1. Factors affecting Bimodal respiration in the catfish Corydoras aeneus?

This lab focuses on the various factors that affect bimodal respiration in the catfish Corydoras
aeneus. Aerial respiration in the catfish, Corydoras aeneus uses the posterior intestine for aerial
respiration. Ventilation occurs in a swift sprint to the surface. Air is inspired throughout the
0.06–0.07 s as the mouth is exposed. Expiration occurs via the anus as the fish begins to dive.

In aerial respiration, the main respiratory surfaces are internal such as the lungs or the
mesophyll, in the catfish the posterior intestine is included in its structure and is used for
absorption of oxygen from water or the atmosphere involving a concentration gradient between
both. Respiration is a biochemical process where the cells of an organism gain their energy by
combing oxygen and glucose thereby giving carbon dioxide, water and ATP. Corydoras aeneus
undergoes bimodal respiration, this is where the organism in this case the catfish has the ability
to exchange respiratory gases in both air and the water either simultaneously or sequentially.
The main significance of bimodal respiration is that there is constant air breathing so that the
buoyancy of the fish can be maintained. (Kramer, 1980). The respiratory mediums involved in
bimodal respiration are air and water and the respiratory structures are the gills (internal and
external) and a posterior intestine. The gills are used for aquatic respiration, they are used to
mediate the exchange of gases within fishes and they provide a large surface area due to gill
filaments so that sufficient gas uptake will occur. In aquatic respiration water which contains
oxygen enters via the mouth and with the assistance of the jaws and the operculum water is
pumped through the gills where the capillaries within, picks up the oxygen dissolved in the
water. A variety of factors that include the concentration of oxygen and the depth of water
affects bimodal respiration. At low concentration of oxygen in the water the catfish would
choose the mode aerial respiration but at high concentrations of oxygen the mode of respiration
would be aquatic. As depth of water increases aquatic respiration is used since the distance in
which the fish would need to travel to reach the surface would be energetically costly using up a
lot of energy and time. In decrease of depth aerial respiration would be used since it would not
be that energetically costly. (Storey, 2008) These factors affecting bimodal respiration was
suggested by Kramer which states that organisms which undergo bimodal respiration exhibit
“optimal diving behaviour” which is reflected on the maximum respiratory efficiency, by utilizing
whatever form of oxygen is cheaper to obtain under a given set of environmental conditions
(Kramer, 1983)

2. What are the objectives for this lab?

- To examine the effect of dissolved oxygen on the catfish Corydoras aeneus in bimodal
respiration by altering the different concentrations of oxygen and observing the changes which
occur in the number of breaths/hr and operculum beats/min.
 - To determine the effect of depth on the catfish Corydoras aeneus in bimodal respiration by
altering depths of water in which it is placed in and observing the number of breaths/hr and the
operculum beats/min.

3. What is the overall purpose of the lab?

The overall purpose of this lab is to determine the factors affecting Bimodal respiration in the
Catfish aeneus.