Fish take in water through their mouths, and it passes over their gills where dissolved oxygen is absorbed by the blood, facilitating respiration in an aquatic environment.
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Fish obtain oxygen for respiration through their gills. Water is taken in through the fish’s mouth and flows over the gill filaments, specialized structures in the gills. Each gill filament contains numerous thin, vascularized lamellae. As water passes over these lamellae, oxygen dissolved in the water diffuses into the fish’s bloodstream, while carbon dioxide from the fish’s blood is released into the water. This efficient exchange of gases in the gills allows fish to extract oxygen from their aquatic environment, supporting their respiratory needs and adaptation to life in water.