Do Fish Feel Pain?

Pain is not a respecter of intelligence. We tend to assume that the stupidest individual we know is capable of feeling as much pain as we do. We don't tend to say:

"Well, Agnes is pretty dumb you know. Are we really sure that she felt pain when that truck hit her? Okay. I know she flew 25 feet in the air, let out a blood curdling scream and then thrashed about for ten minutes. But was that just a motor response? Was she really feeling it?"

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When Fish Goes Bad

Bad seafood can make you very sick. Fortunately, it is usually pretty easy to tell by smell, feel and appearance if fish is going bad. Read on to learn how to tell when fish goes bad.

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Superstition About Fish

Here are some superstitious facts about fish. It is said that a fish should always be eaten from the head toward the tail. If you dream of fish that means someone you know is pregnant. When going fishing, throw back the first fish you catch then you'll be lucky the whole day fishing.(What if you catch a big fish?). If you count the number of fish you caught, you will catch no more that day too. It is also a no-no to say the word "pig" while fishing at sea or you will run into a spell of bad luck. 

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Best Herbs for Cooking Fish

There are many different methods for cooking fish, but one of the healthiest ways is to prepare your fish with fresh herbs. Herbs can help season a plain piece of fish or kick up an already flavorful one. You might want to consider growing your own herbs in your garden for the freshest ingredients.

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'Extinct' fish bred by British zoo

Bristol zoo has successfully bred Potosi pupfish, a species of fish extinct in the wild. Staff at the zoo said they were "thrilled" when spawning behaviour was observed soon after the fish were introduced from London Zoo. 

Bristol Zoo and ZSL London Zoo are the only two institutions in the UK working together to safeguard the species, which are classed as extinct in the wild, through a conservation breeding programme. A handful of private breeders in Spain, Mexico and America are also keeping them.

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Which One Is Which?

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Worms Anyone?

If you are a squeamish person, new to cooking fish, I suggest that you don't read any further. I don't want to be responsible for people stopping to eat fish purely because of squeamishness. If you are cooking the fish (with heat), no harm will come to you. I promise. 

No matter how hard I looked, it was hard to find solid information on this topic. What I needed to find was someone passionate about parasites. Yes, there are people who care about parasites as much as I care about food (and fish). They are called parasitologists. 

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Fish you can't eat when pregnant

To have a healthy pregnancy, you need to know what to include in your diet and the foods you can't eat when pregnant. You should avoid foods that might add empty calories without being nutritious. Have a pregnancy diet plan ready so that you can select the best foods from it. You should also read more about diet during pregnancy so that you know the foods to avoid during pregnancy. 

Fish high in mercury: Another important food you can't eat when pregnant. In many places, there are high levels of Mercury or polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in the fish. When you consume large amounts of mercury, your baby may suffer brain damage resulting in developmental delays (for example, delays in learning to walk or talk). Consumption of fish containing high levels of PCBs in their fatty tissues is linked to decreased attention, memory, and IQ in babies.

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Funny Cartoon

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How do to get out a fish bone that is stuck in your throat?

Open your mouth, press your tongue down and look in the mirror to see if you can see it, or ask a friend. It's probably better not to swallow it (depending on the size) as your doctor could get it out fast if it's still high up or go to the accidents and emergency ward of your local hospital so they can get it out straight away without it causing damage on the way down.

If you think you've swallowed it, eat lots of bread or oats and drink water to make the passage easier so it doesn't scrape on the way down and so it doesn't go into the windpipe.

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So You Want To Breed Arowana?

The Golden Arowana is the most popular and expensive ornamental fish. The best quality is the crossed-back full scale Arowana is the Golden Arowana. In its natural habitat breeding season normally occurs from August to October every year. In its natural habitat the fish prefer slightly acidic clean water and unpolluted natural surroundings, especially shallow and fast flowing rivers with overhanging vegetation on the river bank. 

Rear eight Arowanas in a bare-based concrete tank measuring 5 x 5 meters with a water depth about 0.5 meters fenced with plastic netting about 0.75 meters high to prevent the fish from jumping out. A spawning room was built in one corner of the concrete tank and some pieces of bogwood were added to help create a natural living environment for the fish. Other decorations such as pebbles and stones were avoided because they may injure the fish and be swallowed accidentally during feeding. The rearing tank was partially shaded, away from direct sunlight and built in a quiet area. The broodstock were maintained in the rearing tank until the fish reached maturity. 

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Asian Arowana

There are 3 types of Asian Arowana - the Red, Gold and Green. For the Chinese, Red is a lucky color, as evidenced by the large amount of red used during Chinese New Year. This makes the Red dragon fish in high demand, and prices for a good quality red can easily fetch around USD5000. Gold is also considered lucky. However, it is surprising that Green variety is not very popular and is consider unlucky, especially in Cantonese speaking countries like Hong Kong, Shenzhen and Guangzhou. The Cantonese who keep a green Arowana in their home and often gamble are said to "shee tou meen cheang cheang" (lost till their faces turn green).

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SMS From The Fishes

 A Kenyan student has created an exciting new electronic device that automates fishing by luring the fish with the sound of other fish feeding. Once the fish are trapped, an attached GPRS/GSM device conveniently sends an SMS to the fisherman informing him that his catch is ready. This innovation was showcased at the Conference on Dissemination of Research Results and Exhibition of Innovations at the Kenyatta International Conference Center on May 4th, 2009.

This innovation is indeed an extraordinary accomplishment and I can't stop wondering what will they think of next? But could this be the answer to our overfishing problems or making  it even worse? Just remember, with great power, comes great responsibility.

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World's Most Expensive Fish

According to the Guinness Book of World Records, an enormous Bluefin tuna -- a fish prized as sushi -- sold for a record $173,600 Friday in the first auction of the year at Tokyo's main fish market. At $391 a pound (P 43,010 per kilo), the 444-pound fish was the most expensive auctioned off at the Tsukiji Central Fish Market in years. In 1996, a 250-pound Bluefin fetched $44,100.

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From dogs to music : 10 Strange Fishing Methods

50 years ago, Japanese people in the islands of Tanegashima employed canoes made of trunks of giant pines for fishing. The crafting of the canoes was made during special ceremonies with an old magical charge. After choosing the pine, the future owner and the craftsmen had to ask the God of the Mountain for permit. The god was offered as oblations rice, salt and sake. The trunk was split in two and after that, each part carved with axes, hatchets and chisels. In the rear part, a special place was chosen for locating the rudder. When the canoe was finished, other oblations were offered to the God. 

On the sea, the canoes were attached with bolsters for mast and paddles. The first persons obliged to get into the canoe were the fisherman's wife and daughter. All was followed by a general feast for the craftsmen and fishermen.  

Here are other local traditions of fishing around the world:

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