Very cool – it looks like the patent is a translation of a Japanese patent that was filed in the US, which at least partially explains its vague nature. Most of the time, the person doing the translating does not have knowledge of the underlying technology, so much can be lost in translation.

There was an LFS near me (Philadelphia)that was doing this 20+ years ago. He just acclimated the fish to 1.017. He kept fish for many years like this and was very proud of it, i never saw the point.

Interesting.
You get to have the best of both worlds.
Although once you go into salt water tanks…
a whole new world
f.

I’ve gotta say that I’m always pretty skeptical of how healthy you can really keep any creatures when their habitat that your placing them in is very unnatural to them (any aquarium is already incredibly unnatural to any wild fish, but this is purposefully exacerbating it). I do think most creatures are very, very adaptable, but I truly believe that they will suffer in some way because of this. It is an accomplishment, but not so sure if it’s one to be encouraged. Interesting nonetheless.

To be honest, this disgusts me. I will never understand why people will think they can do better than evolution and nature. These fish have spend 75 million years evolving to live in a certain environmnet. To assume that this can be completely adjusted, without notable consequence to the organism, is foolhardy, and unfortunately, in my opinion, greedy. “A 6 month period” is barely anything, especially to be considered long term success.

It’s pretty much hypo salinity for the saltwater fish and brackish for the freshwater no? In that case why wouldn’t they survive.

@Jeremy, lets not jump to conclusions. As aquarists we are in no position to judge the hinderances humans impose on animals and their natural efficiencies from evolution. Confined areas, poor water quality, flake and pellet food. The list goes on.

The poorly translated patent, is potentially the same method that Mr. Yamamoto is using. 6 months is only referenced in the patent under the inventors observations—not Risen’s or Mr. Yamamoto where the photos were taken. It is my understanding that Mr. Yamamoto has achieved the FW/SW integration of years, not months.

This work is being done by a Professor who works in the captive breeding and aquaculture of marine species. For aquariums this is of little consequence and petty, but there are potential benefits for aquaculture.

@Paul, long term hyposalinity / brackish environments can be difficult on the fish’s system long term.

Eric, I wouldnt disagree, but this issue is not black and white. There are degrees of acceptability. In this case, the “creator” is not attempting to house these animals as properly and naturally as possible, but instead purposefully, and in my opinion (opinion being the key word, maliciously housing them innappropriately for nothing more than status and aesthetics. To me, this is comparable to injecting dyes into freshwater fish, and selecting for deleterious anomolies, because they are “atypical”. I hope I am wrong, but am afraid I am not.

@Jeremy, What is natural is deep question, but one that rarely pertains to keeping animals in captivity. How about… failing to provide an optimal artificial environment that attempts to mimic the habitat from where it was taken?

In this case Mr. Yamoto runs an aquaculture program, similar to ORA, and has found a way to keep these species together of a long period of time. As the patent hints at, there is more at work than hyposalinity or brackish water being used. What exactly we do not know, but to attack something we do not know is wrong IMO.

I understand the root for your initial disappointment and argument, but this situation and our understanding of it gives us little room to point fingers and label. The hobby’s glass house has many broken windows…

As always I appreciate your input and enthusiasm. For those reading, feel free to chime in with your own thoughts and opinions.

Hi, later I will write more infromation about his research.

Mr. Yamamoto’s research is for aquaculture.
In this water, salt water fishes grow fast, and less possibility to get disease such as White spot.
It saves a lot of cost for aquaculture.

Of couse, he still improve his reseach.
He is trying to grow abalones in this water.

Fair enough, but we will need to respectfully agree to disagree. I am not attacking techniques, innovation, or technology, but instead motivations and intentions. Sure, we can all argue that aquarium hobbyists are “bad” because we take animals from the ocean and do not re replicate that in the aquarium. But, we do try. We do attempt to make them live as long as we can, feed them as properly as we can, and maintain an environment as close to “natural” as we can. I dont see that here. I see the polar opposite. Further upon that, I would argue the benefits versus the outcome in a biological sense. I know I am being very gandiose, but, IMO , we cannot make a “better water”. We cannot beat mother nature. We cannot undo evolution in a mere lifetime, no less a few years (no less a few months or weeks). There will ultimately be a tradeoff. This is undesputable in my mind. The modern Aquarium hobby strives to minimize these deviations (by keeping fish at proper salinities, feeding appropriate diets, etc). That is why try to educate on not keeping nurse sharks in 55 gallon tanks, leaving impossible to keep fish or obligate corallivores in the ocean, etc. In this case, the two different genera of of fish come from EXTREMELY different environments (saltwater with a relatively high pH, some acidif FW fish with a relative low pH), not even counting salinity, yet (or temperature, or other variables). I dont understand how this can be sensitive to the needs of the animals, nor allow them appropriate lives. Again, I am not knocking the innovation or technology here, iut is apparently very wonderful and ingenious, but I wont ever see the value of it. Please understand, this is merely my opinion on the matter, which I am expressing. I wont attack or negate anyone elses here. Thansk for hearing me out.

I have to admit, I feel much the same as Jeremy on most of these issues. I do understand the benefits of trying “extreme ideas” (when the person doing this is qualified to do so), if their goal is to develop or prove something that will help the situation in some aspect, and this becomes a pretty fine line. I am always interested in anything aquatic, so I’m certainly glad to now be aware of the story/efforts, but I would have to come out on the side of non-support as well…admittedly doing so without knowing the full story, but based on what is presented, it certainly seems, well, questionable.

I’m with Jeremy on this one too. This research, on the face of it, looks cruel to all the species involved. The pH, temperature and salinity cannot be comfortable for all or any of the fish involved, whether they can live in it or not, and I’m betting that the fish’s long term health is affected adversely.

As stated above, think about the application this could have on aquaculture. An environment that the fish can survive and possibly thrive in, yet an environment that bacterial and parasitic organisms can not. I see this as a possible application for Hospital tanks without using antibiotics or heavy metals.

We are talking about research people. NOT something to be used as a permanent home for showing off fish.

@Nick ..yeah but that is exactly what is pictured here and what this whole blog is about.

If this can help aquaculture I’m all for it but lets use it to breed tuna, gigas clams, and other marine animals that we have hunted to virtual extinction for food, not clown fish. Lets use it so that we can eat shark fin soup without having to kill sharks out of the ocean. Using it to keep fancy goldfish and clown fish in the same body of water is a pointless waste of time.

Tell it Sam!!!

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