Do fish have lungs? How do they 'breathe' underwater?

Answer 1

Fish have gills, not lungs. Gills are made up of tissue that extracts the oxygen suspended in the water.

Answer 2

How can fish breathe underwater if there is no air? Fish and humans resemble each other in many ways. We have digestive, circulatory and nervous systems similar to those of other vertebrates. And fish need oxygen just like we do. But when we spend time underwater we must carry air with us.

What really makes a fish different is the respiratory system. The water that surrounds a fish contains dissolved oxygen in a ratio of about 5 ml per liter. Therefore they must have a system that can extract that small amount of oxygen out of the water and into their bloodstream. They use their gills for this, which are found between the mouth and the beginning of the gut or food tract called the pharynx.

The process starts with the fish’s mouth where he takes in water. When a fish opens and closes his mouth, he is pumping water back through the gills – his own way of breathing. The gills contain thousands of tiny capillaries (blood vessels), so as water passes over the gills, oxygen is absorbed directly into the bloodstream.

Bony fishes, which are the most common, have an effective pumping system that involves the mouth and the outer cover of the gills, called the operculum. When the fish’s mouth opens, the operculum closes, drawing water into the mouth. When the fish closes his mouth, the operculum opens and allows fresh water to cross the gills. Oxygen passes through the thin wall of the gills and into the blood.

Other fish, such as the tuna, have less effective pumping systems and must swim constantly to keep fresh oxygenated water flowing over their gills. They usually swim with their mouths partly open.

Answer 3

No, fish don't have lungs. They have gills on both sides of their bodies. As water flows through the gills, the oxygen is taken from the water for the fish to "breathe." I hope this helps.

Answer 4

No, fish don't have lungs. Most fish have 'gill' near head to get oxygen from water. Some fish have 'air blader' by which they directly get oxygen from air...

Answer 5

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RE:
Do fish have lungs? How do they 'breathe' underwater?

Answer 6

Fish have gills which are there lungs they breathe underwater when their mouths are open and when their gills move out and in

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Answer 7

fish extract oxygen from the water by passing over the hundreds of blood vessels in thier gills. a few select species have a modified swim bladder that acts as a lung, breathing actual air (lungfish and bichir). the mudskipper however can also breathe through the skin like a frog.

Answer 8

Do Fish Have Lungs

Answer 9

There is a species called the lung fish that is found in Austrailia, South America and Africa. They have lungs that help them breath in water with low oxygen levels.

Answer 10

It's a little thing called gills