frshwaterfinatc
Aquarium Advice Freak
work for a corporate pet store. I'm a fish specialist. However, I don't have any say against store regulations, especially rules governed by "veterinarian's advice." Our store keeps a container of salt in almost every fresh water aquarium. The individual tanks are about 6-8 gallons each, and 9 are connected by the same pumps. The amount of salt in the containers is about 3/4 cup. I don't think this is correct. I could not find a hydrometer in the store to meaure the salinity- I'm new to this particular company. However, I will surely be able to use one within the next few days after I have someone to ask. What, if any, is the maximum salinity that a community freshwater tank should register? Fish include tetras and catfish, plecos, cichlids, goldfish. (Also mollies and dragonfish, but I know these species are perfectly fine with salt.)
However, i bought 12 at a time 3 seperate times and lost them all but one 8O I found out why, SALT IN THE STORES TANKS petsmart has small signs for guppies that say requires aquarium salt, and there is NO sign of salt in their tanks. Petco does have those pint size salt containers in each tank EVEN GOLDFISH 8O I come home, acclimate them like i know how to do, and by the 2and day, the guppies are dropping 2,3 at a time. I recently was inclined to add live plants to my 100 Gallon, 4 sword, 2 onion and i was told to add salt and they would be fine WRONG !!!!! salt kills plants period and i informed petsmart of this with evidence and they have since changed their policy ( at the carson city nv store only ) Please measure the salinity of the tetra tanks Why ? because they cannot be in brackish water period. TRUE, salt helps with disease, infections etc. and in the correct amounts with the correct fish NO plants may be fine, but selling fish raised in a salt enviroment to people whose tanks contain NO SALT is bad business practice and will turn away newbies who fail from the start by no fault of their own when it comes to the salt issue 
