Reaction of Fish Operculum Movement to Different Water Condition

INTRODUCTION The operculum are found on the sides of the fish head. They protect the gills which are responsible for breathing. Dissolved oxygen in the water is absorbed by the gills. The operculum and the mouth of the fish move together to make a path of water through the mouth, over the gills and out of the operculum. The movement of the operculum also indicates the fish breathing. When the operculum close,

it also means inhale. But if the operculum open, it means exhale. Many ecological effects can arise from stimulating primary production, two of the particularly troubling impacts, the toxicity effect and change in temperature. The specific contaminants leading to pollution in water include a wide spectrum of chemicals, pathogens and physical or sensory changes such as elevated temperature and discoloration.

OBJECTIVE/PROBLEM Will the fish die after putting it in the different condition of water?

HYPOTHESIS There is no significant relationship between the operculum movement and the water condition. There is a significant relationship between the operculum movement and the water condition.

CYLINDER THERMOMETER (50 g of Ice) 3 FISHES MATERIALS AND METHODS CYLINDER THERMOMETER (50 g of Ice) 3 FISHES 1000 ml Beaker (500 ml. H2O)

CYLINDER 500 ml. 2 minutes = 28º C Temperature CYLINDER 500 ml. 2 minutes = 28º C Temperature

1.) A 500 ml of water was poured in each beaker. 2.)The two fishes were placed on each beaker and the temperature was recorded using a thermometer within 2 minutes. 3.)After another 2 minutes, the operculum movement of each fish were recorded. The fish flaps its operculum per second were counted.

4.)50 g of ice were added in each beaker and its temperature in 2 minutes were measured. The operculum movement of each fish in 2 minutes were recorded. 5.) Add 5 g of detergent soap to each beaker and record the operculum movement of the fishes in 2 minutes. 6.)5 g of detergent powder were added to each beaker and the operculum movement of the fishes in 2 minutes were recorded.

281 flaps 28° C 231 flaps 28° C Big Fish (A) Big Fish (B) 1st Experiment: NORMAL CONDITION Operculum Movement (2 Minutes) Big Fish (A) 281 flaps 28° C 231 flaps 28° C Big Fish (B)

119 flaps 21° C 178 flaps 21° C Big Fish (A) Big Fish (B) 2nd Experiment: COLD WATER Operculum Movement (2 Minutes) Big Fish (A) 119 flaps 21° C Big Fish (B) 178 flaps 21° C

8 flaps 243 flaps Big Fish (A) Big Fish (B) 3rd Experiment: DETERGENT POWDER (5g) Operculum Movement (2 Minutes) Big Fish (A) 8 flaps Big Fish (B) 243 flaps Note: There were no photos taken during the experimentation.

RESULTS The two fishes are both in the same kind but reacted differently in the same conditions. In the very first experiment, they both have the same number of flaps in the normal water condition with the temperature of 23°C. When an ice was added in the normal water condition, both temperatures dropped to 21°C. From 231 flaps, Fish A’s flaps dropped to 119 flaps. From 231 flaps, Fish B’s flaps dropped to 178. We could tell that both fishes were affected by the sudden change of temperature but Fish B

was more active than Fish A where in fact they were both in the same condition and were exposed in the same time. In the third experiment, after adding a 5g of detergent powder in a normal water condition with a temperature of 23°C, there was a huge change of the operculum movement in both fishes. In 2 minutes, we recorded only 8 flaps from Fish A while Fish B’s flaps were swift to respond recording 243 flaps.

CONCLUSIONS The specific contaminants leading to pollution in water include a wide spectrum of chemicals such as detergent that can discolor the water. The oxygen depleting substances may be natural materials, such as plant matter the grass or leaves. Other natural and anthropogenic substances may cause turbidity which blocks light and disrupts plant growth, and clogs the gills of some fish species.  

The Eutrophication is an increase in the concentration of chemical nutrients in an ecosystem to an extent that increases in the primary productivity of the ecosystem. Depending on the temperature of the water the subsequent negative environmental effects such as anoxia and severe reductions in water quality may occur, affecting fish and other animal populations.

REFERENCES https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eutrophication http://toxics.usgs.gov/definitions/eutrophication.html https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_pollution http://www.water-pollution.org.uk/

PABELONIO, Ezzylyn Dhabi T. AUTHORS DARAY, Christian P. DONAIRE, Karen Mae V. ESPINA, Margie F. PABELONIO, Ezzylyn Dhabi T.

Thanks for listening! RESEARCH TEACHER MRS. MARIA RUTH EDRADAN