The Rate of Operculum Movement of the Fish in Terms of Temperature and Detergent

Solution

RONNIE JASON A. BOQUILON

How fishes breatheThe process begins by water in the fish’s

surrounding entering its mouth‘s. Water enters the mouth by a very effective pumping system that involves the mouth and the outer flexible bony flap that cover the gills called the operculum. This is achieved by the opening and closing of the fish's mouth as it pumps water through the gills. When the fish’s mouth is open, the operculum closes and water is drawn into the fish’s mouth. Conversely, when the fish closes its mouth, the operculum opens and fresh water is then allowed to flow across the gills.

How fishes breathe

How fishes breathesAfter water enters the fish's mouth it passes through a

structure called the gill rakers. The function of the gill rakers is to act as a filter system by sieving out particles such as food or any other foreign particles that may have entered the mouth from the inflow of water. The filtered water then travel through the gill arches thus passing over the gills. Here each gill consists of two rows of extremely thin membranes called gill filaments. The structure of the gill filaments consist of sequence rows of a thin, disc-like membrane loaded with a capillary network called lamellae. Gill filaments which are projected out into the water flow allow water to flow across the lamellae. This will result in gas exchange where, oxygen and carbon dioxide are exchanged directly across the capillary membrane.

How fishes breathesAs water flows through the gills, the oxygen it

contains (dissolved oxygen) passes into blood circulating through the gill structures (filaments and lamellae) while simultaneously, carbon dioxide (the waste product) in the fish’s bloodstream passes into the water. This deoxygenated water is then carried away and out of the body through the operculum. This process repeats itself continually and this is the process by which fish breathe. This is process is also known as respiration.

ObjectiveThis experiment aims to assess whether or not

the operculum movement of fishes is affected by the temperature and the amount of detergent solution in aquatic environment the fish is present in.

ProblemHow will the temperature and the detergent

solution in the habitat of the fishes will affect their operculum movement ?

Hypotheses Ho: There is no significant difference of the operculum

movement of the fish regardless to the temperature of the water it is living in.

Ha: There is a significant difference of the operculum movement of the fish regardless to the temperature of the water it is living in.

Ho: There is no significant difference of the operculum movement of the fish regardless to the amount of detergent solution of the water it is living in.

Ha: There is a significant difference of the operculum movement of the fish regardless to the amount of detergent solution of the water it is living in.

Materials(3) Beakers with the same size with 800 mL.

of water each(3) Fishes with same length, size, and specie(1) 20g Detergent powder(1) 90g Ice(3) Thermometers(1) Timer

Procedure

1. The required material were

gathered.

2. The 3 beakers were labeled A,

B, C respectively.

4. The temperature of the water of each

beaker was measured using the

thermometer.

3. Each of the fishes were placed in each

of the beakers individually

5. The operculum movement of the fishes in each of the beakers was

observed and determined for the span of 1 minute.

6. The 90g ice was added to the beaker B, then the temperature

was measured by using the thermometer.

7. The operculum movement of the fish in

the beaker B is observed and determined for 1

minute.

8. The 90g detergent powder is added to the beaker C and stirred thoroughly until it becomes a solution, the

temperature of the water is measured by using the

thermometer.

9. The operculum movement of the fish in

the beaker C is observed and determined for 1

minute.

ResultsEach of the fishes were placed in different

beakers with the same amount of water and temperature at first.

ResultsBeaker AThe fish placed in the Beaker A was perfectly

unharmed because there were no changes made to the water (27˚C) the fish is living in. Therefore it breathes, moves, acts normally.

Those acts were the following:LivelySwimming normallyVibrantEyesNormal operculum movement (46/min)

ResultsBeaker BThe fish placed in the Beaker B was flawlessly fine

before the 90g was added to the water. But after the ice was allowed to melt which made the water temperature from 27˚C to 14˚C, the fish start to act unusually than the fish in the Beaker A.

Those acts were the following:LethargicSlowed operculum movement (28/min)Stayed in one cornerPale

ResultsBeaker CThe fish placed in the Beaker C was also lively

before the 20g of Detergent powder was added in the water(27˚C). But after the Detergent was added to it, it made the most unusual acts from the 3 fish test subjects.

Those acts were the following:Occasional seizuresSwimming horizontallyGloomy eyesRapid operculum movement (110/min)

DiscussionThe researcher counted the operculum

movements of the fishes per minute of the three (3) different fish set-ups.

We all know that the operculum movement of the fish determines its respiration rate. Therefore, faster the operculum movement, the higher the respiration rate of the fish.

DiscussionAfter observing respiration of the three

different fishes and conducting the laboratory exercise to determine the effects of environment change on fish breathing rates, the researcher discovered that an increase in water temperature means a decrease in dissolved oxygen available for the fish to breathe. Since the water at 14˚C contained less oxygen than the water at 18˚C, the fish had to take more breaths in the warm water to get as much oxygen as it did in the cool water.

DiscussionOne of the reasons why the fish in Beaker C

was because of the pollution made by the detergent solution in the water.

That is why the operculum movement of the fish in the Beaker C was the fastest of all since the oxygen is depleting in the water where it stayed, and it did lots of seizures to struggle to its survival.

ConclusionBased on the results that data and results that

the researcher has seen from the laboratory exercise that has been executed, the researcher can conclude that the lower the oxygen present in the environment, the higher the fish’s respiration rate.

So, the oxygen contained in an environment and the fish’s respiration rate are inversely proportional.

Referenceshttp://www.lenntech.com/aquatic/

detergents.htmhttp://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/

archive/index.php/t-295660.htm