--> Aerodynamics of Animals ...Under water like Flying Fish

When fish swim, it is like flying under water. Water is thicker than air and harder to move through.
Unlike birds in the air, fish in the water can float without moving.

How Fish SwimThey move through the water by moving their fins back and forth. When swimming, the fish uses its side fins to steer. It uses its tail like a propeller to push it forward.
Many fish have long thin (streamlined) bodies to help them swim fast. They may also have slimy skin to help it slide quickly through the water.
Other fish are flat and live on the bottom of the ocean. They move their fins in a wave-like motion (up and down) to move forward. The tail helps the fish move very fast through the water. Fish move their tails side to side.

Flying Fish:

Flying fish do not actually fly. They glide above the water. The flying fish uses its tail to push itself out of the water at high speed. It glides for many feet and drops back into the water.

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Rays swim by waving their fins up and down.

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Hydrofoils:

Many animals use flippers to swim through the water. Sea turtles, seals and sea lions all use their flippers to move through the water.

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Jet Propulsion:

Several water animals use water to push themselves around.



The body of a jellyfish or a squid looks like an umbrella or a parachute. The jellyfish and squid fill their "umbrella" and push (expel) the water out. This pushes them in the opposite direction. That is how they move through the water. Squid can move quickly and even jump out of the water on to a ship!
Some sea animals have shells. Clams can move by clapping their shells together.