Do Fish Have Hands?

Not all fish, but a species discovered off the coast of Australia has hands. The pink handfish uses its fins to crawl along the ocean floor rather than to swim. Only four species of the handfish have been collected for study, and the last time anyone saw one was 1999. Fourteen species of the fish have been identified, but they are not well-studied at this point.

More Fishy Facts:

• The male cleaner fish, which provides a service to larger fish by nibbling parasites off their bodies, will punish the female cleaners if they interfere with a cleaning. The female interference can cause the larger fish to leave, interrupting the male's meal. He will chase her off to keep his larger fish happy and continue his meal. The male fish interfere with the female cleaners as well, but they don't respond with such punishment, likely because they are the weaker of the two.


• The Pacific barreleye fish, often found off the coast of California and in warm, tropical waters, have a soft, transparent head. The Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) found one of the only live specimens ever seen in 2004. The fish was discovered in 1939, but had only been seen once their soft heads had been crushed in fishing nets.


• The swell shark, commonly found in the Pacific Ocean from California to Chile, will make a sound like a dog's bark when it exhales air from its stomach.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do fish have hands?

No, fish do not have hands. They have fins, which are used for swimming, steering, balancing, and sometimes even for tasks typically associated with hands, such as manipulating objects or digging. Fins are the aquatic equivalent to limbs and serve as a key adaptation for life in water.

How do fish use their fins?

Fish use their fins for a variety of purposes. The pectoral and pelvic fins help in steering and braking, while the dorsal and anal fins provide stability. The caudal fin, or tail fin, propels the fish forward. Some species have adapted their fins for unique uses, such as the flying fish, which can glide above the water's surface.

Can any fish species use their fins like hands?

Some fish species have evolved fins that can function similarly to hands. For instance, the handfish walks along the sea floor using its pectoral fins, and the frogfish has adapted pectoral fins that can grasp objects. These adaptations allow them to interact with their environment in ways that resemble the use of hands.

What is the evolutionary reason fish do not have hands?

The evolutionary path of fish diverged from that of land animals with hands millions of years ago. According to evolutionary biology, fish developed fins as a specialized adaptation for their aquatic environment, optimizing for swimming rather than manipulating objects. The development of hands occurred in tetrapods after some vertebrates transitioned to land.

Are there any fish with appendages similar to tetrapod limbs?

Yes, the closest examples would be lobe-finned fish, such as the coelacanth and lungfish. These species have fleshy, lobed, paired fins that are structurally similar to the limbs of tetrapods. According to paleontological research, these types of fish are considered to be evolutionary precursors to land vertebrates.

How do fish without fins or with reduced fins move?

Fish without fins or with reduced fins have alternative methods of locomotion. For example, eels move by producing a series of wave-like contractions along their bodies. Some bottom-dwelling fish, like the sea robin, use modified fins to 'walk' along the substrate. These adaptations allow them to thrive in their specific niches despite the absence of typical fins.