No, fish cannot survive in boiled water.
Why Fish Cannot Survive in Boiled Water
Placing fish in water that has been boiled creates conditions that are lethal to them. There are primarily two critical reasons why this is the case:
- Extreme Temperature: Water that has recently been boiled is at or near 100 degrees Celsius (212 degrees Fahrenheit). Fish, being cold-blooded animals, are adapted to specific temperature ranges. Extremely hot water causes severe thermal shock and irreparable damage to their tissues and organs, leading to immediate death.
- Lack of Dissolved Oxygen: Fish breathe dissolved oxygen from the water through their gills. Boiling water drives out the dissolved gases, including oxygen. As stated in the reference, "Boiling creates bubbles that contain dissolved oxygen. When boiling the water the dissolved oxygen present in the water decreases. An increase in temperature results in decreased levels of dissolved oxygen in the water. This can harm aquatic animals such as fish, amphibians and other aquatic organisms." Without sufficient dissolved oxygen, fish cannot respire and will quickly suffocate.
Even if the water has cooled down after boiling, it will still have significantly lower levels of dissolved oxygen compared to unboiled water, making it unsuitable for fish life until it has been aerated.
Key Factors Affecting Fish Survival in Boiled Water
Here are the critical factors summarized:
- High Temperature: Lethal thermal shock.
- Low Dissolved Oxygen: Insufficient oxygen for respiration, leading to suffocation.
Therefore, exposing fish to boiled water results in rapid death due to a combination of extreme heat and a complete lack of breathable oxygen.
