The amphibious snake-headed fresh-water fishes or Ophiocephalids are generally inhabitants of foul water, and are known to come to the surface to breathe atmospheric air. At times they also come of their natural element, walk and enjoy nocturnal peregrination, and are able to sustain life for at least 4 t o6 hours under perfectly dry conditions owing to the possession of accessory air-breathing organs. During very hot weather they get themselves buried in the mud.
If prevented from coming to the surface by exposing a perforated diaphragm across the water of the aquarium, these fishes become very much agitated, beat against the sides of the aquarium and try their utmost to force out of the diaphragm with their snout, their aquatic mode of respiration slackens and they show very violent convulsive symptoms till at the end of an hour or so they get drowned or asphyxiated
Different species also behave differently during the drowing-period, and this varies considerably with the kind of water use.
After partial drowning the fish can be again revived by artificial respiration. Injury to any particular portion of accessory air-breathing organ has a marked effect on the drowning of a fish.
This text was originally published in: Proceedings of the Fifteenth Indian Science Congress . Calcutta 1928 (Third circuit); pp. 203-204
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