I have a glitch where if you build an alien containment under water, but build it upwards until it's above water, you can breathe air but still swim. The water level is in the tank, and can't be seen, but going through it triggers the usual "Splash" effect and underwater sounds, and going out gives the usual land sounds.
Relating to this question, you can also easily get fish to come into your base by holding a floater in the water, running into a wall of your base and letting go, pushing it into the wall, it will now float around the roof of your base like a sentient balloon.