So you are interested in finding out if fish are waterproof or not. In this article, you’ll find the exact answer to this question and I’ll also answer a few more closely related questions, so make sure you keep on reading this article till the end.
Are fish waterproof? The skin of fish is not fully waterproof but there are differences between the skin of saltwater fish and freshwater fish. Saltwater fish have less permeable skin than freshwater fish because for them it’s more important to retain water in their bodies.
Freshwater fish have a more porous skin which is also why freshwater fish cannot survive when they’re dropped in saltwater. Their skin will let too much saltwater through which will then result in an immense amount of salt in their bodies.
Also, it is known that the salinity in freshwater is low, and therefore freshwater fish have built-in mechanisms which enable their bodies to hold on to salt in their bodies.
Are there fish species that are waterproof?
As far as I’ve read online there aren’t any fish species out there that have fully waterproof bodies. Saltwater fish are the kinds of fish that will come the closest to having a waterproof body but even the body of saltwater fish isn’t waterproof.
There are, however, a lot of fish species out there that we don’t know about yet, so maybe shortly, we’ll find a fish species that is fully waterproof.
What makes fish waterproof?
As you know by now, fish are not fully waterproof. Saltwater fish are, for example, built to let in less water than freshwater fish. This is accomplished because of the way the skin is built of both saltwater and freshwater fish.
When looking at the skin of fish, however, it does look like that the skin doesn’t let any water through but things are not always the way they seem to be.
If you can’t get enough of learning about fish then I encourage you to check out the “Fish Category Page” which consists of various articles that give answers to fish-related questions.
Are the scales of fish waterproof?
The skin of fish isn’t waterproof and the same can be said to the scales of fish as it is their skin. The skin of saltwater fish will let through less water when compared to the skin of freshwater fish and also the scale textures of both saltwater fish and freshwater fish are different.
Even though the scales of fish do look like they’re not permeable, the opposite is true. Fish have scales mainly for protection but as you know fish do hunt each other and there are for sure various fish species out there that have scale-piercing teeth.
Is fish skin permeable?
The skin of every fish that we know to be out there is permeable as water can move through the skin to dilute the salt in the fish’s body. This will then create a more equal balance of salt between both the water where the fish lives and the body of the fish.
Because it is more important for saltwater fish to hold on to water in their bodies, their bodies are built to not let in too much salt water. So, in the case of saltwater fish, their skin is less permeable.
Related questions
Why do all aquatic animals have waterproof bodies?
The skin of aquatic animals generally isn’t waterproof. When it comes to, for example, fish or animals that have fur, it is known that only certain amounts of water will go through their skin. Generally, the amount of water that will go through is the amount of water that the animal needs.
Why does the skin of aquatic animals not get affected in the water?
The skin of aquatic animals isn’t affected by the water because aquatic animals have adapted to living in water conditions. Their skin will only let through certain amounts of water based on what the animal in question is in need for.
What animals have a waterproof coat?
It is not true that the coats of various animals are fully waterproof as some amounts of water will get through their coats. But, for example, the fur of beavers will let through pretty much no water because of the beaver routinely combing oil in its fur which makes their coat more waterproof.
Check out the video below if you want to find out how ducks keep themselves waterproof.
Conclusion
In this article, you’ve learned that the skin of both saltwater and freshwater fish is not waterproof. It is, however, known that the skin of saltwater fish is less permeable than that of freshwater fish because for saltwater fish it is more important to hold onto water. This is also the reason why freshwater fish won’t be able to survive when they’re dropped in saltwater.
