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What Happens When You Anesthetize A Gold Fish?

by Jennifer R. 31. January 2010 22:39

What happens when you give a goldfish anesthesia? The same thing that happens to everything else: he falls asleep. However, first he loses equilibrium and swims on his side. I learned this, among other lessons, on Friday, because Friday is Neurology day!

 

I stated in a previous blog post that I was going to the Neurology lab on Tuesday, but it turns out my advisor needed to get his equipment in order, so I went on Friday instead. I really suggest any science major should do research whenever possible. I personally enjoy it it because I love problem solving, I put many basics I learned in class to use (dimensional analysis may be boring, but you need it), I learned information unique to a laboratory that one can’t really learn in a classroom, and I investigated neurology, a subject I am very passionate about.

I had an awesome Friday afternoon that included the examination of fish brains and fish brain waves. I also learned how to make electrodes. I still need to study much more material, but right now I’m learning about the cellular physiology of nerve and muscle, and soon I will move onto circuitry. I never realized how much physical labor research entailed, but I do not mind it. I admire my advisor’s ability to create everything from computer programs to Faraday cages. This isn’t high school anymore.

Also, this week I begin my independent Psychology research project. I will follow up with more details on that later. NJPIRG, Gay Straight Alliance, English Student Organization and other organizations come back this week as well. I am so busy, but I cannot complain about working in my areas of interest. I intend to work really hard with my sights set on a quiet, easy spring break. Time to get back to Biology homework!

 

P.S.- It snowed!


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Comments

phylee United States
1/31/2010 11:08:41 PM #

Sounds fun! Smile I love hands-on learning. Reading textbooks and doing word problems are so boring.

How do you give goldfish an anesthetic?

leed United States
2/1/2010 1:12:19 PM #

um, how do you tell when the fish falls asleep?  He just hangs about in the water?

djalexis United States
2/1/2010 3:41:35 PM #

The poor fish. Pamela Anderson would not approve.

Jennifer United States
2/2/2010 11:41:48 AM #

The fish falls asleep when he turns on his size and his gill breathing slows. He received a muscle relaxant too.

I feel bad for the fish, but I've learned to accept that humans will kill other animals. Animal testing is a big issue I'm not really going to touch on.

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