4 Fish names - Part I (A-B)

Fish names are a big part of YPP.

All the vessels are named after one fish or another.

While you can find exotic fish to name your ship after, the default list is already quite extensive.

I've wanted to write this ever since I saw a picture of an Angler fish, and wondered what the others looked like... before they ended up on our plates that is.

Any ichthyologists reading this, please don't hit me :P

Alewife - pronounced ale-wife, not a-le-wife

Source

Pretty sure I've eaten this at some point... though I cannot be entirely sure.
Looks pretty normal to me.
I would love to have this deep-fried. Mhmmm.

Main Habitat: Five Great Lakes

Interesting fact: there's a transportation hub named after it located in Cambridge, Tax-achusetts.

Anchovy - Small and nutritious

Source

Okay, I KNOW I've had these before. I never knew they were called Anchovies though, I always knew them by their other name: ikan bilis (e-khan bee-lease).
Not on a pizza, but dried and crispy.

Main Habitat: Mediterranean

Interesting Fact: Anchovies are low on toxins and great vitamin-packed snacks for the health conscious thanks to their small size and short life-cycles.

Angelfish - Pretty and varied

Source for more pics! Emperor Angelfish 

There are two categories of this one apparently. A seawater one and a freshwater one.

Both go by the name "Angelfish" for us laymen, but quite different.

Both are really pretty and colorful though, and both are quite distinctive fish shapes to us.

Source Silver Angelfish

 Main Habitat: Shallow reefs in Atlantic, Indian, Pacific Oceans (seawater), Amazon river and fish tanks (freshwater)

Interesting Facts:  They're pretty. Despite its bold colors, the Queen Angelfish is actually shy in nature.

Angler - The ultimate dominatrix

Source

And now, for the inspiration for this article.

Oh, you thought the look of the fish was the worst part? Nonono.

Only females have "anglers" (the light bulb part). The male physically fuses with the female, leaving only its testes and a female will carry six or more males.

Source Yeap, it's the one from Finding Nemo

/e shudder. Hey, at least the females don't have to worry about doing hair and make-up everyday since they pretty much live in darkness, right?

Main Habitat: North-east Atlantic where the sun don't shine.

Interesting Fact: Apparently you can eat these. Yeaaaaaa. PASS.

Barbel - No, not the weights you lift. Those are Barbells.

Source

Apparently if you googled Barbel, you get a lot of fishermen showing them huge-booty fish off.

I'm guessing they're eaten a lot. I think I've had these!

Main Habitat: Slow-flowing rivers everywhere

Interesting Fact: Barbel is also the technical term for fish whiskers.

Bass - The fish that keeps on noming.

Source Giant Black Sea Bass

Bass also has marine and freshwater varieties.

It is also an instrument and something that Dr. Dre claims to know a lot about. 

Most common variety we know of is the Sea Bass. 

And if you can't cook one of those, be prepared to "take off your jacket and leave Hell's Kitchen".

Source NOPE.

Because you bleeping can't bleeping bleeping cook for bleep. Blimey bleep. Bleep me. 

Main Habitat: East Coast US (Black Sea Bass), restaurant aquariums all over

Interesting Fact: I eat these all the time. 鲈鱼 They're one of the cheaper varieties at the fish market. 

Here's a comparison between East and West sea bass. 

Source East

This is garnished with Soy Sauce, spring onions, yellow wine, and ginger. Tastes great.

It is actually very fast and easy to prep. 

Simply put all ingredients in and then just 4-5 mins in the microwave on high. Great for a meal for one or two. No fat except for the fish's fat.

If you'd like specific instructions, leave a comment :P

Source Fancy Cuisine

If Alton Brown has taught me anything, it is that searing sea bass is a tart. And he has already aimed to simplify everything as much as possible. 

Also that source link has some scary instructions. Why is there butter in everything?

Blowfish - Porcupine of the Sea

Source Is it just me, or does this look like a horse?

You've heard of Fugu right? It's apparently a type of Blowfish. 

Blowfish can't swim very well, so they try to compensate by inflating themselves. 

This fish is full of dirty innuendos.

Source

Sometimes Fugu is prepared with extra traces of the poisonous parts because it causes a tingling (read: paralyzing) effect on the tongue.

It's like getting high. On fish.

Would you try Fugu knowing you could die? 

Main Habitat: Tropical Ocean Zones (Despite their name literally meaning River Pig... what -_-) 

Source Bloat from Finding Nemo

Interesting Fact: 31 fatal cases of Fugu poisoning occurred in Japan between 1996 and 2005 (source) and most of them were fishermen engaging in "Russian-roulette-style fugu consumption". 

Darwin Awards, anyone?

Bluegill - a type of sunfish

Source Dark spot above dorsal fin 

Bluegills come in a variety of colors.

They are so named for their characteristic dark (blue?) dot at the edge of their gills.

They have special fins that allow them to turn quickly from predators, but are very popular to fish as they are very bite-y. 

Oh irony, thy name is Bluegill. 

Main Habitat: Originally Great Lakes and Mississippi, now entire US

Interesting Fact: Emperor Akihito (an ichthyologist by profession!) inadvertently introduced the Bluegill to the Japan ecosystem, wrecking havoc in the process. 

Bream - Part of the Carp family

Source More breams this guy fished up!

Breams, Sunfish, Carps, Minnows (even Barbels) are all in the same Class and Order (ray-finned fish), so colloquially the terms used to describe the different fish are often used interchangeably. 

It is the largest family of fish. 

My first sloop was a Bream. I renamed it to the Cliche Bream with Pegno's help. Ah, good times. 

Main Habitat: North of the Alps, and Balkans, extending towards the Caspian and Black Sea 

Interesting Fact: Like other members of its family tree, it is a very popular fishing target. Well it is quite meaty. 

Bullhead - Adjective or noun, it can be both! 

Source European Bullhead

When referring to a "Bullhead", it is most commonly understood that it is either the European Bullhead, or a type of Bullhead Catfish. There are other types of bullheads too. Not sure why I keep having the word "bullfrog" in my head.

Either way... both look tasty. 

Both varieties are quite small. 

Source Black Bullhead Catfish

The European Bullhead is a fresh water stone-dweller, preferring to dart along the river beds. 

Main Habitat: Native to UK Rivers (European Bullhead), native to North America (Bullhead Catfish)

Interesting Facts: Because of the small Catfish's size, the Bullhead Catfish is often kept as a pet. (Wut?)

Well that's it for the As and the Bs :) I really enjoyed reading about fish. I hope you did too! 

Would you like to see more? I hear there are some wacky sex-changing fish out there.