Freshwater/Saltwater

[drwhofan]

I should state right now that I have ABSOLUTELY no intention of doing this, but aside from death, what would happen if you put a freshwater fish in saltwater and vice versa? I realise they'd probably die but what actually happens to them to make them die? if you understand my meaning...

[Toureman]

Partly answered by this...

http://www.newton.dep.anl.gov/askasci/bio99/bi o99295.htm

[hammerman]

They will die due to different osmotic pressures.

If a saltwater fish has parasites....it's fairly common to give them a quick saltwater "bath" so the parasites die and fall off.....and freshwater fish can be given a saltwater bath.

[heathfield]

Salt water is rich in minerals. Salt water fish are built to dump minerals quickly from their body systems to prevent overload. If these fish are put in fresh water, they continue to dump minerals and will rapidly die from mineral deficiency.
Fresh water is normally poor in minerals. Fresh water fish are built to absorb minerals to prevent deficiency. If these fish are placed in salt water, they continue to absorb minerals and will quickly die from a mineral overload.
Salmon and similar fish that move between salt and fresh waters undergo metabolism changes in their body systems to take account of the change in mineral density.