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Gold Fish Lab Report

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BIOL 152-35
Professor Weller
14 February 2012
Effects of Temperature on Goldfish Respiration
Introduction
This experiment was designed to identify the effect of cold-water temperatures on the respiration rate of goldfish. The respiration rates helped to identify the goldfish as being ectotherms or endotherms. Organisms exchange gases with their environment through a process called respiration or breathing. Aerobic respiration, also known as aerobic metabolism, occurs when oxygen is taken into the body and sent to all its cells; the oxygen is then used to break down food for energy (White and Campo 2008). Respiration can be experienced through several structures such as the lungs, tracheae, gills, and integument in order to obtain …show more content…

Once the experiment was concluded, aged water was slowly added to the temperature- stressed fish in order to raise the temperature of its water. This helped to return its environment back to normal conditions.
Results
The respiration rate for the control goldfish ranged from 123 to 140 breaths per minute, which was not a significant change. On average, the cold-water treatments caused a significant decrease in breaths per minute by the end of the experiment. The average the breathing rates of goldfish subjected to temperatures less than 22°C decreased from a rate of 96 breaths per minute at the start of the experiment, to 56 breaths per minute at the end (Figure 1). The experimental fish in Group #1 ranged from 115 to 50 breaths per minute. Overall, the control fish’s breath rates generally remained constant, and the temperature-stressed goldfish had rates that decreased rapidly from start to finish.

Figure 1. The effect of decreasing water temperature on the breathing rates of goldfish.
Discussion
At the conclusion of the experiment, the two hypotheses were reviewed. Because the water temperature did affect the normal respiration patterns of the goldfish, the null hypothesis was disregarded and the alternative hypothesis was accepted. From the results of this experiment, it was concluded that although other environmental factors could play

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