Interesting facts about crucian carp

[naiad]

I found some interesting articles about how the crucian carp survives without oxygen. I don't know if it is relevant in any way to freediving.
http://www.the-aps.org/press/journal/06/20.htm

Pictures of crucian carp...
http://www.jjphoto.dk/fish_archive/a_intro17.htm

Lucia

 

[wet]

Just occurred to me that glycogen is used as antifreeze by some bugs and amphibians IIRC, maybe this happens with the carp (under ice) as well as their anoxic apnea, a two-for-one effect. The antifreeze effect doesn't mean they are warm, it just means their cells don't crystallize below the freezing point, due to chemical properties of glycogen. (I think that's right) DDeden

 

[spaghetti]

Everything that swims is relevant in this forum!
Thanks Naiad, even if I'm somehow reluctant to forecast that humans will ever increase their breath hold capabilities by copying the crucian carps' phisiology ;-)
This is pretty interesting to me anyway, since I often find myself diving with huge schools of crucian carps when I'm in my lake. In my country they're a fastly increasing population, almost turning to be a pest for the other species. I often asked myself why they're so strong, but I never thought they could have such an adaptable physiology. And that's it.
An interesting subject is the "balance of powers" between aquatic species, which is fastly changing nowadays: f.e., in the Mediterranean sea the last decade saw a huge diffusion of barracudas and bluefish, which will soon outnumber their indigenuous competitors (dentex and bass) just because the new comers are stronger and more adaptable. In subalpine lakes, the american black bass is defeating local trouts and pikes. Et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. That's no good. I start thinking that crucian carps are just too strong and should be kept under control. But who has the moral authority to be the "sheriff" of nature?

...ok, ya right, I made it a little crooked post...