Comments on: FishBase: All The (Known) Fish In The World

FishBase: All The (Known) Fish In The World

MiguelCardoso — Wed, 07 Jan 2004 01:10:00 -0800

Fish, Glorious Fish: They're all here. In fact, I'm having great trouble stifling my natural instinct to call it the most useful, wonderful website in the world. Unless you don't like fish. And even then...

By: zaelic

zaelic — Wed, 07 Jan 2004 01:18:44 -0800

I can't find bacalhau. What kind of second rate fish taxonomy database leaves salt cod out? Feh.

By: MiG

MiG — Wed, 07 Jan 2004 01:27:21 -0800

Zaelic, it's not salt cod in the wild. Humans are generally responsible for the salt part. You're probably thinking of this Newfoundland Cod variety.

By: MiguelCardoso

MiguelCardoso — Wed, 07 Jan 2004 01:37:40 -0800

Zaelic: there are about 20 types of bacalhau listed. Go for the Portuguese version, insert "bacalhau" in the search box and enjoy! (I don't know how to link to the search results!)

By: MiguelCardoso

MiguelCardoso — Wed, 07 Jan 2004 01:42:51 -0800

Here's your bacalhau, zaelic - but there are more species listed if you do the full search.

By: rudyfink

rudyfink — Wed, 07 Jan 2004 01:54:35 -0800

I am stunned I ever managed to get through each day without it.

By: MiG

MiG — Wed, 07 Jan 2004 02:07:01 -0800

Miguel, we all know that Portuguese cod comes from Newfoundland. Well, came from Newfoundland. Not much left there now.

By: MintSauce

MintSauce — Wed, 07 Jan 2004 04:39:04 -0800

Great post. I've just bought a tropical fish tank and have no idea what half the fish are. Only problem is, it doesn't support my 'Small yellow sucker fish, resembles streak of piss' descriptions.

By: johnny7

johnny7 — Wed, 07 Jan 2004 04:42:12 -0800

A veritable smorgasbord of piscatorial delight.Thanks Migs

By: MiguelCardoso

MiguelCardoso — Wed, 07 Jan 2004 05:38:26 -0800

MiG: you're quite right. The fact that *cough* you're also Portuguese, called Miguel and live in Canada may have something to do with your expertise on this matter. The link in your first comment points to the cod universally used for bacalhau, in all its many guises. (All links in English.). Nowadays, since the terrible depletion (guilty!) of the Newfoundland (Terra Nova) banks, most of our cod comes from Norway and Iceland, though the very best is still salted and sun-dried here in Portugal. There are at least 365 ways of cooking it - one for every day of the year - and, despite the fact that it's not cheap any more, most of us still have it at least twice a week. Because we crave it. The best salt cod is ideally soaked for 36 hours in a cold, running stream - though tap water must do most of the time. Notwithstanding the many ways of cooking it, really good bacalhau (thick, high and luscious) is best served simply boiled or charcoal-grilled, with cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil and (not necessarily) garlic. The interesting thing is, of course, that we have an abundant supply of fresh Atlantic wild fish, thanks to our bountiful coasts - but bacalhau is so deliciously well made, it's still (ever more so) our favourite fish. Or perhaps it's just another case of wanting what's most difficult? ;)

By: drobot

drobot — Wed, 07 Jan 2004 06:21:35 -0800

Yes, this is great.

By: troutfishing

troutfishing — Wed, 07 Jan 2004 06:30:46 -0800

I didn't know that there so many species of Mudskipper. The UK has a giant Mudskipper. There are slender Mudskippers, silver Mudskippers, Pug faced Mudskippers, False Mudskippers.... Do they all climb trees? Are some beginning to evolve more prehensile pectoral fins? I have to know! - They have intruded into my dreams, staring at me bug-eyed from their trees. Fishbase rocks. but it won't help me sate my Mudskipper lust today - I think Fishbase is crashing under the Metafilter generated press of Pescaphiles. Fishy fish fish?

By: ahimsakid

ahimsakid — Wed, 07 Jan 2004 07:36:32 -0800

Any database that includes both horned pout and bunker is just great in my book! (And check out the worldwide names for bluefish!)

By: Ufez Jones

Ufez Jones — Wed, 07 Jan 2004 07:51:51 -0800

And for a different kind of fish guide, the Monterey Bay Aquarium has a guide to selecting seafood for eating, separating the goods into three levels of sustainable practices. Their pocket guide is extremely handy.

By: SealWyf

SealWyf — Wed, 07 Jan 2004 08:06:36 -0800

Oh wow! -- they hook into Bill Eschmeyer's Catalog of Fishes. Which was my first big taxonomic database project (if you don't count all those type catalogs in IZ), back when it was only the Genera of Fishes, we were aiming at a print publication, and we were working in dBase. For one of the department open houses we strung a fan-fold printout of the complete database round the stacks. It's nice to see that it has prospered.

By: languagehat

languagehat — Wed, 07 Jan 2004 08:34:59 -0800

This is just a dating pool (ha!) for fishfucker.

By: milovoo

milovoo — Wed, 07 Jan 2004 08:47:33 -0800

There is also the Cephbase, if your tastes run more to the squishy fishies (or cephlopods, don't ya know) Also, the Tree of Life project is useful for the whole bio-enchilada, I think they might share data from the fishbase.

By: zaelic

zaelic — Wed, 07 Jan 2004 09:45:36 -0800

People put the salt in salted cod? All my youthful illusions... gone...! Seriously, though, salt cod is my answer to pricey drug habits. In terms of price-per-mass vs. the time it takes me to cram it all into my face it is a pretty expensive habit. I've got three kilos in my fridge. And I can't get it in the land-locked east European city where I live, so I have to wrap it up in miles of plastic and smuggle it through airports. Best name for fat, bony, pig-like fish: carp in Romanian is "crap."

By: LeLiLo

LeLiLo — Wed, 07 Jan 2004 10:11:36 -0800

This is a fantastic amount of information, especially for a sometimes tour guide who lives about a half-mile from the ocean. Thanks, Miguel. (Although they didn't seem to know who Fontella Bass was.)

By: hama7

hama7 — Wed, 07 Jan 2004 10:44:41 -0800

Post, glorious post. Thanks for the fish M.C.!