Re: water change musings

[Wright Huntley <jwwiii at pacbell_net>]

Hi Roger,

Roger Hawthorne wrote:
> Thank You Wright:
> 
> My knowledge is based on what has worked for me
> over the years, and conferring with hobbyists too.
> But of I were to try and explain something, a real
> knowledgeable person might laugh.

Is *that* why I cause so many chuckles on the list. :-)

> 
> This osmotic change may be what happens when I
> give salt fish a freshwater dip, or vice versa. Am I
> wright.. cuse me...right on that one, or wrong again?

Vice versa works, but the salt fish into fresh water can sometimes be a 
horrible shock. Before the osmotic regulators can adjust, fresh water 
rushes into the cells and tries to dilute the salt of normal body 
fluids. The result can vary from simple distress to burst gill and skin 
cells and infections or death. Probably very species dependent.

You can dunk a fresh water fish into sea water with less problems, 
usually. Apparently it dehydrates some cells before the osmotic barrier 
can adjust, but the results seem less permanent.

ciao

Wright

-- 
"Deport all the product-liability lawyers to Iraq;"
                                 -- Dave Barry --
       [Best suggestion of 2002, by far...]
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