The shape of the fish's body, the size and shape of its fins, the size and placement of its mouth and the coloration of the fish all have a story to tell. Other information about fish such as reproductive, physiological, and life history characteristics are not so easily determined by simply examining the structure of the fish. To gain access to this knowledge we must first be able to identify the fish and learn the name of the species to which the fish belongs. Once we know the species name of the fish we can look up what others have found out about it. Common San Francisco Bay Fish Fish in San Francisco Bay can be classified as either bottom dwellers, middle dwellers, or top dwellers, depending on where the fish lives.
Bottom dwellers live on the bottom of the Bay in the muddy sediments.
Examples of common bottom dwellers in the Bay are the California Halibut and Leopard Shark. The California Halibut has an amazing ability to blend in with the environment, itcan change color depending on the type of ground cover in the area. Eventually both eyes are on one side of the head, a distinct advantage for a fish always lying flat on one side. The Leopard Shark is grey with heavy black bars and spots. Although they have generally poor eyesight, they have a great sense of contrast.