Different Types of Fish to Eat

Fish are a healthy source of protein, and omega-3 fatty acids, that aid in keeping our health and heart in check. Not all fish can be eaten on a daily basis, and one must know which fish are okay to eat often, and which aren't. There are so many types of fish out there that one can eat, but not all fish are edible. Fish is a versatile meat, that goes well with any kind of spice, and thrives in regions worldwide, where each one has their own way of preparing the dish. Some places may be able to stomach some kinds of fish that others can't, but at the end of the day, it has its nutritional content.

Different Types of Fish List

It is key to know which fish can be eaten often, and which ones to cut down on, to avoid future health problems. Two portions of fish a week, added with one part oily fish is all right. Fish and shellfish are two food items that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, minerals and vitamins. There are three types of fish that are edible - shellfish, white fish and oily fish. These contain omega-3 fatty acids, and can be eaten by pregnant women, or those that are breastfeeding, since it helps develop the baby's nervous system. White fish is a great source of omega 3 but not as much as oily fish. It's a great low-fat food that one can eat to even aid in weight loss.

Oily Fish

• Salmon (Dog fish, Huss, Rock eel, Flake)
• Hilsa
• Pilchards
• Kipper (Herring)
• Sprats
• Tuna (fresh)
• Whitebait
• Mackerel
• Hilsa
• Sardines
• Jack (Trevally, Scad, Horse Mackerel)
• Swordfish
• Herring (Bloater)
• Orange Roughy
• Carp
• Anchovies
• Trout

Shellfish

• Crawfish
• Clam
• Abalone
• Oyster
• Periwinkle
• Lobster (Rock, American, Spiny)
• Shrimp (Prawns)
• Octopus
• Crab (Mud, Snow, Sand, King, Dungeness)
• Mussel
• Clam
• Snail
• Oyster
• Cockle
• Cuttlefish
• Conch
• Squid
• Scallop (Bay, Sea)

White Fish

• Catfish
• Ling
• Plaice
• Parrot fish
• Marlin
• Snapper (Red/Job)
• John Dory
• Halibut
• Rigg Eel
• Flying fish
• Monkfish
• Hake
• Lemon Sole (Dover)
• Flounder
• Brill
• Dab
• Coley
• Cod
• Haddock
• Pangas (River Cobbler, Pangasius, Basa)
• Hoki
• Pomfret
• Redfish (Rose, Ocean)
• Rohu (Ruhi)
• Red/Gray Mullet
• Gurnard
• Pollack
• Skate
• Shark
• Sea Bream (Porgy)
• Tuna (canned)
• Tilapia
• Skate
• Whiting
• Turbot
• Sea Bass

When it comes to eating fish, there are portions that one must stick to in order to steer away from health related issues. One needs to eat more of omega-3 enriched fish, that is, oily fish, more often, although there is a portions limit. Girls and women who are expecting to have babies in the future, or those who are already pregnant/breastfeeding, can have two portions (twice a week) of oily fish, which is approximately 140 g a portion. Those girls and women who aren't expecting to have kids in the future, can incorporate four portions of oily fish in their diet (four times a week); the same applies for men/boys.

The Mercury Content in Fish

Mercury is a poisonous and toxic element, that is found in fish. Too much of it causes damage to one's system over time, especially to those who are pregnant/breastfeeding since it can damage the fetus/baby. Women who are pregnant, as well as toddlers, can eat 2 - 3 servings of fish a week, which is not more than two ounces, of low mercury content fish. Pregnant women/small children should stay clear from moderate mercury content fish.

Three servings/less per month of high mercury fish is sufficient, but pregnant women/small kids cannot eat these, while others can. Here we list out the types of edible fish that you need to go easy on in terms of mercury content, along with other kinds of fish that are safe to eat often. Keep in mind, that fish with way too much mercury in it, has to be absolutely avoided. These fish are not edible, and do not come under the safe fish to eat.

Low Mercury

• Catfish
• Haddock
• Herring
• Anchovies
• Crawfish
• Mullet
• Crab
• Oyster
• Mackerel
• Pollock
• Flounder
• Sardine
• Sole
• Scallop
• Trout
• Squid
• Salmon
• Shrimp
• Tilapia
• Whitefish

Moderate Mercury

• Mahi Mahi
• Snapper
• Halibut
• Cod
• Bass
• Perch
• Monkfish
• Tuna (canned)
• Lobster
• Carp

High Mercury

• Sea Bass
• Bluefish
• Tuna (Albacore)
• Tuna (Yellowfin)
• Grouper

Highest Mercury

• Swordfish
• Orange Roughy
• Marlin
• Tilefish
• Tuna (Ahi)
• Shark

Different Types of Fish in the Ocean

The ocean is our source to a wider catch of fish, filled with a cornucopia of choices. Let's take a look at the kind of fish that aren't meant for human consumption but to be left alone as part of the sea's inedible group of fish.

