What happens to a deep sea fish when it's pulled up to shallower water?

[tellerulam]

What will happen to a deep sea fish when it's caught in a net and pulled up to shallower water? Will it't eye's blow up and it's blood boil? What about when it's pulled to the surface?

[tomgwyther]

They actually don't mind being brought to shallower (Lower pressure) water.

 

their bodies have evolved to have no empty spaces in them so the drop in pressure doesn't realy effect them.

 

Imagine a balloon and a rock, the rock can exist in both places as it is solid,

the balloon however has a specific pressure margin it can exist in before it either implodes or explodes.

 

Many of the species found near hydro-thermal vents on the sea floor have been collected and are now living happily in a fish tank in a laboratory.

[AzurePhoenix]

aye. In fact, alotta species actually live at or near the surface sometime during their lifecycles, or travel up and down to feed or mate.

[SkepticLance]

Sorry, Tomgwyther.

I have to dispute with you. What you have said is true for the cartilagenous fishes - sharks and rays. It is NOT true of most of the rest. This is because the bony fishes have a swim bladder for buoyancy control. Think of this as an internal life jacket that is inflated to give more buoyancy when needed, and deflated to give less.

 

When such a fish is hauled on a line from the depths, the swim bladder expands, and can cause enormous damage to internal organs. If that fish is subsequently released, it often cannot swim down again, due to the high buoyancy of the inflated bladder.

[AzurePhoenix]

It really depends on HOW they're brought up. Caught is some deep net and brought up quickly, and that's the fate they'll likely suffer, whereas those captured by sumbmersibles (those intended to be kept alive at least) are more gently introduced to lower pressures to allow them to gradually acclimate, though of course this sin't always succesful either. My question is if pressurized tanks are ever used to house them?

[ecoli]

I suppose it's possible to get used to lower/higher pressures. But, something like in 'Finding Nemo' was ridiculous. A clown fish could never survive at the bottom of the ocean (neglecting all other factors besides for pressure)

[Phi for All]

I've had this happen with rockfish. They swim near the bottom and when you hook them they don't put up much of a fight. You think you've just got some plant on your hook so you reel it in quickly to free the line and the rockfish has it's swim bladder expanded out of it's mouth and it's intestines poking out the anus. Ugly way to go.

 

Stupid rockfish.

[alt_f13]

I've had this happen with rockfish. They swim near the bottom and when you hook them they don't put up much of a fight. You think you've just got some plant on your hook so you reel it in quickly to free the line and the rockfish has it's swim bladder expanded out of it's mouth and it's intestines poking out the anus. Ugly way to go.

 

Can't imagine it's all that pretty to look at either...

 

What kind of depths are you talking about here?

[tellerulam]

I've had this happen with rockfish. They swim near the bottom and when you hook them they don't put up much of a fight. You think you've just got some plant on your hook so you reel it in quickly to free the line and the rockfish has it's swim bladder expanded out of it's mouth and it's intestines poking out the anus. Ugly way to go.

 

Stupid rockfish.

 

This is what I expected. Haha! Got any pics? And thanks for replying.

[Kermit]

Speaking of deep sea life, look at this cuddly specimin.

 

 

[Skye]

Deep sea fish also have biochemical adaptations to living under pressure, stronger proteins and membranes. This may pose a larger problem for them living at 1 atm since you can't acclimate their biochemistry.

 

The enzymes are commercially interesting though, especially those from hydrothermal vents, because higher temp/pressure leads to better reaction kinetics for bioreactors.

[SkepticLance]

Kermit.

Nice photo!

is it an isopod?

What does it taste like after barbequeing?

[Kermit]

It's not just an isopod, it's a boy!

Such a bundle of joy, why barbecue him? Grill him.