Goldfish Respiration Lab

While in science, I did a goldfish respiration lab, measuring the effect that temperature has on a goldfish's breathing rates. To do this, my group put a goldfish in a small cup, measured the water temperature with a thermometer, and counted how many times the fish opened and closed its operculum (gill covers) over a five minute period. We did this several times, changing the temperature of the water each trial. Due to thermometer problems, we started late and couldn't finish the lab, so we only have three of the desired five readings. We also have no pictures, because of time restraints Here is a chart of our readings, with the works of other groups and our average.

As you can see from this data, goldfish breathe more when in hotter water. Due to their cold-bloodedness, goldfish must get all heat from the outside. This leads to fish functioning better in hotter temperatures. I assume that goldfish have a maximum temperature for breathing, but it is above any temperature on this chart. 

Analysis answers:

1. The goldfish have an increased respiration rate with increased temperature. As previously stated, the higher the temperature (up to a maximum point), the higher the number of operculum openings. For every trial from every fish, a high temperature has a high respiration rate.

2. Differences in the fish might have affected breathing rate. For example, the fish may have been different species. You asked that we only bring in goldfish, but I heard other people talking about bringing other fish species in. A different species might react differently to different temperatures and would change the data. Also, respiration rate varies in fish of the same species. The fish that I tested breathed more in 10-14 degree C water than fish 4 did in 26-30 degree water. The fish that I tested was higher (on average) than the other fish. This just shows how fish in the same species can respire at different rates. 

3. My fish was above average. On all three trials, my fish breathed more than the average for the 4 fish in the test. The average reading is more accurate because it is a bigger sample space, and is less likely to have great errors.

4. Scientists usually look at the average because it is a bigger sample space. Since my fish was the fastest breather, it may have had some mutation to make it do that. If the test was done with just one fish, the mutation would have been in 100% of the sample space, even though only that fish has it. When looking at the average, the mutation would only account for 25% of the sample space, and the average fish would be at a much higher percentage. Averaging many fish out is much better because it shows a greater group of the population. I averaged in this experiment mostly because I was told to, but also because averaging is more precise.

5. Same experiment, but put the fish under different amounts of light and check its breathing.

6. It was correct. My prediction was only based off of hearing that fish would breathe more under hotter water, and that was true.

7. Fish are cold blooded. This means that they get more energy and can respond more when their surrounding environment is close to its desired temperature. When further away from the desired temperature, fish are less likely to be active because much of their energy is saved for a warmer time.