More than 200 living fish species have been reported to tolerate life out of water, according to a 2016 scientific review. They span at least 40 families and 17 orders, and the true number is likely higher because many species have not been studied closely. “Survive out of water” covers very different abilities: a fish may endure a low-tide exposure, leave water to move or feed, or withstand a seasonally dry habitat. It does not mean that every amphibious fish can live indefinitely on dry land.
What does “survive out of water” mean for a fish?
Fish that tolerate aerial exposure are often described as amphibious. The term covers a spectrum, not a single capability: some species are exposed when tides recede, some deliberately emerge, and others endure seasonal drying. Exposure can last from hours to months or, for certain species in protected conditions, longer. The duration depends on the fish and the circumstances.
A 2005 review notes that the length of time a fish can remain exposed to air generally reflects how well adapted it is to that exposure. A fish that can breathe air or move across a wet surface is not necessarily able to withstand a completely dry habitat.
How do fish breathe and cope with being out of water?
Air-breathing fish use different surfaces and structures to exchange gases. Depending on the species, these include modified gills, the skin, vascularized tissue in the mouth and throat (the buccopharyngeal surfaces), the intestine, or specialized structures beside the gills.
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Breathing is only part of the challenge. Out of water, a fish must limit water loss, manage shifts in oxygen and carbon dioxide, and cope with changes in buoyancy and gravity. It must also handle ammonia, a nitrogenous waste product whose excretion is affected by the air-water boundary. Moisture, temperature, activity level, and waste-excretion demands all influence how long a particular fish can endure exposure.
Examples of fish that tolerate air exposure
These groups illustrate the range of amphibious abilities; membership in a group does not mean every species has the same endurance or can survive complete drying.
Mudskippers and other intertidal fish
A 2013 review reports more than 70 air-breathing intertidal fish species in 12 families. Their exposure is often linked to the tides. Some remain out of the water relatively passively, while others actively emerge; mudskippers are among the most mobile on land. Their ability to breathe air and move on exposed wet ground is not equivalent to surviving indefinitely in dry conditions.
Lungfish
African and South American lungfish can aestivate—enter a period of reduced activity—during seasonal drying. Some survive for months, and reports describe longer survival when they are protected in mud or a cocoon of mucus. These are specialized drought-survival strategies, not evidence that lungfish can live indefinitely in open, dry air.
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The Australian lungfish is an important exception to assumptions based on other lungfish: the Australian Museum says it can spend months in a moist resting chamber of mud and mucus, but cannot survive more than a few days fully out of water.
Catfish
Some Clarias catfish are cited among fish capable of prolonged drought survival. Walking catfish can also travel over land using stiffened pectoral spines and movements of the body and tail. The ability to move between water bodies is distinct from tolerating a dry habitat for an extended period.
Loaches and mangrove rivulus
Loaches and mangrove rivulus are documented examples of fish that can tolerate prolonged exposure or seasonal drying. The time they endure depends on the species and environmental conditions, so neither label guarantees a particular survival duration.
Eels, ropefish, and some blennies
Eels and ropefish can use their elongated bodies to move across wet terrestrial surfaces, while some blennies are adapted to intertidal life. Their locomotion helps them negotiate exposed or damp habitat; it should not be mistaken for a general ability to live on dry land.
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Can fish survive when a pond dries up?
Some fish can outlast seasonal drying, but the answer depends on the species and what remains as the water recedes. Lungfish may aestivate in mud or a mucus cocoon; certain catfish, loaches, and mangrove rivulus are also documented in connection with prolonged exposure or seasonal drying. These examples do not establish that any fish in a drying pond will survive: a species must have the relevant adaptations, and local conditions must allow them to work.
How long can a fish stay out of water?
There is no single duration that applies to all amphibious fish. Intertidal species may face exposure on a tidal cycle, while some lungfish can withstand months of seasonal drying when sheltered in mud or mucus. The Australian lungfish, by contrast, needs a moist resting chamber to last for months and cannot survive more than a few days fully out of water.
For any species, the distinction between damp shelter and dry land matters. Moisture, temperature, activity, and the ability to exchange gases and manage waste can change the outcome. Air-breathing or land-moving ability alone is not a reliable measure of how long a fish can survive outside water.
Quick Recap
Sources
- Wright and Turko, “Amphibious fishes: evolution and phenotypic plasticity,” Journal of Experimental Biology (2016): review of amphibious fish diversity and adaptations.
- Sayer, “Adaptations of amphibious fish for surviving life out of water,” Fish and Fisheries (2005): review of aerial exposure and physiological challenges.
- Martin, “Going with the flow: fish uses of well-known marine refuges and their potential for ecosystem connectivity,” Journal of Fish Biology (2013): discussion of air-breathing intertidal fish.
- Australian Museum, Australian lungfish.
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