Intestinal breathers

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As Darmatmer refers to those fish that are not only in the dissolved oxygen water over the gills to breathe, but the organism is also capable of the oxygen from the swallowed at the surface air in the highly perfused intestines absorb.

  • Several species, such as those of the genus Corydoras from the order of the catfish , are intestinal breathers. This can also be observed in the aquarium: Although armored catfish normally only move close to the ground they search for food, they always shoot very quickly to the surface of the water and then submerge again just as quickly. They don't do this to grab food, but to swallow a helping of air.
  • The European mud whip (a type of carp-like ) has a pronounced intestinal breathing.

Intestinal breathers can therefore survive in waters threatened by prolonged periods of heat or drought. They survive even if the oxygen remaining in the water were no longer sufficient to sustain all residents.