FishBase Hints

FishBase Hints

TIPS to make best use of FishBase

1.

The layout of FishBase forms is optimized for viewing on screen, printing, and downloading to file.

2.

The screen layout is optimized for a resolution of 800 * 600 pixels with 16,000 colors or more.

3.

Some pages require scripts and if your browser does not support them, you can download the latest browser from Microsoft and/or Firefox.

4.

The width of our forms is optimized for printing on standard A4 or letter size paper. When directly printing long lists you may lose lines between pages.
To obtain proper page breaks first save the list to a file (e.g. Tilapia.txt) and then use a word processor to print the document.

5.

You can import data from FishBase into Word or Excel (and probably other programs):

	A.	Save the current screen as file to disk (in the browser: File, Save as ...);
	B.	Change the extension of the file name from ".cfm" to ".htm"
	C.	Start MS Word, MS Excel, or other programs;
	D.	Select File, Open;
	E.	Set 'Files of Type:' to 'HTML Document';
	F.	Go to the directory where you saved the file and open it;
	G.	Done

6.

You can download a graph from FishBase using these steps:

	A.	Right-click on the picture/graph. Then "Save Image As..." file to disk.
	B.	Always use the JPG extension for the filename (e.g. KvsLGrph.jpg)

7.

You can directly access FishBase pictures as thumbnails by genus and species or SpeciesCode through, e.g.:

	www.fishbase.org/photos/ThumbnailsSummary.php?Genus=gadus&Species=morhua
	www.fishbase.org/photos/ThumbnailsSummary.php?ID=69

8.

You can also access full pictures by file name through, e.g.:

www.fishbase.org/photos/PicturesSummary.php?ID=1383&what=species

9.

You can use information from FishBase as part of your own web sites by embedding the links below:

A.

These are the URL's to access country related web pages in FishBase. Put the mouse over the links to see the URL. Replace the country code (c_code) in the URL with your own country code. Click here to see all countries with respective country codes.

Biodiversity

Reef-associated

Uses

FAO aquaculture

Tools

Identification keys

Miscellaneous

ReefBase profile

Treaties & Conv.

Public aquariums

These are the URL's to access country related web services in FishBase.

Biodiversity

Reef-associated

Uses

Species used in Aquaculture

Species of potential use in Aquaculture

Aquarium species being exported live

Species with potential for aquarium trade

B.

You can search for references by author, year, title, source or reference number in FishBase. You may also search references in FishBase that are integrated from Dean’s A Bibliography of Fishes (DaBoF) and Bleeker’s publications.
www.fishbase.org/references/ReferencesList.php?Author=Randall&Year=&Title=&Source=&RefNo=
www.fishbase.org/references/ReferencesList.php?ref_group=dean
www.fishbase.org/references/ReferencesList.php?ref_group=blkr

C.

You can link directly to information on a species in FishBase. Just replace the Genus and species name or SpeciesCode given in the example below with the ones you are interested in.
www.fishbase.org/summary/Gadus_morhua
www.fishbase.org/summary/Gadus-morhua
www.fishbase.org/summary/Gadus morhua

www.fishbase.org/summary/69

www.fishbase.org/summary/Clupea-pallasii+pallasii (subspecies)
www.fishbase.org/Nomenclature/ScientificNameSearchList.php?Genus=Gadus&Species=morhua
www.fishbase.org/Nomenclature/ScientificNameSearchList.php?Genus=Gadus&Species=
www.fishbase.org/Nomenclature/ScientificNameSearchList.php?Genus=&Species=morhua

Previously through, e.g.:

www.fishbase.org/summary/Gadus-morhua.html
www.fishbase.org/summary/Clupea-pallasii+pallasii.html (subspecies)

D.

List of all fishes in a family, with onward links into FishBase. Just replace the scientific family name in the example below with the family you are interested in.
www.fishbase.org/Nomenclature/FamilySearchList.php?Family=Achiridae&group=species

E.

This is how you can link to FishBase on a common name.
www.fishbase.org/ComNames/Gadus_morhua
www.fishbase.org/ComNames/69

Previously through, e.g.:

www.fishbase.org/ComNames/CommonNameSearchList.php?commonname=goldfish

F.

This is how you can link to FishBase on a synonym.
www.fishbase.org/Nomenclature/Gadus_morhua
www.fishbase.org/Nomenclature/69

G.

This is how you can link to FishBase on an ecology.
www.fishbase.org/Ecology/Gadus_morhua
www.fishbase.org/Ecology/69

H.

This is how you can link to FishBase on a country.
www.fishbase.org/country/Gadus_morhua
www.fishbase.org/country/69

I.

This is how you can link to FishBase on an ecosystem.
www.fishbase.org/TrophicEco/Gadus_morhua
www.fishbase.org/TrophicEco/69

J.

This is how you can link to FishBase on an occurence.
www.fishbase.org/museum/Gadus_morhua
www.fishbase.org/museum/69

K.

This is how you can link to FishBase on a point map.
www.fishbase.org/map/Gadus_morhua
www.fishbase.org/map/69

L.

This is how you can link to FishBase on an introduction.
www.fishbase.org/introductions/Gadus_morhua
www.fishbase.org/introductions/69

M.

This is how you can link to FishBase on an identification key.
www.fishbase.org/keys/Gadus_morhua
www.fishbase.org/keys/69

N.

This is how you can link to FishBase on a morphology.
www.fishbase.org/physiology/Gadus_morhua
www.fishbase.org/physiology/69

O.

This is how you can link to FishBase on a reproduction.
www.fishbase.org/Reproduction/Gadus_morhua
www.fishbase.org/Reproduction/69

P.

If you use the XHTML document type on your pages you should replace the "&" sign in the search string with "& amp;". For example:
www.fishbase.org/Nomenclature/ScientificNameSearchList.php?Genus=Gadus& amp;Species=morhua

Q.

This is how you can link to a term in the FishBase Glossary:
www.fishbase.org/glossary/Glossary.php?q=Schillerlocken

10.

We have created a special, simplified search page for use with touch screens and hand-held PCs. Have a look at:

www.fishbase.org/touch.php

11.

There are several ways to cite information that you derived from FishBase

	A.	Cite the orginal source of information, e.g., Scott, T.D., C.J.M. Glover and R.V. Southscott. 1976. The marine and freshwater fishes of South Australia. A.B. James, Government Printer, South Australia. 2nd ed. 392 p.
	B.	Cite FishBase itself, e.g., Froese, R. and Pauly, D. Editors. 2026. FishBase. World Wide Web electronic publication. www.fishbase.org, version (02/2026)

cfm script by eagbayani, 08/13/03, php script by sortiz, 06/27/17, last modified by sortiz, 06/27/17