Leebca - you are the only person I could think to inquire about this :)

[Parad1s3lost]

There are random threads around the web about a time in the 50s-70s that certain products were coming from Asia (I.e. Japan/china) that contained some sort of monosaccarides/polysaccaride sugar compounds that allowed marine and freshwater fish to regulate their respective bodily organs successfully in identical water types. There seems to be minimal information available, so I thought I'd ask someone with many years of experience. There is an article on Kordon's website about a product they had sold many years ago called "wonder water", however it never took off due to how defenseless fw fish were to the aggression of even the most docile sw fish.

Now, Kordon doesn't have a very good track record in the honesty department what with their reef safe ich medications they push on unsuspecting buyers, but I am just dying to know of any more information you might have. Here is the link,

http://www.novalek.com/kordon/articles/wonder_water.htm

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[berkdog]

interesting! I did a search and found this:
Acclimating Salt-water Fish To Brackish Or Fresh Water - Tropical Fish Forums
and
Sea Water,* Natural or Synthetic, by Robert Fenner

[Ninong]

interesting! I did a search and found this:
Acclimating Salt-water Fish To Brackish Or Fresh Water - Tropical Fish Forums

That's absurd! We ripped that guy to shreds nine or ten years ago on virtually every reefkeeping board on the planet.

Here's my favorite quote from his patent application: "It is expected that this acclimation process is applicable to most salt-water fish. Exception may include the more primitive fish such as sharks, rays, coral or anemone." Emphasis added. Yes, those "primitive coral or anemone" may not live very long in freshwater, but he's not sure about that. Maybe, maybe not.

There is a lot of garbage on the internet and one must have enough knowledge to be able to tell the hilariously absurd from the worthwhile. This is hilariously absurd. I remember the pics he posted on his website of a couple of clownfish. I have no idea how low he got them but you can easily take clownfish down to 1.008 SG. You can no doubt take them lower if you do it very gradually but I doubt that they will live very long.

Caveat emptor when surfing the web, especially if you're going to post the link on this board without saying that it is obviously ridiculous. I doubt that Lee wants something like that posted in his forum, which is why I'm doing the honors for him in case he is delayed in responding.

[berkdog]

This is interesting in a historical perspective. Reading those links, you discover this was a failed attempt. By no means does anyone anywhere suggest you do that or attempt something similar again (that would be more than ridiculous... it would be cruel and unusual).

Parad1s3lost was looking for information, seemingly for research, so I wanted to share things I was able to find since Parad1s3lost was only able to find that Kordon information.

[Ninong]

The name of the "inventor" who filed for that patent is Jerold W. Fisher. The purpose of his invention was to acclimate saltwater fish so that they could be kept in the same aquarium with freshwater fish. That alone should tell you that this guy is a couple of sandwiches shy of a picnic.

His company was called Fish-o-Rama. They ran ads in FAMA in the spring and summer of 2000 advertising "freshwater perculas" for sale. If I remember correctly, he claimed that he had acclimated these perculas to 1.002 SG, or thereabouts. I believe the recommendation is that you should raise the salinity of your freshwater aquarium to around 1.001-1.0015 before introducing your new "freshwater perculas." If I remember correctly, he claimed that your real freshwater fish and your new "freshwater perculas" would be fine at 1.0015 SG.

The whole thing was ridiculous. I'm surprised he didn't advertise baby bull sharks for your freshwater aquarium. At least they (the adults anyway) have been known to swim up the Mississippi River as far as St. Louis.

P.S. -- I believe his ads appeared in three or four issues of FAMA and that was it. I don't remember seeing them after that. His website was www.fish-o-rama.com but it no longer exists.

[berkdog]

Also, since the website no longer exists, check out: Internet Archive Wayback Machine (not all of the links/archives exist, but it's worth a shot)

[Ninong]

His company was called Fish-o-Rama. They ran ads in FAMA in the spring and summer of 2000 advertising "freshwater perculas" for sale. If I remember correctly, he claimed that he had acclimated these perculas to 1.002 SG, or thereabouts.

It's a good thing I included that "or thereabouts." According to his website, he's only claiming 1.004 SG for his "freshwater perculas." He recommends that you raise the "salinity" in your freshwater aquarium to 1.004 SG to prepare for your new "freshwater perculas." He also claims that your freshwater fish will do fine in this brackish water and exhibit more vibrant colors. He's advising that you keep freshwater fish at 8.0-8.4 pH and he doesn't even say anything about maybe just cichlids.

Fish-o-Rama

"The pH will be 8.0 to 8.4. The salt level will be brackish 1.004 specific gravity. Fresh water fish will have more color and more resistance to disease at this salt level and pH level."

"You may add any fresh water fish in your tank that you like, but you cannot put a salt water fish in unless it went through our patented process. Percula Clowns are extremely peaceful."

[leebca]

Parad1s3lost,

We'll you've got me on this one. I came onto the SW scene in the late 60's but never heard or came across the products you posted about. All my work and efforts were in the traditional use of 'Instant Ocean' and their old way of adding micro elements (a bottle came along with/in every bag of salt).

We weren't into experimenting much at the time, just trying to duplicate the recommendations by the very few authors to be found. Spotte was highly technical, other less.

Keep in mind that in those days, we didn't 'believe' in skimmers which were becoming the 'rage' in Europe at that time.

[sober_pollock]

DAMN.....Thanks for crushing my hopes guys.....

I so wanted to get an anemone to host two bluegills in the fountain in my back yard.....

pollock

[reefplayground]

hahah, the crushed hopes of another aquarium enthusiast....welcome to the hobby

[Parad1s3lost]

Thank you Lee, Ninong, gentlemen.