Water is an essential element for life on Earth. Plants, animals and human beings depend on their existence and, in fact, we would be unable to survive for a long time without access to the "vital liquid". However, have you ever wondered what happens to the animals that live in the water?
Although staying hydrated is essential, what about marine animals? Do fish drink water? This and other questions will be answered in this article on our site. Keep reading!
Do fish drink water?
The oceans take over the largest surfaces of the planet and are home to millions of species, however, how are the oceans hydrated? animals that reside there? The human being needs to consume fresh water, with a maximum concentration of 2% of s alts, otherwise, the body needs to expel a greater quantity of liquids, so the consumption of s alt water would lead to a seriousdehydration and even death However, the species that inhabit the seas do not have access to fresh water, so how do they hydrate themselves?
We should know that sea fish drink water constantly, although of course not all of them consume the same amounts. To survive in the marine environment and adapt to it, the animals that inhabit its waters must find a balance between the salinity of the water and that of their own bodies. Simple and ancient organisms such as anemones, sponges or sea urchins have the same salinity in their organisms as in the water. However, this is not the case for many species of fish, such as teleosts.
teleosts are called a subclass of fish characterized by having bony vertebrae, a tail, scales and a swim bladder. Most fish belong to this subclass. Another of their characteristics is that the concentration of s alts in their bodies is lower than that in the sea. These fish drink water to regulate s alt levels and avoid dehydration, a totally normal phenomenon when they lose water through their skin.
This essential regulation mechanism is called " osmosis" and fulfills the function of retaining the s alts adsorbed when drinking. Likewise, these fish urinate in small amounts, with the aim of not losing s alts. In this way, when the fish drink water, the excess s alts are secreted through cells present in the gills, as they will not be used by the animal's body.
This mechanism is regulated by a structure present in the kidneys, the renal corpuscle, responsible for carrying out the necessary filtrations to take advantage of the components the fish needs and discard the rest.
Do fish pee?
Surely it was strange for you to read that fish urinate. However, it is a totally normal and essential organic function in these animals, although the amounts and concentrations of elements usually vary according to the species and the characteristics of the water in which they live, depending, for example, on salinity levels., the pH, etc.
Beyond these details, whether they are marine or freshwater fish, all fish pee.
Do river fish drink water?
As happens with marine fish, river or freshwater fish also ingest this vital liquid, although in smaller quantities. In this case, the fish have a greater concentration of s alts in their body than the environment in which they live, so they must avoid losing them to survive.
In this case, when the fish drink water, there is a loss of s alts. To avoid this, they use two mechanisms: the first is on the outside of the body, since the scales and the mucous substance that covers the body limits access of water to the body. The second is found in the kidneys, as these organs process excess water and expel it in large quantities, but with low s alt concentrations. In fact, freshwater fish are among the animals that urinate the most. Also, in some cases, these fish avoid drinking
Do dolphins drink water?
Now that you know that fish drink water, you may wonder what happens to other species, such as dolphins. These marine animals, known as cetaceans, have low amounts of s alt in their bodies, in the same way as land animals, so drinking s alt water is counterproductive for them. However, dolphins drink water, albeit moderately
But in addition, it is essential to point out that the dolphins' diet contains foods rich in s alt, so how do they avoid high concentrations in their body? They have a reniculate kidney, an organ responsible for processing s alts almost entirely to expel them through urine. Because of this, their urine may have higher concentrations of s alt than those found in seawater. The same goes for other sea mammals, such as the sea lion.
Do sharks drink water?
As for sharks, we must know that their organisms have s alt concentrations very similar to those present in the environment, in order to counteract the large amounts of urea, so something happens to them similar to what happens with sea fish. Do sharks drink water? Only in small amounts Most of the time when water enters their body while devouring prey. Excess s alts are secreted through the saline gland, located in the animal's rectum.
All sharks are s altwater, but the bull shark is capable of migrating to freshwater rivers at certain times of the year. When this happens, their body filters smaller amounts of s alt and more of urea, so they are able to withstand the low salinity of fresh water and absorb a higher quantity of this liquid without the need to recover the s alts.
Do the fish sleep?
Now you know that fish drink water, however, in terms of rest it is important to know that fish do not sleep in the same way as mammals. However, they need to rest like all living beings.
These animals take short breaks, of a few minutes, in which we observe that their activity ceases or is significantly reduced. They don't respond to mild stimuli and lower their metabolic rate and heart rate. Sometimes they take refuge near rocks, corals or algae to be protected. These are just some of the features that explain how fish sleep, but there are many more.
