Splash into Fish Fun! A Beginner Quiz for Young Explorers

1. What do fish use to breathe underwater?
   1. Scales
   2. Lungs
   3. Gills
   4. Fins
2. Which of the following is a baby fish called?
   1. Fledge
   2. Spawn
   3. Fry
   4. Pup
3. Why do some fish swim in groups called schools?
   1. To migrate faster
   2. Protection from predators
   3. To reproduce more easily
   4. To clean parasites from each other
4. Who studies fish and other water animals?
   1. Herpetologist
   2. Marine biologist
   3. Ichthyologist
   4. Ornithologist
5. What hard plates cover a fish body for protection?
   1. Fins
   2. Scales
   3. Gills
   4. Operculum
6. Which famous fish character lived in the ocean and forgot things?
   1. Dory
   2. Nemo
   3. Flounder
   4. Bruce
7. What do most fish use to move through water?
   1. Gills
   2. Fins
   3. Scales
   4. Swim bladder
8. Which ancient animal group did fish help make when life moved to land?
   1. Annelids
   2. Cartilaginous fishes
   3. Cephalopods
   4. Tetrapods

Answers and explanations

1. Question: What do fish use to breathe underwater?
   Answer: Gills
   Explanation: Gills are specialized organs that extract dissolved oxygen from water and expel carbon dioxide. Interestingly, gill structures vary widely — from feathery filaments in most bony fish to lamellae and opercula that increase surface area for efficient gas exchange.
2. Question: Which of the following is a baby fish called?
   Answer: Fry
   Explanation: A baby fish is called a fry — the stage after hatching when young fish are free-swimming. Fun fact: many species go through several juvenile names (like larva and juvenile) before reaching adulthood, and 'fry' are often especially vulnerable to predators, making nursery habitats crucial.
3. Question: Why do some fish swim in groups called schools?
   Answer: Protection from predators
   Explanation: Fish school to reduce individual risk—there’s safety in numbers. Grouping confuses predators, makes it harder to target one fish, and improves chances of detecting danger early; schooling also helps with efficient swimming and finding food.
4. Question: Who studies fish and other water animals?
   Answer: Ichthyologist
   Explanation: An ichthyologist is a scientist who studies fish; they research fish biology, behavior, evolution, and conservation. Studying fish is important for understanding aquatic ecosystems, fisheries management, and biodiversity — for example, ichthyologists helped identify many species used in sustainable‑
5. Question: What hard plates cover a fish body for protection?
   Answer: Scales
   Explanation: Scales are the small, hard plates covering most fish bodies that provide protection and reduce friction while swimming. An interesting fact: fish scales grow in rings like tree trunks, allowing scientists to estimate a fish's age by counting them.
6. Question: Which famous fish character lived in the ocean and forgot things?
   Answer: Dory
   Explanation: Dory is the forgetful blue tang from Pixar’s Finding Nemo and Finding Dory; her short-term memory loss drives much of the story and leads to both comic moments and heartfelt themes about friendship and resilience. Fun fact: the species Dory is based on is the regal blue tang (Paracanthurus hepatus).
7. Question: What do most fish use to move through water?
   Answer: Fins
   Explanation: Most fish use fins to generate lift, thrust, and steering as they swim; the tail (caudal) fin provides powerful propulsion while pectoral and dorsal fins assist with maneuvering and stability. Fins evolved early in fish and are key to their diverse swimming styles and ecological niches.
8. Question: Which ancient animal group did fish help make when life moved to land?
   Answer: Tetrapods
   Explanation: Fish with sturdy fins and lungs evolved into the first tetrapods—four-limbed vertebrates—that colonized land in the Devonian period. This transition is crucial because it gave rise to amphibians, reptiles, mammals and ultimately humans.