Salt=more color?

[corster]

Does salt even in a freshwater tank make the colors better in fish?

 

[JDogg]

Does salt even in a freshwater tank make the colors better in fish?

there is no good reason to add salt to a freshwater tank

 

[Fishyfanatic]

Not IMO. I haven't seen any evidence of the contrary. I haven't had disease in my tanks for several years and have never used salt.

 

[corster]

why are salt water fish more colorful?

 

[ezy33]

Does salt even in a freshwater tank make the colors better in fish?

there is no good reason to add salt to a freshwater tank

Some "fresh water" fish are actually brackish and require some salt in the water For long term captivity.

I use salt as a antibiotic. When I suspect a outbreak of Ick or other malady I add a several cups ( according to tank size) of salt. IMO the change of gravity will shock the system.

why are salt water fish more colorful?

IMO the way light waves travel in salt water is why, Also water tempture is a factor.

 

[Sidi]

why are salt water fish more colorful?

While somewhat true in general, that's not uniformly true. African cichlids are much more colorful than salmon, tuna, perhaps even the bulk of saltwater fish.

I think it's very true that reef fish are much brighter and more colorful than freshwater fish, and the vast majority of fish in aquaria come from reefs (mostly because they are so pretty).

If I had to take a guess I'd say that the fact that the reefs already have so many bright colors, combined with nearly limitless hiding places from predators (unless that hiding place happens to contain a moray...) has lead to reef fish becoming so bright, in order to stand out for mates.

Also, the lighting on reef tanks (much brighter lighting, actinic bulbs) seems to make the color of fish stand out much more strongly than the standard strip light on most freshwater tanks. When I upgraded my lighting to start growing plants the colors on all my fish really started to pop out much more than in the past.

 

[Fishyfanatic]

Adding aquarium salt (which I assume he is talking about) to a freshwater tank and brackish tanks are two totally different things. Why are African Mbuna more colorful than Eels? They just are. Real scientific huh.

 

[tropicfishman]

salt is used for bracksih tanks, it does however help in gill function in freshwater fish and can sometimes help fight off disease, it won't hurt anythign to add it, although you do have to check to see if your fish can handle it, soem can't

 

[ezy33]

Adding aquarium salt (which I assume he is talking about) to a freshwater tank and brackish tanks are two totally different things. Why are African Mbuna more colorful than Eels? They just are. Real scientific huh.

Any salt that has no additives (mainly iodine) will work.

IMO if your Mbuna Eel is more colorful it may come from cloudy or stained waters. IE: Lower light levels.

 

[JDogg]

Does salt even in a freshwater tank make the colors better in fish?

there is no good reason to add salt to a freshwater tank

Some "fresh water" fish are actually brackish and require some salt in the water For long term captivity.

the salt you add for a brackish tank is different from "aquarium salt" which some recomend for freshwater tanks, anyways we are tanking about freshwaters, if the op was asking about brackish then we can talk salt

 

[coldmachineUK]

There are two things aquarium salt can do in FW (as jdogg says, I won't mention marine salt since the OP was talking FW here):

1. Aids in osmoregulation for stressed fish (i.e. new arrivals). Not recommended for long-term use.
2. Aids in reducing the toxicity of nitrIte and nitrAte.

This is why many fishkeepers used to use it in the past. With more (and more frequent) PWCs the latter reason for using it is no longer really there.