How long can you hold your breath? Crucian carp (Carassius
carassius), a close relative to the goldfish, is capable of
living for months without oxygen. Scientists at the University
of Oslo have recently unpacked the mechanisms allowing Crucian
carp to exhibit superior breath holding skills. First, lets gain
some background knowledge about this extraordinary carp. Crucian
carp inhabit lakes, ponds and slow-moving rivers throughout
Europe and Asia. They are considered a medium-sized cyprinid
(weighing less than 3.3 pounds) and commonly exhibit a dark
green back, golden sides and reddish fins. Crucian carp are
commonly caught for sport and occasionally are found in
freshwater aquariums. What allows the Crucian carp to survive
months without oxygen? Lets take a look. Professor Goran
Nilsson, University of Oslo, discovered the Crucian carp is able
to change its gill structure to avoid becoming oxygen deprived
(known as anoxia). The carp also has a high affinity for oxygen
when compared to other vertebrate therefo