Examples of fish that give live birth include blue sharks, bull sharks, Endler’s guppy, fancy guppy, and mollies.
Though it may seem like all fish lay eggs, there are actually a number of fish species that give live birth. These “viviparous” fish range in size from the five-centimeter (two-inch) Endler’s guppy to the four-meter (13-foot) long pregnant blue sharks.
Most viviparous fish are found in shallow, tropical waters where temperatures are warm and food is plentiful. Some of these species can be found in freshwater, while others live in salt water. Here is a look at some of the fish that give live birth.
Examples of Fish that Give Live Birth
1. Blue Sharks
| Scientific Name | Prionace glauca |
| Type of Animal | Fish |
| Range | the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans in both inshore and offshore waters |
The blue shark is one of the largest viviparous fish, with a length of up to four meters (13 feet). The sharks are found in tropical and temperate waters around the world. Females give birth to litters of up to 135 pups. The young sharks are born alive and fully independent.
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2. Bull Sharks
| Scientific Name | Carcharhinus leucas |
| Type of Animal | Fish |
| Range | along the Atlantic and Pacific coasts, from Massachusetts to the Gulf of Mexico and from Southern California to the Gulf of California |
The bull shark is one of the most common viviparous fish. These sharks are found in warm, shallow waters around the world. Bull sharks typically give birth to two to ten pups at a time. The pups are born alive and fully developed, with sharp teeth and an instinct to hunt.
3. Endler’s Guppy
| Scientific Name | Poecilia wingei |
| Type of Animal | Fish |
| Range | brackish and greenish water separated from the sea |
Endler’s guppy is a small, colorful fish that is found in freshwater streams and rivers in Trinidad and Tobago. The female Endler’s guppy gives birth to live young after a gestation period of about 28 days. The fry (baby fish) are born fully formed and able to swim and feed on their own.
4. Fancy Guppy
| Scientific Name | Poecilia reticulata |
| Type of Animal | Fish |
| Range | everywhere around the world except for Antarctica |
The fancy guppy (Poecilia reticulata) is a freshwater fish that is native to Brazil but has been introduced to many other countries. These small fish are popular in the aquarium trade. The female guppy can give birth to anywhere from two to 100 fry (baby fish) at a time.
Guppies are livebearers, meaning that they give birth to live young. The fry is born fully formed and is able to swim and feed on its own.
5. Fantail
| Scientific Name | Carassius auratus |
| Type of Animal | Fish |
| Range | Japan and China |
The fantail is a small, freshwater fish that is found in streams and ponds in Asia. The female fantail gives birth to live young after carrying them around in her body for about two weeks.
6. Great White Sharks
| Scientific Name | Carcharodon carcharias |
| Type of Animal | Fish |
| Range | off the coasts of the northeastern and western United States, Chile, northern Japan, southern Australia, New Zealand, southern Africa |
The pregnant great white shark is one of the largest known viviparous fish. These animals can reach lengths of more than six meters (20 feet) and weigh over two metric tons (4,400 pounds). Great whites give birth to live young that are about one meter (three feet) long.
7. Hammerhead Sharks
| Scientific Name | Sphyrnidae |
| Type of Animal | Fish |
| Range | temperate and tropical waters worldwide |
Of all the viviparous fish, hammerhead sharks are perhaps the most iconic. These strange-looking creatures are easily recognizable thanks to their unusual head shape. Hammerhead sharks are born alive and fully formed, though they are much smaller than their adult counterparts. These sharks grow quickly, reaching lengths of up to six meters (20 feet) in just a few years.
8. Lemon Sharks
| Scientific Name | Negaprion brevirostris |
| Type of Animal | Fish |
| Range | New Jersey (US) to Southern Brazil, Gulf of Mexico, and the Caribbean in the northwestern Atlantic Ocean |
The lemon shark is a species of requiem shark, in the family Carcharhinidae. Lemon sharks are found in warm waters in the western Atlantic Ocean, from Massachusetts to southern Brazil, and throughout the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea.
Females give birth to live young, with litter sizes ranging from four to seven pups. The sharks are viviparous, with the young developing inside the mother and being nourished by a yolk sac.
9. Leopard Sharks
| Scientific Name | Triakis semifasciata |
| Type of Animal | Fish |
| Range | the Eastern Pacific Ocean from Oregon to the Gulf of California in Mexico |
These bottom-dwelling sharks are found in temperate waters off the coast of California and Mexico. The females give birth to two to six live young after a gestation period of 10 to 11 months. The pups are born fully developed and able to fend for themselves.
10. Lyretail
| Scientific Name | Aphyosemion australe |
| Type of Animal | Fish |
| Range | in the Indo-Pacific region, most often around coral reefs, clear lagoons, and on steep slopes to a depth of 35 m |
The lyretail is a type of saltwater fish that is found in the Indo-Pacific region. It is also known as the flagtail, or fork-tailed, wrasse. The lyretail grows to be about 30 centimeters (12 inches) long and is characterized by its long, forked tail and bright colors.
11. Mako Sharks
| Scientific Name | Isurus oxyrinchus |
| Type of Animal | Fish |
| Range | from New England to Florida, in the Gulf of Mexico from Florida to Texas, and in the Caribbean Sea |
These large, fast-swimming predators are found in temperate and tropical waters around the world. Mako sharks are viviparous, with the female giving birth to live young. The pups are born fully developed and able to fend for themselves, though they are often much smaller than their adult counterparts.
