Salt or no salt?

[csuggett]

HI should i keep using aquarium salt with the following fish
-4 rummy nose
-3 guppies
-1 dwarf catfish
-1 bristle nose pleco
-1 german ram
-3 glass fish

This is an established 35 gallon tank. i was told at the pet store to just reduce the salt to half due to the pleco and catfish. Thoughts?

 

[King Fisher]

Why are you using aquarium salt? And how much have you been using?

 

[rlederer]

I don't think it's necessary.

 

[csuggett]

Why are you using aquarium salt? And how much have you been using?

i was under the impression aquarium salt was necessary for regular tank maintenance. Plus the aquarium store advised i use it for the health benefits. i use it according to the instructions. 1 scoop per 10 gallons

 

[King Fisher]

No you don't have to use it....some are down right opposed to it. It's commonly used for some illnesses and fin issues. Some people use it regularly in low ppm. Generally nothing more than 1 teaspoon per 5 gallons. If you are set on using it regularly I'd say do 1 teaspoon per 10 gallons. I don't know what your scoop is but I'd go by teaspoon. Ultimately I would say you can cut out all salt. The health of your fish depends highly on water quality and regular tank maintenance.....no overfeeding and fasting the fish at least one day a week. Keep your ammonia at 0, your nitrites at 0 and your nitrates never over 40 ppm.

 

[goatnad]

i was under the impression aquarium salt was necessary for regular tank maintenance. Plus the aquarium store advised i use it for the health benefits. i use it according to the instructions. 1 scoop per 10 gallons

it absolutely is not need for tank maintenance and in the long run can cause kidney failure, kidney stones and many other issues in freshwater fish. you also should never use aquarium salt with scaleless fish like your dwarf catfish. scaleless fish are extra sensitive to salt. using it for short treatments of illness are ok (again not when scaleless fish are in the tank).

 

[coralbandit]

Say no to salt.
It is not naturally found in any freshwater fishes water..
There is fresh water /brackish and marine .
That is how fish should be kept.
If your source water is already in the medium range of ph/kh/gh and TDS then only the guppy would even enjoy the addition of salt .
All your other fish are not liking the salt at all IMO.

 

[Barliman]

HI should i keep using aquarium salt with the following fish
-4 rummy nose
-3 guppies
-1 dwarf catfish
-1 bristle nose pleco
-1 german ram
-3 glass fish

This is an established 35 gallon tank. i was told at the pet store to just reduce the salt to half due to the pleco and catfish. Thoughts?

I wouldn't, unless you're treating for disease.

 

[BBradbury]

Hello cs...

Yes. You can use a little standard aquarium salt in any freshwater tank. A rounded teaspoon in every 5 gallons of treated tap water will keep your fish healthy and parasites and pathogens from developing. However, if you're a good water changer and remove and replace most of the tank water weekly, you don't really need it. It will give you a little "wiggle room" if for some reason you miss that weekly water change.

B

 

[gilpi]

No salt. Clean fresh water only. Simple.

 

[King Fisher]

Every body of water where fish live have dissolved salts to some degree. After all.... rivers supplied the ocean with salt.

 

[rlederer]

True, but unless one is using R/O water, the water has sufficient salt to begin with.

 

[King Fisher]

True, but unless one is using R/O water, the water has sufficient salt to begin with.

That's also true