Salt & snails in freshwater aquarium

[Cindy 64]

Hi!
I have a 3 week old, 39 gallon bowfront aquarium. I set it up before learning about...well basically anything. I've had successful aquariums in the past, without knowing all the basics. Apparently I've been doing everything wrong. I have 15 guppies, 2 snails, 1 pleco, 1 blue gourami, & a pictus catfish. I've read that adding aquarium salt to freshwater tanks is beneficial, but I worry the salt is harmful to the snails. Does anyone know? Also I wondered if I have enough room to get another pictus, as I've learned they like to have pals? I have a 10 gallon tank I can put some guppies in if I need to. I was kinda keeping it for a hospital/quarantine tank, unless I need to use it for some guppies. Of course any new fish would wait until the cycling is completed.
Thank you

 

[Toad]

Don't add salt, it really is unnecessary, amd will hurt not only your snail, but the pleco and pictus.

Pictus catfish do like buddies, but will eat your guppies. I kept a single one before I knew better, he also attacked my bn pleco. Really research this fish and decide if it's truly one you want to build a tank around.

Also, what kind of pleco do you have? Some can grow quite large.

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[Cindy 64]

Not sure which kind I will have to research that. The store sign just said pleco. I think it's ok if it gets large because my daughter has a 125 gallon tank with just a turtle & a big goldfish. She will take it once it gets big enough. She didn't want a little guy & is willing to wait for it to grow in my tank. Thank you for the salt advice. I will probably put the guppies in my 10 gallon, acquire another tank for quarantine/ hospital. I actually kind of enjoy watching the pictus. Never thought I would like catfish but I will definitely look into them more.

 

[Melners]

Depends on the kind of snails in your tank. Nerite snails will only hatch eggs in brackish water, therefore they can handle salt. I own a zebra nerite snail and it's been fine when I added aquarium salt to treat the tank. As for other snails I'm pretty sure it would hurt them.

 

[SherLar]

I've heard often that guppies do well with a bit of aquarium salt in the water, but I think they also do as well without it. As Toad said, your other fish won't appreciate it.
Toad is also correct that your Pictus will eat your guppies, and prefer to be in groups. It doesn't have to be a large group; 3 or 4 will work fine.
If you really want to keep the guppies though, the Pictus will have to go. I have a group of 6 Pictus, and love them. In groups, they're very peaceful fish, and will do fine with other tank-mates, provided they're too large to be thought of as food.

 

[Cindy 64]

I think I have a common pleco. He is a dark tan color with black spots. He doesn't have alot of bristles on his mouth or nose.

 

[Cindy 64]

I think the snails are golden incas.

 

[BBradbury]

Cin...

A tank with fish doesn't cycle in 3 weeks. You need to focus on the water chemistry if you hope to keep any of those fish. Test the water daily for traces of ammonia and nitrite. If you have a positive test, remove 25 percent of the water and replace it with tap water treated with an additive to remove chlorine and chloramine. Feed a little every day or two to maintain a steady ammonia source. Just test and remove and replace the water when needed. When several water tests show no traces of ammonia or nitrite, the tank is cycled. Then you just change out half the water weekly to maintain steady, healthy water condtions. As for the salt, you don't need it if you're keeping the tank water clean.

B

 

[Fresh2o]

You can jump start the cycle by adding some established media to your filter. It should cut down on the cycling time (as opposed to starting from scratch).

 

[Cindy 64]

Thank you all for your help!