12. Mollies
| Scientific Name | Poecilia sphenops |
| Type of Animal | Fish |
| Range | The Southern United States down into Central America |
Mollies are a type of freshwater fish that is popular in home aquariums. There are several different species of mollies, including the sailfin molly, short-finned molly, and dalmatian molly. All mollies give live birth. The female molly will have anywhere from two to one hundred babies at a time.
13. Nurse Sharks
| Scientific Name | Ginglymostoma cirratum |
| Type of Animal | Fish |
| Range | tropical and subtropical coastal waters of the Atlantic and Eastern Pacific |
These large, slow-moving sharks are found in tropical waters around the world. Females give birth to live young that are about one meter (three feet) long. The young nurse sharks are independent of birth and able to fend for themselves.
14. Platies
| Scientific Name | Xiphophorus maculatus |
| Type of Animal | Fish |
| Range | the east coast of Central America and southern Mexico |
The platy is a small, freshwater fish that is popular in home aquariums. Platies are livebearers, meaning they give birth to live young. The female platy will have a gravid spot on her belly, which darkens as she gets closer to giving birth. Once the babies are born, the mother platy will often eat them if she is not well-fed.
15. Porbeagle
| Scientific Name | Lamna nasus |
| Type of Animal | Fish |
| Range | North Atlantic, southern Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans |
The porbeagle is a type of shark that can grow to be more than three meters (10 feet) long. Female porbeagles carry their young in a womb-like sac called a “uterus” until they are ready to be born. Porbeagle pups are born alive and fully developed, with all of their teeth in place.
16. Salmon Shark
| Scientific Name | Lamna ditropis |
| Type of Animal | Fish |
| Range | North Pacific from the Bering Sea and the Sea of Okhotsk to the Sea of Japan in the western Pacific |
The salmon shark is a large fish that can grow up to four meters (13 feet) in length. It is found in the North Pacific Ocean and is related to the great white shark. The salmon shark gives live birth to 20-40 young at a time.
17. Sand Tiger Sharks
| Scientific Name | Carcharias taurus |
| Type of Animal | Fish |
| Range | in the eastern and western Atlantic, the Pacific and Indian Oceans and in the Mediterranean and Adriatic Seas |
These viviparous sharks are also known as a grey nurse, spotted ragged-tooth, and blue nurse sharks. The female sand tiger shark has two uteri, each of which contains developing embryos. When the pups are born, they are about 60 to 70 centimeters (24 to 28 inches) long and are fully capable of taking care of themselves.
18. Silvertip Shark
| Scientific Name | Carcharhinus albimarginatus |
| Type of Animal | Fish |
| Range | Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea |
The silvertip shark is a large viviparous fish that can grow up to four meters (13 feet) in length. This species is found in tropical and subtropical waters around the world. Females give birth to 20-40 pups per litter.
19. Swamp Guppy
| Scientific Name | Micropoecilia picta |
| Type of Animal | Fish |
| Range | South America |
The swamp guppy is a small, live-bearing fish that is found in freshwaters throughout Trinidad and Tobago. This species can also be found in Guyana, Suriname, and Brazil. The swamp guppy is a hardy fish that can adapt to a range of different water conditions.
20. Swordtails
| Scientific Name | Xiphophorus hellerii |
| Type of Animal | Fish |
| Range | Mexico and Belize, Central America |
These fish are found in warm freshwater streams and ponds in Central America. The female swordtail has a long “sword” at the end of her body, while the male does not. The female can give birth to anywhere from 10 to 40 young at a time.
21. Thresher Sharks
| Scientific Name | Alopias |
| Type of Animal | Fish |
| Range | temperate waters around the world |
The three species of thresher sharks are the only sharks known to be viviparous. These predators are found in tropical and temperate waters around the world. The baby sharks are born tail first, and they are thought to receive nourishment from a placenta-like structure as well as from egg yolk.
22. Triangle Tail
| Scientific Name | Lobotes surinamensis |
| Type of Animal | Fish |
| Range | bays, sounds, and estuaries |
The triangle tail, or livebearer, is a small fish that gives birth to fully developed young. The female triangle tail has a well-developed brood chamber in her body where the young develop. When they are born, the young are already able to swim and find food on their own.
23. Veiltail
| Scientific Name | Carassius auratus |
| Type of Animal | Fish |
| Range | Southeast Asia |
The Veiltail is a type of goldfish that is native to East Asia. It is a popular aquarium fish and can grow to about 30 cm (12 inches) long. The female Veiltail will lay her eggs in spawning grass or on a leaf, and the male will fertilize them.
Once the eggs are fertilized, the female will carry them in her mouth to a safe place. The eggs will hatch inside the female’s mouth and she will continue to carry them until they are ready to be released into the water.
24. Whale Sharks
| Scientific Name | Rhincodon typus |
| Type of Animal | Fish |
| Range | tropical and warm temperate seas, usually between latitudes 30°N and 35°S |
The whale shark is not only the world’s largest fish but also one of the most viviparous. These gentle giants give birth to live young after a gestation period of 12 to 18 months. Whale sharks are found in tropical waters around the world and can grow to be up to 12 meters (40 feet) long.
25. White-Tip Reef Sharks
| Scientific Name | Triaenodon obesus |
| Type of Animal | Fish |
| Range | Indo-Pacific coral reefs |
These sharks are found in the warm waters of the Indo-Pacific region. They give birth to as many as 12 live young at a time. The pups are born tail first, and they are about 60 centimeters (24 inches) long.
Conclusion
Some fish give live birth, which means they don’t lay eggs. Instead, the female fish’s body houses the eggs until they are ready to hatch. When the eggs are ready, they are released into the water and the fry (baby fish) swim off on their own. Some examples of fish that give live birth include guppies, mollies, and swordtails.
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