Prompt Cast
How do fish stay hydrated?
TLDR Fish stay hydrated through a process called osmoregulation, which involves maintaining the right balance of minerals and electrolytes in their bodies. Freshwater fish retain salts and minerals by constantly urinating watery urine, while saltwater fish drink through their mouths to stay hydrated and their kidneys remove excess salt.
Timestamped Summary
00:00
Do fish, which spend their lives in the water, ever get thirsty?
01:54
Fish, like humans, need to stay hydrated in order to maintain the proper balance of minerals and electrolytes in their bodies through a process called osmoregulation.
03:55
Fish have kidneys and gills that help them maintain the right electrolyte balance and carry out osmoregulation, which depends on the type of water they live in.
06:11
Freshwater fish don't actively drink because it would dilute their blood and other fluids in their body too quickly.
08:17
Freshwater fish retain salts and minerals by constantly urinating watery urine, while saltwater fish drink through their mouths to stay hydrated and their kidneys remove excess salt.
10:26
Salmon are able to exist in both freshwater and saltwater environments by spending time in a brackish water "staging area" to regulate their organs before transitioning between the two habitats.
12:33
Fish can be negatively affected by melting sea ice because it disrupts their staging area and the salinity levels they are accustomed to.
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