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Why cannot marine fish survive in freshwater environments?

As humans, it’s easy for us to overlook the importance of the environment in which we live. We often take it for granted because we can adapt to various conditions. However, for marine fish, the same cannot be said. They are incredibly sensitive to their surroundings, and any change in their habitat can have disastrous consequences. One such example is the fact that marine fish cannot survive in freshwater environments. In this article, we will explore the reasons behind this inability.

To understand why marine fish cannot survive in freshwater, we must first understand their physical makeup. Marine fish have an osmoregulatory system that allows them to maintain a balance between the water and salt content in their bodies. They are adapted to live in an environment that has a higher salt concentration than freshwater. For example, the average salt concentration in seawater is about 35 parts per thousand (ppt), while freshwater has a salt concentration of less than 0.5 ppt. To put it simply, the cells of marine fish are used to living in a salty environment, and their bodies are equipped to deal with it.

When marine fish are placed in a freshwater environment, their cells start to undergo osmotic shock. This means that their cells are swelling up, and they are losing vital ions and fluids. The cells are trying to balance the salt concentration in their bodies with the low levels of salt in the freshwater. As a result, the fish become extremely dehydrated, which leads to a range of health problems. For example, the fish may suffer from kidney damage, electrical imbalances in their organs, and even death.

Moreover, marine fish cannot drink freshwater to counteract the dehydration. In fact, drinking freshwater can be just as deadly as living in it. This is because the excess water will flush out the vital ions that are essential for the fish’s survival. Additionally, the kidneys of marine fish are adapted to remove excess salts from their bodies, not excess water. So, drinking freshwater will overload their kidneys, leading to salt build-up, and urinary diseases.

The inability of marine fish to survive in freshwater environments is due to their osmoregulatory system that maintains a salt balance in their bodies. When placed in low-salt conditions, their cells undergo osmotic shock, and they suffer from a range of health problems leading to the ultimate outcome of death. Therefore, it’s crucial to ensure that marine fish are only kept in their natural saltwater habitats, so they can live healthy lives.

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