How Fish Eat (in SLOW MOTION!) - Smarter Every Day 118

TL;DR

Fish create a vacuum in their buccal cavity to suck water in, which is then released through the gills, enabling them to eat.

Transcript

Hey it's me Destin, welcome back to Smarter Every Day. So as dads, when you go fishing you spend a lot of time thinking about how to get the fish to bite, but you don't really think about how mechanically the fish do the bite. Does that make any sense? So today on Smarter Every Day we're gonna go to James Cook University in Australia, and look at h... Read More

Key Insights

• 🫢 Fish create a vacuum by opening their mouth and buccal cavity to suck water in for feeding.
• 🫢 The gills are opened after the mouth to release the water and dissipate momentum.
• 😒 Only certain fish use suction feeding, as it requires specific adaptations.
• 🤑 Fish can capture prey without accelerating their whole body by using their jaws and mouth structure.
• 🎣 Understanding the mechanics of fish feeding can improve fishing techniques.
• 🤱 Similar feeding mechanisms are observed in aquarium fish.
• 🥳 By supporting Smarter Every Day through audible.com, more fishing trips and educational episodes can be produced.

Questions & Answers

Q: How do fish create the flow of water when they eat?

Fish create a vacuum by opening their buccal cavity and mouth, which sucks water in to enable them to eat.

Q: Why do fish open their gills after opening their mouth?

Fish open their gills to release the water they have sucked in, dissipating the momentum and allowing them to eat effectively.

Q: Do all fish eat using this method?

No, only a few fish use suction feeding, as it is dependent on the absence of teeth and the ability to generate a vacuum in the buccal cavity.

Q: How do fish capture their prey without accelerating their whole body?

Fish have a complex mouth structure that allows them to throw their jaws forward, closing the gap with the prey quickly and easily without needing to accelerate their entire body.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Fish generate a flow by opening their buccal cavity and mouth, creating a vacuum that sucks water in.

• The water is then released through the gills, allowing the fish to dissipate momentum and eat.

• Fish use their complex mouth structure to throw their jaws forward and capture prey without accelerating their whole body.