Question

[dunova]

Do fish drink? I think the answer is no, but wanted to check. No reason, just wasn't sure.

[dandan]

No fish dont drink.
:roll: :roll: Water passes over their gills were oxygen is extracted.

[Philsutton]

they will also take in water when ever they swallow some food

[Alex]

Freshwater fish do not actively drink water, but absorb the water through their skin and gills. On the other hand, saltwater fish do actively drink sea water. Their gills process the water and take out the salt.

The salmon is an interesting example of a fish that lives in both fresh and salt water, and consequently, they have the characteristics of both types of fish. Salmon are born in fresh water, and migrate to the ocean. While living in the ocean, they drink saltwater by opening their mouth; their gills then rid their bodies of the salt and minerals. When the salmon enters freshwater streams to spawn, they stop drinking the water and instead absorb it through osmosis (osmosis means that the water passes through the cells of the fish's skin into its body).
I have not yet found out what the Bull shark does withn regards to water intake, as they also can survive in both salt and fresh water.

[Alex]

lol it filters out salt water as it says T\/\/AT

[dunova]

Bloody hell Alex, you know your fish :o

So really, some do and some dont. I suppose really i was only thinking of gold fish :oops: My brain capacity hadn't really acounted for other fish lol. So what about other sharks? The other thing is how does the salt in sea water not fook them up??


Water passes over their gills were oxygen is extracted.

I realise this, but we dont hydrate by breathing do we? :roll:

[Alex]

Basically sharks are a very complex animal. Unlike most animals (and fish) sharks contain more salt within them than compared to their surroundings (the sea). They take in saltwater through their body and actually this overloads them with too much "Freshwater". They have to pass out a lot of this water (while retaining the salt) to keep their salt levels higher than the sea. This is why they cannot survive in freshwater, as they are simply overloaded and their kidneys fail due to the overload of having to work much harder to get the same amount of salt.

"Normal" saltwater fish have a body that contains less salt that the sea however.
I am guessing that the Bull shark also has a level of salt higher than the sea, but it is a much closer level to the sea than other sharks, so therefore can survive in a low salt atmoshphere by simply taking in more water than usual

[Alex]

So therefore to answer you original question - Yes some fish do drink, and they "drink" a lot. Hence the expression 'Drinks like a fish'

[Nick]

lol at the s-a-l-t-w-a-t-e-r filter

[dunova]

Hence the expression 'Drinks like a fish'

Funnily enough that's what got me thinking about it. I thought, 'fish dont actually drink though, they're just surrounded by water, so that expression is a big lie!!!'. But obviously its not. I'm liking the twat filter :lol:

How come you know so much about fish?? I like fish, but am teriffied of sharks-I hate being in the sea-even if the waters only up to my chin level :oops: I like swimming in a pool, but just cant really go near the sea. I hate just being NEAR water-even the pier!!! :oops: :lol:

I think i prob need councilling after seeing jaws at the age of about 6 or 7.

Thanks for answering my random question :wink:

[?Marty?]

Alex is a fish.

[Jack]

Fishy thread. Arf.

I remember swimming with a load of fish in the shallow waters of Kynance Cove in summer '03 8)

[Alex]

[
am teriffied of sharks-I hate being in the sea-even if the waters only up to my chin level


Most shark attacks take place in under 4 feet of water. If you get into an aeroplane and fly above certain beaches you can see many "maneater" sharks swimming freely amongst bathers who are blissfully unaware. Shark attacks are very rare.

I want to go diving with great whites before I am 30.

ps yes - I am a fish lol.

[dandan]

God that makes me feel old! If that was me I'd only have 3 years to do it. Its taken me 27 yrs to pluck up the courage to throw myself outta perfectly good aeroplane but i will do it this year.

[5_door owner]

Alex. just two more simple questions....fish related lol :arrow:

1) do fish sleep :?:

2)if i drag a goldfish backwards will it die :?:

[Alex]

right.

1. A goldfish goes in't a trace like state. It has no eyelids to close but apart from that it "sleeps" pretty much like you or I.

2. No, it wont. This only happens with a few animals, mainly sharks. Some sharks need to swim to keep water going through their gills so they can filter out the oxygen, hence if they stop or are dragged they will drown. Goldfish are like the majority of fish and do not need to keep moving. It would be a little cruel keeping them in such small bowls if they had to keep moving lol.
Mammals like dolphins and whales will die if they are dragged backwards, simply becasue they would not be able to get to the serface to get some air in.

[Alex]

If that was me I'd only have 3 years to do it.

i have 7 years. Done one other thing (a few times) that I said i would - bungee jump.
Now i just have to work out a way of retiring by then....