How Do Fish Feel the Water Moving Around Them?

What Crafty Clover says in this video

Intro

Hi there, curious minds! I'm Crafty Clover! Let's discover something amazing. How do fish feel the water moving around them?

The Big Idea

Fish feel water moving with a special line of sensors along their sides! It is called the lateral line. It works a bit like feeling the water with your skin.

Hair-Like Sensors

Step one: find the line. Along each side of a fish is a line of tiny hair-like sensors. On many fish you can see the line as a faint stripe.

Feel the Water

Step two: feel the movement. When water moves, it bends the tiny hairs. A fish can feel a ripple from another fish or a current flowing around a rock.

Swim Together

Step three: use the information. This helps fish swim in schools without bumping into each other. It also helps them sense predators in dark or muddy water.

A Closer Look

Let's take a closer look! A line of sensors runs along the side. Water ripples bend the tiny hairs. Fish in a school move together. Even in dark or muddy water, fish can sense others.

Quick Facts

Quick facts! The lateral line helps fish sense water movement, even with their eyes closed. Many fish can sense a nearby swimmer from a small ripple. Some fish that live in dark caves rely on the lateral line a lot. Visit an aquarium with a grown-up and watch the schools.

Think Like a Scientist

Now, think like a scientist! Dip your fingertip into a bowl of still water. Have a friend gently make ripples with their finger a short distance away. Can you feel the ripples before you see them? That is a lot like a fish's lateral line.

Outro

A fish feels the water with its lateral line. Science is amazing! Crafty Clover can be found on Amazon Books, Google Bookstore, and Apple Books. Available for purchase or download! Bye for now!