Re: Why do fish seem to

Dear Maureen, 
			 The fishes are cold blood animals. It means that their body 
temperature is the same as the water in which they are. Also, it 
means that, the cooler the water, the slower their metabolism will be
(i.e. all the chemical reaction of the metabolism are more slow). 
So, you expect, at lower temperatures, that the fish "react" more slowly, 
like if it became a little sleepy.
I think that this is reason why you see the fishes breathe slower at cooler 
temperature. (It will be interesting to know which kind of fishes you have 
check during yuor experiment. Are they tropical fishes? or they came from 
cold river?).
	I hope all this will answer to your curiosity.
	I apologize for my english, but I am italian (I live in Milan!!). I 
promise to you to study it better!
	Write me if you have any other question or if I have not been clear.

Yours sincerely,
Luca (biologist)