Freshwater Fish: English Vocabulary List

a European freshwater fish with greenish-bronze scales, a deep body and flat sides, which is edible

"Bream feed near the bottom of lakes and slow rivers."

"The bream is a popular freshwater fish among anglers because it puts up a strong fight."

a type of freshwater fish belonging to the family Cyprinidae, typically with a deep body and barbels near the mouth

"The pond was filled with colorful koi carp."

"The common carp is considered an invasive species in many waterways because it uproots native plants."

a small red or orange fish often kept as a pet

"The goldfish swam in circles."

"Contrary to popular belief goldfish have a memory span of several months and can be trained to perform simple tricks for food rewards."

a small freshwater fish of tropical waters that is a live-bearer and is often kept in aquariums

"The guppy swims in tanks."

"The male guppy displays bright colors and elaborate tail fins to attract females for mating."

a large ornamental fish of the carp family originated in Japan

"The beautiful koi swam gracefully in the garden pond."

"The colorful koi fish in the garden pond can live for over fifty years with proper care."

a small Eurasian game fish of the cyprinoid family that lives in large shoals

"The children used a small minnow as bait."

"The tiny minnow swam in a large school making it harder for predators to target any single individual."

a very large marine and freshwater fish originally from the Northern hemisphere that is commercially important for its caviar or flesh

"The sturgeon is large."

"The ancient sturgeon, a giant fish from the Northern hemisphere, is highly valued for its precious caviar."

a freshwater bony fish with a long body that is able to breathe out of water

"The lungfish can survive out of water for long periods."

"The lungfish can survive out of water for several years by burrowing into mud and breathing air."

a South American freshwater knifefish that is able to create an electric charge in order to kill its prey or find its way

"The electric eel can generate a powerful shock."

"Despite its name the electric eel is actually a type of knifefish not a true eel species."

a freshwater eel-like aquatic vertebrate that has a sucking mouth and no jaws, which sucks the blood out of its prey

"The lamprey attaches to other fish and sucks their blood."

"The lamprey is a jawless fish that attaches to other fish with its sucker like mouth."

a small carnivorous freshwater fish of the South American origin that has sharp teeth and forms schools

"The piranha is known for its sharp teeth."

"Piranhas have razor sharp teeth that interlock like scissors making them efficient at tearing flesh from prey."

a European freshwater fish of the minnow family that can survive in waters with low oxygen levels

"The tench lives in ponds."

"The hardy tench, a European freshwater fish, thrives even in oxygen-poor waters where other species cannot survive."