- Location
- New Jersey
Why? I didn't hurt the fish at all.
Freshwater tang, clownfish???
- Thread starter yesjenks
- Start date
Why? I didn't hurt the fish at all.
- Location
- Flushing NY 11355
Sightly off topic but since so many are talking about mollies from what they think, I might throw my actual experience with them in here.
Who live in the coast of Florida or South Carolina can chime in?
Many mollies, including the sailfin mollies are easily scooped up along those the shores! The sea is part of their lives.
Cquest used to culture "saltwater" mollies(velifera).
Who live in the coast of Florida or South Carolina can chime in?
Many mollies, including the sailfin mollies are easily scooped up along those the shores! The sea is part of their lives.
Cquest used to culture "saltwater" mollies(velifera).
I hope nobody tries to play god here... Dont think this would be possible as stated before it takes years and generations of fish to evolve one species. Like the fresh water shark, stingray and all the others i cant remember at the moment... lol Reef fish i dont think will ever be possible unless nature starts moving the reef to freshwater... lol
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- Location
- Long Island
there are saltwater fish that live in freshwater, bullshark is one that can live in fresh water.
- Location
- Staten Island
Honestly I think you can adapt anything to live in different conditions..everything alive has done it. Ever heard of monos? They are a good example they can live in fresh or saltwater. African cichlids I'm sure could live in a salt water aquarium just like a damsel could live in a cichlid tank. Mollies live in acidic water normally ph around 6.5,also often in planted tanks in captivity, so if they are found naturally in saltwater which is prob 7.8-8.4 yet are caught and live in freshwater without issue I think that says a lot. That's a huge difference in water condition. I guess the only real way to know for sure would be to experiment. I know people are going to get all upset but it makes sense to me.
Chris Jury
Experienced Reefer
- Location
- Kaneohe, HI
Some very specialized physiological requirements are required for a fish to be able to survive in both saltwater and freshwater (or brackish conditions). Very few species possess these specializations, and no typical coral reef fish do.
To put into perspective why switching a reef fish to freshwater won't work and will simply kill the fish, let me use an analogy. Some archaea live and thrive at a temperature of 90 C, or 194 F. Can you survive at 194 F? What if we raise the temperature of your living space only 1 F per day? It doesn't matter how fast or how slow we go, human physiology has certain limitations, and above around 105 F an adult person will die due to swelling of the brain within the skull. The absolute limit for any sort of vertebrate, and almost all organisms, is around 120 F, when most proteins begin to denature. Living at extraordinarily high temperatures requires very specific and substantial adaptations of physiology. Some archaea have done this, but other organisms have not. Likewise, coral reef fish, and most marine species, lack the required adaptations to deal with freshwater. If you expose them to freshwater, regardless of the amount of time you give them to acclimatize, they will ultimately die. It's not magic, it's physiology.
cj
To put into perspective why switching a reef fish to freshwater won't work and will simply kill the fish, let me use an analogy. Some archaea live and thrive at a temperature of 90 C, or 194 F. Can you survive at 194 F? What if we raise the temperature of your living space only 1 F per day? It doesn't matter how fast or how slow we go, human physiology has certain limitations, and above around 105 F an adult person will die due to swelling of the brain within the skull. The absolute limit for any sort of vertebrate, and almost all organisms, is around 120 F, when most proteins begin to denature. Living at extraordinarily high temperatures requires very specific and substantial adaptations of physiology. Some archaea have done this, but other organisms have not. Likewise, coral reef fish, and most marine species, lack the required adaptations to deal with freshwater. If you expose them to freshwater, regardless of the amount of time you give them to acclimatize, they will ultimately die. It's not magic, it's physiology.
cj
- Location
- Staten Island
Temperature is a bit of a different story. What abut in SCUBA? We use all types of mixed gasses at different percentages and breathe them underwater! When we are meant to and normally breathe air from the atmosphere. Even pure oxygen from a tank is so much different from what we normally breathe due to all the pollution, let alone a mix of other gasses. Yet we can do it easily.
I'm not saying all fish can be acclimated and live forever but I'm sure that some species could. I know a damsel could live in a brackish tank because I've seen it. One of my friends put damsels in his cichlid tank and I know for a fact they lived for several months. I'm not sure if they are still living or how long they did if they are not because I haven't spoke to him in a while but it definitely can be done.
I'm not saying all fish can be acclimated and live forever but I'm sure that some species could. I know a damsel could live in a brackish tank because I've seen it. One of my friends put damsels in his cichlid tank and I know for a fact they lived for several months. I'm not sure if they are still living or how long they did if they are not because I haven't spoke to him in a while but it definitely can be done.
- Location
- Long Island, NY
IMHO, although there are fresh water species that can survive in salt water and vice versa, this process does not happen overnight. Fish as with many other creatures evolve to survive but it takes time.
Trying to accomplish this is an aquarium at home is just not ideal. It will happen naturally on its own.
Trying to accomplish this is an aquarium at home is just not ideal. It will happen naturally on its own.
- Location
- Fresno, Ca
I wish!
That would work according to lamarck's theory of evolution, but not in reality. you would have to breed an unknown number of generations in water with a decreasing salinity over course of the fishes generations. Some will die. but the survivors will be more tolerant of the lower salinity. those will breed and hopefully pass on their tolerance to their offspring. It could take a while though lol.
That would work according to lamarck's theory of evolution, but not in reality. you would have to breed an unknown number of generations in water with a decreasing salinity over course of the fishes generations. Some will die. but the survivors will be more tolerant of the lower salinity. those will breed and hopefully pass on their tolerance to their offspring. It could take a while though lol.
i think the reason bullsharks can survive in freshwater (watched some nat geo shark week thing, so I'm not an expert at all) is because they store excess salt in their renal gland or kidneys or something that regulates their internal salinity regardless of the outer environment. sooner or later i think they have to return to the ocean once it runs out
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