Have you ever wondered if your goldfish has a heart? Is it possible for them to have heart problems as humans do? How else is their body like that of other animals?
Yes, goldfish have a heart like every other fish. But, the anatomy of their heart is a bit different than you’re probably used to seeing.
Do Goldfish Have Hearts?
Yes, goldfish have a two-chambered heart. They have one ventricle and one atrium. The heart pumps deoxygenated blood to the organs throughout the fish’s body. Most importantly, it pumps blood to the gills for oxygenation.
Goldfish Can Have a Heart Attack
Not only do fish have hearts, but they can have heart attacks like humans. There are many things that may cause a goldfish to have a heart attack. Stress, fear, and fighting are all common causes. It can also occur if they go into shock or cardiac arrest.
Unlike humans, goldfish will not survive a heart attack. Their heart will suddenly stop working, and they will die immediately.
How Is A Goldfish’s Heart Different Than A Human’s?
Unlike goldfish who have a two-chambered heart, humans have 4-chambered hearts. The atria make up the upper two chambers of the heart. The ventricles make up the lower two chambers of the heart. Like goldfish, a human heart supplies blood to the rest of the body.
What Other Internal Body Parts Do Goldfish Have?
Many people don’t think of goldfish as being complex animals, but they have complex anatomy just like us.
Liver
A goldfish’s liver helps with digestion. It secretes digestive enzymes and stores old blood cells. It also stores fat and carbohydrates so that the fish has the energy to go about its day.
Gallbladder
The gallbladder helps the liver by storing the bile it produces.
Spleen
The spleen stores and reuses old red blood cells.
Kidneys
The kidneys work to filter nitrogenous waste from the blood.
Swim Bladder
The swim bladder is one of the most important organs in a goldfish’s body. It fills up with gas to allow the fish to maintain buoyancy. The goldfish can expand and contract the swimbladder. This allows it to move up and down.
Like bettas, goldfish tend to have lots of problems with their swim bladders. Often, too much pressure is put on their swim bladder. This can prevent them from swimming properly.
Brain
Goldfish have brains like humans, and they’re very smart fish. All their sensory processing happens within the brain. All their automatic functions — such as breathing — are controlled by the brain.
Spine
Like most animals, goldfish have a spine that supports the rest of their body. It also contains the spinal cord which connects to the brain and controls the nervous system.
Intestines
One interesting thing about goldfish is that they don’t have a stomach. Instead, they have an intestinal bulb at the beginning of their intestines. The intestinal bulb temporarily stores food as the body absorbs lipids from the food.
The caudal intestine is the second half of the intestine that absorbs protein from food.
Gonads
The gonads are the reproductive organs of the goldfish. They consist of ovaries or testes, depending on the sex of the fish. These organs live below the swim bladder.
Conclusion
Goldfish have a two-chambered heart that pumps blood to the gills and organs. This helps their body to function. Without their heart, they could not live or breathe.
Although a goldfish’s heart is different than a human’s, they perform many of the same functions. Goldfish can even have a heart attack or go into cardiac arrest.