SURVIVAL ANALYSIS AND THE OPERCULUM MOVEMENT OF FISHES DEPENDING ON THE TEMPERATURE OF THE WATER THE FISH LIVES IN

Introduction “The operculum of a bony fish is the hard bony flap covering and protecting the gills. In most fish, the rear edge of the operculum roughly marks the division between the head and the body.” Ambrose, Harrison W. III & Ambrose, Katherine Peckham. A Handbook of Biological Investigation. Winston-Salem: Hunter Textbooks Inc., 1995.

“Counting gill cover movements is a way to calculate respiration rates in fishes. Fishes breathe by taking water in through the mouth and forcing it over the gills as the mouth closes and an oxygen-carbon dioxide exchange occurs.” Spurgeon, Richard. Usborne Science & Experiments: ECOLOGY. London: Usborne Publishing Ltd., 1988

Then the operculum opens to allow the carbon dioxide-rich water to exit. By just counting the gill cover movements, we can get an idea that fishes' response to an ecological change, especially in temperature. ‘Typical’ fishes are meant to live in water with temperatures between 23 C and 30 C. Then the operculum opens to allow the carbon dioxide-rich water to exit. By just counting the gill cover movements, we can get an idea that fishes' response to an ecological change, especially in temperature. ‘Typical’ fishes are meant to live in water with temperatures between 23 C and 30 C.

Objective To determine what factors affect the movement of the operculum of a fish according to the components of the water the fish lives in. To determine if the fishes survive(dead or alive) in coordination of its estimated time.

Hypothesis Ho: There is no relationship between the temperature of the water the fish lives in and the operculum movement of the fish. Ha: There is a relationship between the temperature of the water the fish lives in and the operculum movement of the fish. Ho: There is no relationship between the temperature of the water the fish lives in and the operculum movement of the fish. Ha: There is a relationship between the temperature of the water the fish lives in and the operculum movement of the fish.

Materials & Methods: Two (2) container filled with 700 ml water each. 185 g of ice Two (2) fishes with the same length, colour, shape, and specie. Thermometer Stirring Rod (Optional) Two (2) container filled with 700 ml water each. 185 g of ice Two (2) fishes with the same length, colour, shape, and specie. Thermometer Stirring Rod (Optional)

Procedure: 185 g of ice was put inside container B. The temperature of the water inside each container was measured using the thermometer. The two fish were put in each container: Mutya in Container A; Marina in Container B. The fish were observed for at least 6 minutes. 185 g of ice was put inside container B. The temperature of the water inside each container was measured using the thermometer. The two fish were put in each container: Mutya in Container A; Marina in Container B. The fish were observed for at least 6 minutes.

The comparison between Figure 1 & Figure 2. The comparison between Figure 1 & Figure 2.

Results FishWater Temp. (Celsius) Time of Death (minutes) Flaps Mutya27Alive-2 flaps/sec Marina15Dead6240 flaps before time of death

Discussion Fish A (Mutya) has a rate of operculum movement with 2 flaps per second with the normal temperature of the environment the fish intakes, and it is alive within the due time of 10 minutes. On the other hand, Fish B (Marina) has a rate of 40 flaps per minute of operculum movement due to the cold temperature of the water, and turned out to be dead within the bound of 6 minutes.

Conclusion Therefore, the group has concluded that one of the factors that affect the movement of the operculum of a fish is the water it lives in. In this case, adding ice to the water or placing the fish in a water with a very low temperature causes its operculum movement to decrease from its normal operculum rate.

Reference Ambrose, Harrison W. III & Ambrose, Katherine Peckham. A Handbook of Biological Investigation. Winston-Salem: Hunter Textbooks Inc., Spurgeon, Richard. Usborne Science & Experiments: ECOLOGY. London: Usborne Publishing Ltd., 1988 Ambrose, Harrison W. III & Ambrose, Katherine Peckham. A Handbook of Biological Investigation. Winston-Salem: Hunter Textbooks Inc., Spurgeon, Richard. Usborne Science & Experiments: ECOLOGY. London: Usborne Publishing Ltd., 1988

Authors  Madrid, John Glicerio  Persigas, Jann Terrence  Bagotsay, Claudine Kae  Roy, Maycielo  Madrid, John Glicerio  Persigas, Jann Terrence  Bagotsay, Claudine Kae  Roy, Maycielo