Salt or no salt?

[P8ntballer52]

I hear a lot of people who done use any salt in there tanks. I don't understand why? There are more positives to using salt then not using it.


Can anyone tell me why you would not use salt?

 

[jetajockey]

I guess the main reason would be that it's not necessary or beneficial to maintain a level of salt in the tank constantly. It does have its uses as a treatment for a myriad of different issues, though.

 

[P8ntballer52]

I guess the main reason would be that it's not necessary or beneficial to maintain a level of salt in the tank constantly. It does have its uses as a treatment for a myriad of different issues, though.

Ummm it may not be necessary. But it is most definitely beneficial.

First, some tap water sources are very low in dissolved salts compared to certain fish-collecting or fish-raising areas, and the addition of salt might simply make the fish feel more "at home". Second, salt provides replacement sodium and chloride ions that stressed or sick fish need. Third, salt may inhibit the fishes' uptake of toxic chemicals like nitrite. Finally, salt inhibits parasites (for example, Chilodonella cyprini) that are sometimes difficult to diagnose or treat.

 

[P8ntballer52]

Also
It Improves The Environment, Deduces Toxicity, Reduces Stress, helps prevent disease and parasites

 

[jetajockey]

Saying that it's beneficial is a blanket statement about a wide range of fish. There are some fish that handle salt well, or even like it, but there are some that don't tolerate it well at all.

Like I mentioned already, salt is a go-to for a lot of different ailments, I use it for lots of stuff, but it's not something I'd keep in a freshwater tank indefinitely.

In response to your list:

1) Another blanket statement, most fish are raised in farms or by breeders, some use salt, some don't, you could make the same exact argument anti-salt as well.

2) Again, salt as a treatment for sick/stressed fish is an age old practice that I totally advocate.

3) Salt definitely inhibits nitrite toxicity, but a cycled tank doesn't have a nitrite issue. So again no point in having it in the tank unless there is an issue.

and 4) Again, a treatment for an ailment. Depending on the species, if I can't figure out what is going on I often add salt because it does help with certain issues.

Some of the negatives of using salt would be that certain fish don't tolerate salt very well and dosing salt to maintain a salinity level could complicate things during routine WC's, although the latter could be circumvented by a little math and patience.

 

[P8ntballer52]

First off I have to disagree with you completely.

Salt is something that should always be kept in a tank. Read this. You might learn something new

Fish have organs that enable them to adjust to small changes in the concentration of salt in the water. On the other hand, pathogens such as bacteria and protozoa are simpler life forms with no internal organs to regulate changes in salt concentration. Most common skin parasites live on the skin surface, not beneath it, so are more vulnerable to low salinities. The concentration of salt can be changed to weaken pathogens present without harming the fish, thus giving sick fish a better chance of recovering.

Low dosages are also believed to help clear the gills of excess mucus that builds up in cases of parasitic disease. Some fish hobbyists might use salt as an as a one-off treatment in an emergency, when the fish is suffering respiratory distress and no other alternatives are available. However, extra care needs to be exercised in such cases, particularly if the fish has already been weakened by disease.

When fish are stressed or diseased, their osmoregulatory systems do not function properly. When fish suffer “osmoregulatory dysfunction,” they find it more difficult to obtain sufficient salts from the water, and get rid of excess water. This means that they lose bodily salts to the water. Salt replaces the lost sodium and chloride ions that stressed or sick fish need. Adding salt to the water helps fish to reduce the amount of salt that their bodies are losingthis principle is akin to that of providing hospital patients with saline drips.

 

[Fishkeeper26]

If you asked for people opinion, why are you arguing with them? I don't use salt and my tanks are fine, however I've used it as treatment before.

There isn't any point to using salt in a healthy aquarium. The last 2 paragraphs you posted were about sick fish, if you don't have sick fish why bother?

 

[P8ntballer52]

The last 2 paragraphs were not about sick fish. They were about preventing fish from getting sick.

 

[Fishkeeper26]

...thus giving sick fish a better chance of recovering.

Low dosages are also believed to help clear the gills of excess mucus that builds up in cases of parasitic disease.

Some fish hobbyists might use salt as an as a one-off treatment in an emergency, when the fish is suffering respiratory distress and no other alternatives are available.

However, extra care needs to be exercised in such cases, particularly if the fish has already been weakened by disease.

When fish are stressed or diseased, their osmoregulatory systems do not function properly.

