How Do Fish Protect Themselves?

By Staff WriterLast Updated December 09, 2023

Fish protect themselves through color camouflage, poisonous spines, stunning shocks and chemicals. Poison injected by teeth, or through barbs or spines is a useful defense employed by catfish and scorpionfish.

Some species, such as minnows, warn others in their group when they release a chemical substance into the water. A Red Sea flounder called the Moses sole releases a chemical so effective that even sharks avoid them. Often a target for predators, the eyes of a fish are camouflaged with a black spot near the rear of the body. Predators aim for that spot rather than the head, which allows sufficient time for escape.