View Full Version : Salt In Community TanK?
I have a 55gal with mollies, platties, guppies, cories, shrimp, frogs,plants, etc.
Is it ok to use a small amount of salt in such a tank?
Would the livebearers benefit?
Would it help to prevent ich?
I just noticed that a lot of the fish in my lfs appear to have ich, so mine have probably been exposed.
maigen
02-06-2004, 1:16 PM
i have a community tank with swords, mollies, platys, african dwarf frogs, a pleco & clown loaches
i use salt in my water & everybody seems to be the better for it
i have used it successfully as treament for ich on clown loaches
the norm seems to be 1 tbsp per 5 gallons...introduce it slowly if you are unsure. as for salt & live plants.....i have no idea
LMOUTHBASS
02-06-2004, 1:26 PM
i see no need for salt for fresh water fish unless your medicating -
however i have heard mollies actually like somewhat brackish water - i have platies that thrive in plain fresh water
The local Walmart sets containers of aquarium salt in the mollie tanks, and the mollies lounge around in them like pigs in mud.
tricksterpup
02-06-2004, 2:27 PM
Ken,
Live bearers do not need salt to survive. They can tolerate the SW but they are best with out it.
Here is a artical posted by Dr. Ted Coletti from FAMA and the ALA (American livebearer Association).
Its called the Great Molly Debate (http://tcoletti.tripod.com/molly_salt_debate.html).
Also many of your plants would not benefit from this. Plants do not tolerate salt that well.
jim
Thanks, sounds like the negatives outweigh the positives.
I need to keep this as simple as possible anyhow.
aquariumfishguy
02-06-2004, 3:54 PM
I agree, salt is definately not needed at all. And nobody remembered that Cories (which you said you have) do not do well with a high concentration of salt in their tanks. As mentioned, you can forget about live plants if you keep salt in your tank.
Salt should be used the way it was first intended in aquariums, to treat already overly stressed fish or fish that are clearly injured/diseased. I dont see the point in using with healthy fish BUT......thats JMO based on JME.