Question

Why do fishes die when they are taken out of water?

Answer 1

Hint: The presence of specialized respiratory organs in aquatic organisms allow them to respire and survive inside water. Gills can not absorb gaseous oxygen so they die soon after they are taken out of the water.

Complete answer:
- Gills are the fish's internal organs.
- Gills are filled with blood capillaries and are able to absorb oxygen dissolved in water. When the water reaches the fish via its mouth, the dissolved oxygen is taken inside and the carbon dioxide is released.
- When fishes are taken out of the water, the supply of oxygen to the fish is reduced as they cannot respire using the oxygen present in the atmosphere. Thus, they will die when taken out of water.

Additional Information:
- Each gill has its own gill arch, a structure made up of bones which is vertically oriented behind its head on the side of a fish.
- The gill arch provides support for a number of comb-like structures called gill filaments. The Gill filaments extend horizontally from the gill arches.
- Each gill filament produces many branches called primary lamellae and the primary lamellae branch out into small secondary lamellae.
- The gills are protected by a gill cover in teleost and many other fish, but by skin flaps in sharks and rays.
- The gill filaments have blood capillaries near the surface of the gill, which absorb oxygen from the water and deliver excess carbon dioxide to the water.

Note: Gills are supplied with blood capillaries and can absorb the dissolved oxygen in water. Fish die out of the water because the lungs are not available for respiration and ventilation with sufficient oxygen.