Instant Ocean

[Bayou Brother]

I heard by adding salt water (Instant Ocean) to my Cichlid tank will help to eliminate diseases and improve gill functioning. What's your thoughts??

 

[Andrew McFadden]

Africans are I believe one of the only freshwater fish that I recommend using salt with. You can buy rift lake salt from a store or make your own by following this link
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/buffer_recipe.php
Most of us african keepers make our own, just make sure you follow the dosing directions.

 

[Bayou Brother]

Thanks Andrew for the much needed advice.

 

[Andrew McFadden]

Thanks Andrew for the much needed advice.

No problem
I believe it helps with their colors in my experience. The epson salt works like a laxative so in other words will help against bloat. With mine the flashing drove me crazy (scratching) before I started using and once I started it went away. There are probably others things I just can't think of right now

 

[Bayou Brother]

Sounds like a preventive method.

 

[rocksor]

I heard by adding salt water (Instant Ocean) to my Cichlid tank will help to eliminate diseases and improve gill functioning. What's your thoughts??

This is in response to using salt for eliminating disease and gill function (basically the article says no); and nothing to do with African cichlids requiring salts.

Salt | The Skeptical Aquarist

 

[Mogurako]

Seachem "Chichlid salt" contains the following

Calcium (min) 3.24 %
Magnesium (min) 11.83 %
Potassium (min) 10.08 %
Sodium (min) 3.53 %
Sodium (max) 3.75 %
Aluminum (min) 0.90 mg
Iodine (min) 0.02 mg
Iron (min) 0.02 mg

So while it does contain a small amount of salt it's not enough to change the salinity of your water. Where as Instant ocean is almost primary Sodium chloride.