RESPIRATION OF FISHES WITH SPECIAL EMPHASIS ON STANDARD OXYGEN CONSUMPTION: I. INFLUENCE OF WEIGHT AND TEMPERATURE ON RESPIRATION OF GOLDFISH, CARASSIUS AURATUS L.

Abstract

Standard oxygen consumption of goldfish was estimated in relation to weight and temperature from simultaneous measurements of routine oxygen uptake and spontaneous activity. The relation between weight and standard oxygen consumption was expressed as a logarithmic linear regression. For a given shift in temperature, the proportionate change in standard oxygen consumption appears to be independent of weight. The mean slope of the regressions was found to be 0.850.The standard rate of a 100-g goldfish increased linearly, on a semilogarithmic grid, over the temperature range of 10 to 35 °C. The estimates found in the present study were less than the lowest applicable values that could be found in the literature.The average routine rate of oxygen consumption suggests that goldfish display a considerable amount of spontaneous activity despite the elimination of external stimuli.