these are the gills of a slow-going rather than an active fish. The scales are hard, woven tight as armor, and rough to the touch. The roughness comes from tiny, tooth-like spikes called denticles ...

They have gills that allow them to breathe underwater. Surprisingly most fish lay eggs. Not hard like a chicken, but soft and lots of them. Fish all have scales, even when they're newborn and tiny.

"Cleaning" a fish involves disposing of the gills, blood, and guts, along with the animal's skin and scales. Descaling is not ...