle between a fisherman a marlin.

This popular sports fish derives its name from a sailor's tool known as a marlinespike which is used in marine rope work.

Answer: Tuna

Tuna is one of the most popular large fish in the ocean though more for their commercial food value than for the hobby of sports fishing. Tuna can grow to as large as 10 ft. (3m) and weigh over 1500 lbs. (680km). These are sleek, powerful fish that can swim over 40 mph. They are found in most oceans of the world and are one of the most popular food fish on the planet.

Answer: True

The streamlined sailfish can be found in most warm or temperate waters of the world. They are usually a bluish-gray on top with a white underbelly. They are usually found near the surface where they have been clocked at speeds of 68 mph (110kmh). They have a spectacular dorsal fin that is often higher than their bodies are thick.

Answer: Plankton

The whale shark is a secretive, somewhat elusive character in spite of its size. It is the largest living fish on the planet. Similar to the fingerprints of a human being, the spots on a whale shark are unique and are often used by scientists as a form of identification.

The only known predator of the whale shark is humans while they themselves are filter-feeders that mainly dine on plankton. The whale shark can be found all over the world and is known to undertake long migrations.

Answer: Ribbonfish

The oarfish, also known as the ribbonfish, has an extremely long, very thin body that can be as long as 50 ft. (15 meters) and weigh as much as 600 lbs. (272kg). It has a silvery blue skin and appears to have no scales. Along the top of the fish runs a long, vivid red dorsal fin that runs the length of their bodies.

The oarfish swims in a very unusual manner and has been observed swimming in a vertical position. Oarfish are usually thought to be inedible, or at least unpalatable.

Answer: A swim bladder

The alligator gar is a goliath in the world of freshwater fish. This ancient fish has long, narrow jaws which are filled with lots of teeth. The alligator gar is a predatory fish which will grasp its prey in a sideways manner which is almost impossible to get away from.

Their torpedo-shaped bodies are covered in extremely thick ganoid scales which are very difficult to penetrate. This fish has a swim bladder which allows it to breathe in low oxygen conditions and will even allow it to survive out of the water for two hours.

Answer: Swordfish do not swim in schools.

They are isolated fish and they don't form schools. Sometimes there will be large numbers of them in an area basking at the surface of the water. They just happen to be in the same place looking for a meal. They are found in all the oceans of the world and prefer areas of warmer water.

They will migrate long distances in order to find food. Swordfish are also known for jumping out of the water high into the air, and then splashing down into the water. This display is thought to be done to remove parasites from their bodies.

Answer: Close their mouths completely

As immense as the sunfish is, it still looks like it is only half of a fish. It is born with a back fin which does not develop but rather, folds over itself, growing into a rudder which is called a clavus. The sunfish is one of the heaviest of all bony fish and can grow as long as 14 ft. (4m) and as large as 500 lbs. (226kg). Found in tropical waters all over the world, their teeth are fused into a beak-like structure which causes them to be unable to fully close their small mouths.

Answer: True

There are many varieties of sturgeon, both salt- and freshwaters species. The beluga sturgeon can grow to 13 ft. (396cm) and weigh as much as a ton (900kg). Sturgeon feed by sucking in their food from the lake or river bed through their small, toothless, mouths. They are known to dine on snails, larvae, small fish, and crayfish.

Answer: Mating

Barracuda, sometimes called the "tigers of the sea", prefer to stay isolated, but when they are mating they do form into groups. They are able to change their color and patterns when they desire. They are generally found in tropical or semi-tropical waters.

The barracuda can grow to six ft. (1.9m) long and weigh as much as 110 lbs. (50kg). The barracuda hunts by stalking and tends to sit near seagrass waiting for their prey to swim by.