• African Flameback
• Axelrod's Clown Blenny
• Axilspot Hogfish
• Bandfin Cardinalfish
• Banggai Cardinal Fish
• Bicolor Angelfish
• Bicolor Blenny
• Bicolor Foxface Rabbitfish
• Bigeye Cardinalfish
• Bignose Unicornfish
• Black Striped Angelfish
• Black Triggerfish
• Black Velvet Angelfish
• Blackbar Triggerfish
• Blackbelly Triggerfish
• Blackcap Gramma
• Blackfin Hogfish
• Blackfinned Clownfish
• Blackspot Angelfish
• Blackstripe Cardinalfish
• Blacktail Angelfish
• Blue Angelfish
• Blue Tang Surgeonfish
• Blueface Angelfish
• Bluehead Fairy Wrasse
• Bluespotted Angelfish
• Bluespotted Triggerfish
• Bluethroat Triggerfish
• Boomerang Triggerfish
• Brazilian Gramma
• Bridled Cardinalfish
• Brown Combtooth Blenny
• Brown Surgeonfish
• Cherub Angelfish
• Cherub Angelfish
• Chestnut Eyelash Blenny
• Chevron Tang
• Chinese Trumpetfish
• Chocolate Surgeonfish
• Cinnamon Clownfish
• Clarkii Clownfish
• Clown Triggerfish
• Clownfish
• Cockatoo Waspfish
• Comical Blenny
• Convict Surgeonfish
• Cook's Cardinalfish
• Coral Beauty
• Coral Hogfish
• Coral Rabbitfish
• Cortez Angelfish
• Cuban Hogfish
• Desjardin's Sailfin Tang
• Doederlein's Cardinalfish
• Dog Toothed Cardinalfish
• Doubleband Surgeonfish
• Drab Sole
• Eight Lined Wrasse
• Elongate Surgeonfish
• Emperor Angelfish
• Exquisite Fairy Wrasse
• Eyestriped Surgeonfish
• False Cleanerfish
• Finescale Triggerfish
• Finespotted Fairy Wrasse
• Five-lined cardinalfish
• Flame Angelfish
• Flamefish
• Foxface Rabbitfish
• French Angelfish
• Gilded Triggerfish
• Golden Angelfish
• Goldspotted Rabbitfish
• Gray Angelfish
• Gray Reef Shark
• Gray Triggerfish
• Gray Unicornfish
• Great Barrier Reef Blenny
• Green Chromis
• Halfback Angelfish
• Halfmoon Picassofish
• Halfmoon Triggerfish
• Hartzfeld's Cardinalfish
• Hogchoker
• Hogfish
• Humpback Unicornfish
• Indian Triggerfish
• Iridescent Cardinalfish
• Japanese Surgeonfish
• Keyhole Angelfish
• Korean Angelfish
• Large Toothed Cardinalfish
• Large-scale Triggerfish
• Lemonpeel Angelfish
• Leopard Blenny
• Linear Blenny
• Lined Sole
• Linguado
• Live Sharksucker
• Longnose Surgeonfish
• Lubbock's Fairy Wrasse
• Lyretail
• Magnificent
• Majestic Angelfish
• Mango Angelfish
• Maroon Clownfish
• Masked Rabbitfish
• Masked Triggerfish
• Midnight Angelfish
• Nalolo
• Ocean Surgeon
• Ocean Triggerfish
• Ocellaris
• Ochre-striped cardinalfish
• Onespot Foxface Rabbitfish
• Orange Angelfish
• Orange Skunk Anemonefish
• Orange-lined triggerfish
• Orangeside Triggerfish
• Orangespine Unicornfish
• Orbiculate Cardinalfish
• Ornate Wrasse
• Painted Frogfish
• Pajama Cardinalfish
• Palette Surgeonfish
• Passer Angelfish
• Percula Clownfish
• Persian Blenny
• Picasso Triggerfish
• Pink Skunk Clownfish
• Pinktail Triggerfish
• Potter's Angelfish
• Purple Mask Angelfish
• Queen Angelfish
• Queen Triggerfish
• Queensland Blenny
• Rabbitfish
• Red Fin Fairy Wrasse
• Red Sea Mimic Blenny
• Red-speckled Blenny
• Redmargin Fairy Wrasse
• Redtail Triggerfish
• Redtoothed Triggerfish
• Ring-tailed Cardinalfish
• Rock Beauty
• Royal Gramma
• Rusty Angelfish
• Saddle Clownfish
• Saddleback Clownfish
• Saddleback Hogfish
• Sailfin Tang
• Sargassum Triggerfish
• Scott's Fairy Wrasse
• Scribbled Angelfish
• Seale's Cardinalfish
• Shaggy Angler
• Sixbanded Angelfish
• Skunk Clownfish
• Sleek Unicornfish
• Social Wrasse
• Sohal Surgeonfish
• Solar Fairy Wrasse
• Spanish Hogfish
• Spotted Hogfish
• Spotted Oceanic Triggerfish
• Spotted Surgeonfish
• Spotted Tang
• Stone Triggerfish
• Striated Frogfish
• Striated Surgeonfish
• Striped Triggerfish
• Striped-fin Surgeonfish
• Talbot's Blenny
• Thompson's Surgeonfish
• Threadfin Sardinalfish
• Titan Triggerfish
• Tomato Clownfish
• Tomini Surgeonfish
• Twospot Surgeonfish
• Twotone Tang
• Vermiculated Angelfish
• Virgate Rabbitfish
• Warty Frogfish
• Watanabe's Angelfish
• Wedge-tail Triggerfish
• White Jawed Cardinalfish
• Whitemargin Unicornfish
• Whitetail Pygmy Angelfish
• Wolf Cardinalfish
• Wolf Eel
• Wolf Fish
• Yellow Tang

The fish that are edible, are packed with vitamin A and vitamin D, and contain calcium that is good in making bones stronger. Make sure you experiment with different types of fish you can eat, so as to avoid the build up of toxins from a fish that is high in mercury. Alternate fish types according to mercury levels, and learn how to eat fish the safe way.