Converting a freshwater fish to a saltwater fish?

Question

I was told that aquarium owners convert small freshwater fish to saltwater. I tried searching for it, but only gives me aquariums not fish. I'd appreciate any help.

Answer 1

This can be done, but only for a few species. I've done it with mollies and guppies.

There are a couple of ways to do the procedure. I start with the smallest tank that can comfortably house the fish. You can slowly add salt in small amounts (about a teaspoon to a tablespoon mixed with tank water before adding) about once an hour until you reach the correct salinity. The other way is to use a drip system. This can be something as simple as a bucket of saltwater mixed to the correct salinity above the fish, and airline tubing to siphon water from the bucket with the water to another tank or bucket with the fish in a shallow level of water. Use a plastic valve (http://www.thatpetplace.com/pet/group/10420/product.web ) somewhere in the tubing line to adjust the rate of flow to a few drops per minute. With this method, you only need to check that the bucket doesn't overflow.

Mollies can be acclimated in as little as a day, guppies should be done more gradually, taking up to 4 days. I've never tried to do it that fast, and usually spread this out over a week or two, as it seems to make the fish hardier. Of the two species I've acclimated to salt, the guppies seem to have done the best for me. I currently have a trio of half-blacks with turquoise tails that are spawning in saltwater, and I intend to ask around at my local fish store to see if they would be interested in having the saltwater acclimated fry for peole to use for cycling marine tanks - that's what I originally used the mollies for, but guppies would be better for nanotanks, given their current popularity.

Answer 2

You shouldn't try to convert freshwater fish into saltwater. The fish that aquarium owners convert are called "brackish" (not freshwater) fish which can live in either completely salt free water or water with some degree of salinity. For a list of brackish fish, look here:

http://www.aquariumfish.net/indexes/brackish.htm

It is not recommended to try to make brackish fish live in real saltwater (ocean qualities). This is beyond their range of acceptable water. This site, http://www.myfishtank.net/forum/brackish-discussion/35372-brackish-tanks-guide.html, gives a lot of information on how to convert *brackish* fish from *freshwater* to *BRACKISH* type water.

Also, use marine, not freshwater aquarium salt such as Red Sea or InstantOcean.

Answer 3

not sure what your asking,

but saltwater tanks are really hard to keep, and if your not experienced, small tanks arent the way to go.

Both freshwater and saltwater follow the same rule, the larger tank you go with, the greater chance for success you have.

With small tanks, you cant stock much and the chances increase that your tank will crash.

so make sure you have enough room to have all of the gear that a saltwater tank needs. Such as skimmers and filters. You will need saltwater mix, such as instant ocean, and crushed coral and live coral.

With a small tank, you really should be looking at fish other than damsel. Also you can stock with inverts like shrimps and snails.

Answer 4

I don't think you can "convert" any freshwater fish to saltwater. There are some freshwater and marine fish that can 'crossover' such as salmon and some sharks, but they have to completely alter their body chemistry, and not all fish are capable of doing that. Placing most freshwater fish into a saltwater or even a brackish environment will essentially "pickle" them. It will draw too much fluid out of their bodies and kill them. If you look into it, though, you may find some small aquarium fish that can adapt naturally to either water.

Answer 5

yes mollies for the most part and some eels or puffers can be slowly acclimated into saltwater. I have never done it but i have heard of a few ways to go about doing it. One person i spoke with said he first acclimated the mollies to a higher pH over a few days to get it use to living in a more basic pH. then once that was succesful he said he did the same by drip acclimating it over a few days with water with higher salt content. not sure if the fisrt step is needed being i have never tried it but i do know it is possible. just go really slow with a drip acclimation and if you are succesful please let me know how it went cause sounds like an interesting project.
And take copperheads advice he knows his stuff. saved me lots of times and good luck

Answer 6

It takes a lot of patience and experience. You basically have to slowly (very slowly! don't pour it all in in 5 minutes, more like over an hour or so at least so it can adapt) increase the relative amount of salt water to fresh water in the target fish's bowl until it's eventually mostly salt water, observing for signs of stress in the fish while you're doing it. My boyfriend did this with a freshwater puffer before adding it to his saltwater tank. (Note: You cannot do the reverse, from saltwater to freshwater.)

Answer 7

The mollies that are sold in fish stores are basically sold as freshwater fish, but they are, in fact, brackish water fish that can and do live in 100% sea water.

Some marine tank keepers actually cycle their salt water tanks with mollies and leave them in the tank afterwards. It takes a very long time (hours) to completely change them over to salt water but it can be done, usually by the drip method of acclimatizing them.

Answer 8

This can only be done with fish that naturally inhabit estuaries, or areas where rivers run into the sea. In the areas the water is "brackish" or a mixture of fresh and salt water. These fish can swim out to sea or up the river.

Answer 9

Usually wont work.