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How does the fish in an aquarium observe Oxygen?

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Last updated date: 27th Jul 2024
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Answer
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Hint: An aquarium (plural: aquariums or aquaria) is a vivarium of any size with at least one transparent side that houses and displays aquatic plants or animals.

Complete answer:
Aquaria is used by fishkeepers to house fish, invertebrates, amphibians, aquatic reptiles such as turtles, and aquatic plants. The English naturalist Philip Henry Gosse coined the term "aquarium," which combines the Latin root aqua, which means "water," with the suffix -atrium, which means "a place for relating to."

The aquarium principle was fully developed in 1850 by chemist Robert Warrington, who explained that plants added to water in a container would produce enough oxygen to support animals as long as the number of animals did not become too large.

Oxygen is as important to fish life as it is to humans. Dissolved oxygen (DO) is oxygen gas that has been dissolved in water. Fish absorb DO from the water directly into their bloodstream via their gills.

Fish Respiration:
- Fish rely on their gills to breathe. Gills on both sides of the head are found in the majority of fish.
- Gills are tissues composed of gill filaments, which are feathery structures with a large surface area for gas exchange.
- Even though water contains very little dissolved oxygen, aquatic species require a large surface area for gas exchange.
- In the gill arch, the filaments in fish gills are organized in rows. Each filament is made up of lamellae, which are capillary-supplied discs.
- These small blood vessels carry blood into and out of the gills.
- Though fish gills occupy only a small portion of their body, the extensive respiratory surface produced by the filaments allows the entire organism to exchange gases efficiently.

Thus, the fish in an aquarium observe oxygen through gills.

Note: An aquarist is someone who owns fish or maintains an aquarium, which is usually made of glass or high-strength acrylic. Cuboid aquaria are also referred to as fish tanks or simply tanks, whereas bowl-shaped aquaria are referred to as fish bowls. The volume of aquaria can range from a few liters in a small glass bowl to thousands of liters in massive public aquaria. Specialized equipment ensures that the water quality is appropriate.