Squeaks and I have a new pet goldfish! He lives in a fish tank and is an amazing swimmer. His whole body is perfectly made for living in water. He has fins that help him swim and eyes that can stay open underwater. These special body parts are called adaptations because they help him live in his watery home.
One of the most important adaptations for our goldfish is his ability to breathe underwater. Unlike people, who can’t breathe underwater without holding their breath or using scuba gear, our goldfish can breathe water! But how does he do it?
All animals, including humans and fish, need something called oxygen to survive. Oxygen helps our bodies make energy, which we need to move, think, and even break down food. Humans get oxygen from the air using special organs called lungs. When we breathe in, our lungs fill with air and take the oxygen we need. This oxygen then travels through our blood to all parts of our body.
Fish, like our goldfish, don’t have lungs and there’s no air underwater. Instead, they have a special adaptation called gills. Gills are little slits on the sides of a fish’s face. They work a lot like our lungs but are designed to get oxygen from water instead of air.
When a fish takes in water through its mouth, the water flows over its gills. As the water passes by, the oxygen in the water moves into the fish’s blood. This way, the fish can use the oxygen all over its body, just like we do with air.
Fish aren’t the only creatures with gills. Crabs, lobsters, snails, and even some bugs use gills to breathe underwater too!
So, even though our goldfish and we have different ways of getting oxygen, we both need it to live. Isn’t that fascinating? Now, what do you think we should name our new fish friend? You can ask a grown-up to help you leave a comment or send us an email at [email protected]. Thanks for joining us, and we’ll see you next time here at the Fort!
Make Your Own Gills Experiment: Let’s pretend to be fish! Fill a bowl with water and add some small objects like beads or pebbles to represent oxygen. Use a strainer or a slotted spoon to scoop the objects out of the water. This is similar to how gills work by catching oxygen from the water. Talk about how the strainer is like the gills of a fish, helping it “breathe” underwater.
Observe and Draw: Visit a local aquarium or watch a video of fish swimming. Pay close attention to how they move their mouths and gills. Draw a picture of a fish and label its gills. Discuss how the gills help the fish live in water and compare it to how humans use lungs to breathe air.
Breathing Buddies: Pair up with a friend and take turns pretending to be a fish and a human. The “fish” can move their hands like gills, while the “human” takes deep breaths. Talk about how each one gets oxygen and why it’s important for both fish and humans. Think about other animals that might have gills and discuss how they might look and work.
