Paul MCShee age 13 of Richmond, VA.

Can a fish drown?

Yes, indeed, a poor fish can drown. He can perish for lack of oxygen in a stream or pool of fresh water. This would happen if he swam backwards which, naturally, he never does on purpose. Sometimes, however, he gets dragged backwards through the water by a fisherman.

A fish needs to move forwards through the water in order to b breath. He takes in water through his mouth and lets it flow backwards over his gills. Tiny blood vessels in the gill tissues take in free oxygen from this water and return waste carbon dioxide. The water then flows on out through the gill flaps.

This flow of breathing water cannot be reversed. The fish cannot take in water through his gills and send it out through his mouth. So when he is dragged backwards he is unable to take in oxygen and he drowns.