Fish have kidneys which produce urine containing ammonium, phosphorus, urea, and nitrous waste. The expelled urine encourages plant growth on coral reefs; downstream benefits also include increased fertilization of algae and seagrass, which in turn provides food for the fish.
Do all fish urinate through their skin?
A lot of fish get rid of the pee through an tiny opening, called a pore, that’s near their rear ends—and in some fish, waste also goes out through the skin or the gills. When a fish pees in a coral reef, the corals wave their tentacles around like tiny arms to grab nutrients from the pee and absorb them.
Is there fish pee in the ocean?
It turns out that, unsurprisingly, fish and other marine organisms also pee in the ocean. And far from being gross, or at least in addition to being gross, this has an important impact on nutrient flow in marine ecosystems.
As well as getting water through osmosis, saltwater fish need to purposefully drink water in order to get enough into their systems. Where their freshwater counterparts direct all of the water that comes into their mouths out through their gills, saltwater fish direct some into their digestive tract.
Is peeing in the sea OK?
Generally, peeing in the ocean is totally fine, the ACS says – and it may even be beneficial to marine life, as the nitrogen in urea combines with water to produce ammonium, which feeds ocean plants.
What happens to urine in the ocean?
It is nitrogen (found in urine) that causes algae to grow, and this is detrimental to coral. Experts also say that drug chemicals in the human body passed into the sea by urine can damage coral reefs by altering the balance of microbes.
Where does fish poop go in the ocean?
As the plankton are eaten by increasingly larger creatures, the carbon then travels up the food chain and into fish. Those fish then release a lot of it back into the ocean through their poop, much of which sinks to the seafloor and can store away carbon for centuries.
Do sharks and fish pee?
You may never have given much thought to how – or where – fish go to the bathroom, but sharks are no ordinary fish. In fact, shark’s don’t pee as we know it at all. Their urine is actually absorbed by their flesh, where the urea is used to keep their scale-like dermal denticles nice and moist.
There’s just no evidence to prove that a shark is attracted to period blood, or that you’ll somehow bleed so much while in the water that a shark would be prompted to attack you. Here are some other interesting facts about swimming in the ocean while on your period.
Is it OK to pee in the lake?
Human urine contains something called nitrates, which can cause increased algae in the water, making it toxic to the fish and other wildlife. “Urine, although sterile, is considered a biohazard and should be discarded appropriately.
Does pee hurt fish?
The urine itself doesn’t harm the fish but sets off a series of environmental events that ultimately suffocate the fish. First, the urine acts as a fertilizer for the blue-green algae in the water.
Do fishes bladders pee?
A urinary bladder is present in fish as an expansible part of the urinary duct, in amphibians and bladder-possessing reptiles (Sphenodon, turtles, most lizards) as a pocket in the cloaca. In mammals it is a greatly expandible muscular sac.
Do fishes fart?
If you consider farting to be the by-product of digestion – in other words gases expelled from the rear end – then most fish don’t fart. However there are two exceptions, the shark and the herring.
Can fishes drown?
According to Collins Concise Dictionary, drowning is “to die or kill by immersion in liquid” – so no, fish cannot drown. However, they can suffocate when fresh water does not contain enough dissolved oxygen – either as a result of eutrophication (an excess of nutrients) or drought.
While fish do not sleep in the same way that land mammals sleep, most fish do rest. Research shows that fish may reduce their activity and metabolism while remaining alert to danger. Some fish float in place, some wedge themselves into a secure spot in the mud or coral, and some even locate a suitable nest.
Do fish get bored?
Fish-keepers sometimes see their pets ‘glass surfing’ – swimming repeatedly up and down the glass of the tank. This could be the aquatic equivalent of the pacing of a captive tiger that’s bored from a lack of stimulation. But the fish could also be stressed from an overcrowded or unfamiliar tank.
Can fish see in dark?
Fish living in the deep sea manage to navigate in complete darkness. It’s not strictly ‘seeing’ but fish have rows of pressure-sensitive organs running down each side of their body called the lateral line, which allows them to sense nearby animals from the pressure changes in the water.