Like other animals, fish need oxygen to survive. But how do fish breathe underwater?
Fish have developed one of the most efficient respiratory systems in the animal kingdom, using specialized respiratory organs, gills, to extract oxygen from water. Fish gills allow the fish to breathe and extract as much oxygen as possible from the water.
Do fish breathe?
Yes, fish breathe oxygen from water, but not in the same way as humans and other land animals.
Both humans and fish need oxygen to reach cells throughout their bodies to maintain normal function. Humans use their lungs to take in oxygen from the air, but fish use their gills to take in oxygen from water. When the gills take in oxygen from the water, it combines with red blood cells, which deliver the oxygen to other parts of the body.
How do fish breathe underwater?
The gills of fish are located behind the gill opercula and are plate-like coverings that help water move over the gills.
The gills are designed to move water through a countercurrent exchange system that helps the fish absorb oxygen from the water.
The mechanism of fish respiration is as follows.
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Water directed by the gill opercula (opercula gills) flows through the mouth and onto the gills.
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The gill operculae open and close to move water over the gills.
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Water then flows over the gill arches. The gill arches are part of the fish’s main respiratory system.
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Water is exposed to gill threads. The gill threads are made up of lamellae (thin threads that are responsible for gas exchange within the fish’s body). Oxygen is absorbed into the lamellae.
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Blood, which contains minimal oxygen, flows in small blood vessels within the lamina in the opposite direction to the flow of water around the fish.
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When blood flows against the flow of water, more oxygen is collected until the maximum oxygen content is reached.
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The oxygenated blood is pumped into the systemic circulation, delivering oxygen to the fish’s organs.
As water passes through the gills, the oxygen content decreases. Gases such as carbon dioxide and other metabolic waste products are expelled into the surrounding water.
fish breathing difficulty
Proper breathing for fish is essential. When fish are unable to get oxygen from the water, this can lead to life-threatening illness and sudden death.
Fish can develop diseases in their gills In some cases, it can be fatal, such as a parasitic or viral infection.
One of the first signs of gill disease is if your fish is breathing with its mouth open at the surface. This behavior indicates that the fish cannot breathe underwater, so it is trying to get oxygen from the air.
If your fish are having these problems, make sure all of your home aquarium’s life support equipment is working properly and check the water quality, including dissolved oxygen levels. If all of this is normal, consult a veterinarian who specializes in fish.
Frequently asked questions about fish breathing
Why can’t fish breathe on land?
Most fish are unable to breathe air on land because they are unable to efficiently move air over their gills to successfully obtain oxygen. However, some fish species can survive on land for short periods of time, and some fish, such as mudskippers, can breathe air.
Do fish have to keep swimming to breathe?
Not all fish require constant swimming to breathe. Often, the movement of the gill cover alone allows the fish to move enough water over the gills to breathe. However, some fish species require a constant flow of water to their gills. This means it’s always in motion.
Does water contain more or less oxygen than air?
Water holds less oxygen than air. The air we breathe at sea level contains about 21% oxygen, while water contains between 0.49% and 0.8% depending on various factors such as water temperature and pressure. It will be. This is one reason why fish gills are designed to efficiently extract oxygen from water.