You sure about that?

 

[P8ntballer52]

Yeah. Pretty sure I know what I wrote.

It helps fish get better if they do get sick. But also helps prevent.

 

[Fishkeeper26]

Yeah. Pretty sure I know what I wrote.

It helps fish get better if they do get sick. But also helps prevent.

Well your last two paragraphs aren't about preventing disease.

It'll say it again, if you have a healthy aquarium There isn't a need for salt IMO.

I'm not saying your wrong, I'm just don't think it's needed.

 

[jetajockey]

First off I have to disagree with you completely.

Well it's good to know that you don't agree with anything that I've said thus far, lol.

Salt is something that should always be kept in a tank. Read this. You might learn something new

Fish have organs that enable them to adjust to small changes in the concentration of salt in the water. On the other hand, pathogens such as bacteria and protozoa are simpler life forms with no internal organs to regulate changes in salt concentration. Most common skin parasites live on the skin surface, not beneath it, so are more vulnerable to low salinities. The concentration of salt can be changed to weaken pathogens present without harming the fish, thus giving sick fish a better chance of recovering.

Low dosages are also believed to help clear the gills of excess mucus that builds up in cases of parasitic disease. Some fish hobbyists might use salt as an as a one-off treatment in an emergency, when the fish is suffering respiratory distress and no other alternatives are available. However, extra care needs to be exercised in such cases, particularly if the fish has already been weakened by disease.

When fish are stressed or diseased, their osmoregulatory systems do not function properly. When fish suffer “osmoregulatory dysfunction,” they find it more difficult to obtain sufficient salts from the water, and get rid of excess water. This means that they lose bodily salts to the water. Salt replaces the lost sodium and chloride ions that stressed or sick fish need. Adding salt to the water helps fish to reduce the amount of salt that their bodies are losingthis principle is akin to that of providing hospital patients with saline drips.

Did you copy and paste that? If so, where did it come from? Just curious because when making claims about something, whether they be totally factual or not, they really should have a source cited so that it can be further referenced if necessary.

Again, some species are more tolerant of salt than others. And all you've done is explain why it is a good idea to treat different diseases and issues with salt, which I've already agreed was a good idea.

Should we add antibiotics periodically to a tank to help prevent infection? Why do it with salt then?

The last paragraph is a moot point, the last sentence proves that. The comparison to hospital patients being provided with saline drops, keyword: hospital.

 

[P8ntballer52]

Im not talking about a ton of salt. Im talking About 1TBLS for every 5 gals.

And any salt works.

 

[jetajockey]

I'm not talking about a ton of salt either, 1tbsp/5gal is the standard ich treatment and even that can be a bit much for some fish, certain tetras and rams come to mind immediately.

 

[Megacichlid]

I uae 1 tablespoon to 5 gallon fresh water salt as well

 

[LyndaB]

Can anyone tell me why you would not use salt?

Because I have freshwater fish.

Yeah. Pretty sure I know what I wrote.

You may have posted it, but if I read your initial post and then others, where you rave about the benefits, I can see that those other posts are not your words.

I support Jeta's statement about posting where you got all that information. It's the only way to either give credit where credit is due or further argue the point.

 

[aqua_chem]

First off I have to disagree with you completely.

Salt is something that should always be kept in a tank. Read this. You might learn something new

Fish have organs that enable them to adjust to small changes in the concentration of salt in the water. On the other hand, pathogens such as bacteria and protozoa are simpler life forms with no internal organs to regulate changes in salt concentration. Most common skin parasites live on the skin surface, not beneath it, so are more vulnerable to low salinities. The concentration of salt can be changed to weaken pathogens present without harming the fish, thus giving sick fish a better chance of recovering.

In therapeutic doses, and specifically rapid changes, it will hurt single celled organisms worse then multicellular ones. But in long term dosages, bacteria and other micro-organisms will quickly adapt to moderate or high salinities in the same way the will eventually adapt to even the most powerful antibiotic.

 

[LyndaB]

they will eventually adapt to even the most powerful antibiotic.

Adapt as in become immune?

 

[aqua_chem]

Adapt as in become immune?

Resistant is a better word, but yes. Evolution at work.

 

[aqua_chem]

Resistant is a better word, but yes. Evolution at work.

Simply put, you can't prevent life where life would flourish. Life simply finds a way.

Edit: Ment to hit edit rather than quote. Sometime this app gets the better of me.