This fish blog will answer the major question, “Are shrimp fish?” we will also discuss the reasons why shrimp is not a fish, whether shrimp is a shellfish, and the common things between the shrimp and the actual fish.
Are shrimp fish?
No, shrimp is not a fish. It is classified as crustaceans. There are many reasons why shrimp is not a fish. Shrimp have no internal skeleton and they feed differently. They live in the saltwater where they feed on algae and fungi they encounter.
What are the reasons why shrimp is not a fish?
Following are the reasons why shrimp is not a fish:
Shrimp has exoskeleton
The first reason is shrimp has an exoskeleton that can protect the shrimp from external force and predators. Shrimp has an exoskeleton and underneath it has a segmented body that has an abdomen, thorax, and head. The Internal organs lie in these segments. They are much like insects which also have exoskeletons in them.
Shrimp have a unique body that is curved and straight at many points and they are flexible to move here and there. The exoskeleton is hard and tough and most of the small fishes are not able to feed on shrimp.
Fishes have an internal skeleton that is protected by the muscles on it. The internal skeleton is strong and it helps the fish to move its body in the water.
Shrimp has no fins
Almost all fishes have fins even the seahorse has dorsal fins but shrimp lack fins. Fishes use fins to move forward and backward in the water.
Fish also have a swim bladder which is used for buoyancy, a phenomenon which is used by fish to move upward in the water. It is basic physics. The water-filled balloon floats on the water while the dense object sinks in the water.
Similarly, when the fish wants to move upward they fill the air in the swim bladder and it helps it to move upward leading to the surface of the water.
Shrimp has limbs
Shrimp has limbs and they use them to capture prey and consume it. They use their first 3 legs to eat anything they capture. Fishes lack limbs and they have fins and sharp teeth to capture the prey. The limbs of the shrimp are strong enough to hunt down the prey and then engulf it.
Shrimp has no specialized nervous system
Fishes have a specialized nervous system in the body which is very well coordinated. In the case of shrimps, they do not have a specialized central nervous system so they are not counted among the fishes of the world.
They look like they have coordinated movements but they do not have specialized parts of the brain such as the cerebellum, cerebrum, and medulla oblongata.
What are the common features of shrimp and other fishes?
Following are the common features of shrimp and other fishes:
- The first feature that both the shrimp and the fishes have is that they live underwater. They have to live underwater because they are able to extract oxygen from the water and not from the air.
- The next feature they have is that they can tolerate salt water, the shrimp and only the saltwater fishes can tolerate high salt content and are adapted to release extra salt from the water.
- The next similar thing is they both feed on sea creatures in the sea. Shrimp feeds on the algae and fungi and partly on the small creatures in the sea. On the other hand, fishes feed on a wide variety of small fishes and sea creatures.
Are shrimp shellfish?
Yes, shrimp are shellfish. They are crustaceans under the umbrella of shellfish. Shellfish is a broad category of sea creatures and crustaceans is the group in this category of sea creatures.
Shellfish have a strong exoskeleton that can protect the body from predators in the water. Likewise, the shrimp also have a strong exoskeleton. Shellfish can live in saltwater and are mostly found in the salt water so it is confirmed that shrimp are shellfish.
Can you keep shrimp as a pet at home?
Yes, you can keep shrimp as pets at home. Shrimp is a kind of sea creature and it better survives in saltwater. You just need to make sure that the exact diet is followed such as algae and fungi and water of high salt concentration is given to the shrimp.
Shrimp can feed on small fishes, so it is better to keep the shrimp with other members of its kind and not with the small fishes.
Conclusion
In this fish blog, we answered the major question, “Are shrimp fish?” we also discussed the reasons why shrimp is not a fish, whether shrimp is a shellfish, and the common things among the shrimp and the actual fish.
