The Odd Fish: A new illustrated children’s picture book with a powerful message about plastic pollution in the ocean and looking after our environment

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The Blue Parrotfish is a key player in the health of coral reef ecosystems, as it helps to prevent the overgrowth of algae that can harm corals. Nudibranchs are a diverse group of soft-bodied, marine gastropods known for their vibrant colors and intricate patterns. They are often called sea slugs, but are a distinct group within the larger sea slug category. The Atlantic Wolffish is a cold-water fish found in the North Atlantic Ocean from Greenland to Massachusetts. The giant tube worm has a bright red plume, rich in hemoglobin, which it extends from its protective chitinous tube to absorb oxygen and chemicals from the surrounding water. Discover More with Active Wild The Goblin Shark can grow up to 4 meters in length and is a sluggish predator that feeds on a variety of fish and squid. It is rarely seen by humans and is not commercially fished, but it is sometimes caught accidentally as bycatch. The Goblin Shark is classified as Near Threatened by the IUCN due to its low reproductive rate and susceptibility to overfishing. Discover More With Active Wild

Flying fish have a streamlined body and large, wing-like fins that allow them to glide through the air for distances of up to 400 meters at a time.

14. Whitemargin Stargazer

Like other frogfish, the hairy frogfish is an ambush predator, using a modified dorsal spine as a lure to attract prey. Unusually, it also attracts prey by emitting chemicals. It has a large, upward-facing mouth and can swallow prey nearly its own size. This weird-looking fish is a known cannibal, occasionally eating members of its own species. Discover More with Active Wild

Flying fish are a group of about 50 species of fish that are found in tropical and subtropical waters around the world. They are named for their ability to leap out of the water and “fly” through the air, which they do to escape predators.The 80 different species of parrotfish, coming in a variety of vivid hues and shades, are so named not for their resemblance to a parrot’s brightly coloured feathers, but rather the fused teeth at the front of their mouths, which seem to look more like a beak when compared to the usual mouth of a fish. Sunfish ( Mola Mola) is a strange and unusual-looking fish. It is disc-shaped and can crow to lengths of 4.5 metres (15ft) and weigh thousands of pounds, making sunfish the heaviest bony fish in the world. Sunfish were previously very rare in UK waters, being found in tropical and sub-tropical species, but possibly as a result of warming seas, they appear to be becoming more common around the British Isles. The Psychedelic Frogfish is named for its strikingly bright and vibrant coloration, which includes bold patterns of red, yellow, and white. It has a flattened body, a large mouth, and a lure on its head with which it attracts prey. Fin Whale Fin Whale from the Air. Notice the asymmetrical coloration of the head. (Photo: Protected Resouces Division, Southwest Fisheries Science Center, La Jolla, California. swfsc.nmfs.noaa.gov)

The gulper eel has a long, slender body and a bioluminescent tail tip, which it likely uses as a lure to attract prey. It primarily feeds on deep-sea crustaceans and small fish. Discover More with Active Wild The female Asian sheepshead has the amazing ability to switch genders as it desires. The fish has a bulbous chin. Its species is commonly found around the Asian waters; specifically around Korea, Japan, and South China. 7. Jawfish Sea Cucumber California Sea Cucumber or giant California sea cucumber ( Parastichopus californicus) Your specialist can refer you to a dietitian for advice. They'll help you make sure your diet still contains all the nutrients you need. Other things you can doCandiru Image: Ivan Sazima, Jansen Zuanon, Efrem J. G. Ferreira, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (cropped / resized and letter A deleted by ActiveWild.com) Use the index below to go directly to a particular species, or continue scrolling to browse all of these bizarre creatures. Weird Fish The Giant Oarfish is a deep-sea fish that is found in temperate and tropical waters around the world. It is the longest bony fish in the world, with specimens known to reach lengths of up to 11 meters. The Ocellated Icefish, also known as the Pearly Icefish, is a weird fish species found in the Southern Ocean surrounding Antarctica. It is a member of the family Channichthyidae, which are collectively known as the icefishes due to their ability to survive in extremely cold waters.

The species can grow up to 1.2 meters in length and can weigh up to 20 kilograms. It is a popular target for recreational fishermen, and is also commercially harvested for food. Despite this, the Blue Parrotfish is considered Least Concern by the IUCN, as it is relatively widespread and not significantly threatened by overfishing. Discover More With Active Wild Ghost sharks have large eyes for seeing in low light conditions, and, like other sharks, their snouts are covered with sensory organs called ampullae of Lorenzini, which help them detect the electrical fields produced by their prey. Discover More with Active Wild The hairy frogfish, also known as the striated frogfish, is a species of anglerfish found in shallow waters of the Indo-Pacific region. It is named for its unique appearance, with numerous hair-like skin filaments covering its body, which provide excellent camouflage among algae and coral. Also known as the pop-eye fish, one may cite the whitemargin stargazer buried in the sand with only the eyes and mouth showing. It uses this habit to catch its unsuspecting prey for food. The weirdest thing about the stargazer is that possesses electric organs in its body. As a result, it can discharge about 50 volts within the right water temperatures. 8. Asian Sheepshead Wrasse Part of the same family that the seahorse belongs to, the leafy sea dragon’s plant-y appearance lets it sneak up on unsuspecting prey and hide away from any predators looking to turn it into a meal. It’s also on record as David Attenborough’s favourite animal, and he’s seen plenty of those in his time! 2. Handfish

Oddball Fish

Unfortunately, Lionfish are causing significant ecological damage in their non-native habitats, as they have no natural predators and can reproduce rapidly. Discover More With Active Wild The humphead wrasse is a striking-looking animal, but that’s not why it’s been included in this list of weird fish. The real reason is that it – and many other wrasse (including the equally strange-looking Asian sheepshead wrasse, Semicossyphus reticulatus) – change sex from female to male as they get older. This only occurs in the largest individuals. Discover More With Active Wild The Portuguese man-o-war is often mistaken for a jellyfish, but it belongs to a different group of cnidarians called siphonophores. It is found in warm ocean waters, primarily in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. One of the world’s weirdest-looking fish, the Red-Lipped Batfish is named for its distinctive bright red lips, which contrast with its mottled brown body. It has a flattened body, a wide head, and a pair of modified pectoral fins that it uses to “walk” along the seafloor. The Giant Oarfish has a long, slender body that is covered in iridescent, silvery scales, and it has a distinctive, crest-like structure on its head.