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What do fish drink?
Matthew Boyd, age 6
Fish do drink. They drink water. Lots of it!
It turns out that salt water fish drink salt water and use specialized cells in the gills to get rid of the salt. These cells pump out the sodium and the chloride. The salt content of salt-water fish is only one-third the salt content of the water that surrounds them. They must get rid of two-thirds of the salt in the water they ingest.
Freshwater fish are constantly drinking water but have to find a way to retain the salt and get rid of the excess water. Specialized cells in both the kidneys and the gills help to retain the salt before excreting the extra water.
What about the fish that move freely between salt and freshwater environments? These fish have developed specialized mechanizisms that help them turn the salt-retention/water-excretion process on and off depending on the situation. Gulf Stream Striped Bass in Alabama have to do this and so do salmon.
Great question!
Dr. Rusty Wright
Associate Professor, Fisheries Department
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The years have passed by quickly. I was once the size of a silver dollar but now I weigh 82 lbs. I no longer have to worry about seagulls threatening to eat me. One of the biggest threats to me is sharks that swim around me in the deep, blue ocean. I try my best every day to avoid being seen or eaten by the sharks or other ocean predators. Floating on Sargasso grass is still my best escape from danger.
Early one morning in the distance, I heard a sound I had never heard before. I am very curious about this strange noise so I swim towards it to find out what it is. The closer I get to the noise, the louder it gets. I finally get close enough to realize that it is a giant shrimp boat blowing its horn as loud as possible. Trailing behind the shrimp boat is a huge net filled with shrimp and crabs. It all looks like a wonderful feast to me. I had no idea what I was about to get myself into. Before I knew it I was caught in the net with the shrimp and crabs. I struggled frantically to get myself free. Lucky for me, the shrimp boat was equipped with a Turtle Excluder Device (a.k.a. T.E.D) which allowed me to swim free. I have never been so glad to swim away from a feast of crabs and shrimp!
7 Days until the eggs hatch.
If you would like to adopt or follow this nest then please go to:
alabamaseaturtles.com
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By Asha Balaam-Reed
There was a dog in the animal shelter called Cuddles. Cuddles loved the animal shelter because they had water, food, and great people to look after the dogs and cats. Cuddles hated it when White the cat put his paws on his cage. Cuddles wished someone would like him and take him home. He slowly went to sleep.
In the morning not a lot of people came in. Then a little girl came in with her mom. All the dogs and cats started to look cute. She stopped at Tiffany the dog and said no. She stopped at White the cat and said no. Then she stopped at Cuddles. She asked her mom if she could pick Cuddles up. Her mom said yes.
When she picked Cuddles up Cuddles licked her. She said she wanted him. She saw his named Cuddles. She said Hi Cuddles I am Mary.
Then Cuddles was in a car moving fast. Then he was in a house. There was a tall dad in the house. The dad said what a cute puppy. Mary took Cuddles outside. Mary threw a blue ball and asked Cuddles to get it. Cuddles got it and gave it to Mary.
It started to get dark. The mom said come in. Mary brushed her teeth and got into bed and said it was the best day ever then slowly went to sleep.
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