salt and killifish

[tamccain]

I am considering putting some salt in my tank. I am going to put about 1tbs per 5 gallons. My question is how will the killifish respond to the salinity. The rest of my fish will be fine, but the killifish are new to me and I don't want to kill them. They are Golden Wonder Killifish.

[daveedka]

I don't know about Kili fish specifically but can't imagine why you would want to expose any of your fish to those levels of salt for any length of time. Contrary to popular myth, salt isn't needed, and isn't really good for freshwater fish.
It can be used to treat som parasites, but that requires a bit higher level and is a short teerm situation which almost any fish will get through well enough
http://www.aquasource.org/CMS/modules.php?op=modload&name=Sections&file=index&req=viewarticle&artid=54&page=1

Dave

[kamla]

daveedka i Thought live breeders like platies and mollies like some salt in the tank..

Disclaimer: I have no real knowledge when is comes to freshwater tanks, I am the true newbie :rolleyes:

[Harlock]

daveedka i Thought live breeders like platies and mollies like some salt in the tank..

Disclaimer: I have no real knowledge when is comes to freshwater tanks, I am the true newbie :rolleyes:
Hard, alkaline water can be just as comforting as some salinity to livebearers. Long debate, really, with people firm on both sides of the issue and really, only anecdotal evidence with which to support it. AKA: a can of worms.

[daveedka]

daveedka i Thought live breeders like platies and mollies like some salt in the tank..

This is one of the most prevalent myths or half truths about salt.
Most live bearers and epecially mollies like very high TDS water. what they prefer is a high level of natural salts and minerals. Some mollies do live in Brackish water, but not the majority of them. Likewise commercial molly breeders do not typically use salt in their tanks. Salt can give a simulation of hard water and some fish will tolerate it without issue, but in all honesty if we want to simulate the natural conditions, we should enhance mineral and carbonate levels to create a hard water environment for these fish. the true reality is these fish are typically better off and healthier in saft water than in tanks with NACl added.

The next real issue is with ratio's. Even the saltiest of the african rift lakes contains amounts of Na and Cl that are drastically And I do mean drastically below the 1 tbs per five gallons typically recommended. As with mollies, Rift lake cichlids prefer hard water with high mineral levels, but NACl isn't really a good answer. marine and brackish salt mixes contain many of these minerals, but are far from perfect for freshwater (hard water) fish. Freshwater aquarium salt (As far As we know) is just table salt with an inflated price. Rift lake mixes would probably hit close to the mark, but I haven't studuied them a lot. in addition to RTR's article here is one that addresses mollies in particular.
http://tcoletti.tripod.com/molly_salt_debate.html
HTH
Dave

[kamla]

Thax for the info daveedka ... My LFS peeps told me the same thing.. but this other LFS guy told me i needed to add salt for Mollies...

thats why i was checking with you guys..
before i add Mollies to my tank i will check back here to make sure my water phrams are o.k.

Plus my 72 gal tank is not completed stocked.. I am still debating on Tiger barbs or Live breeder tank (Cant make up my mind)..
I will stop tying nonsense now.

[daveedka]

before i add Mollies to my tank i will check back here to make sure my water phrams are o.k.

Just an FYI, unless you are trying for high production hard core breeding, mollies will live in pretty much anything that other fish will live in. They are truly a great community fish with little to complain about. As long as you ammonia and nitrite aren't measurable, your Ph is stable, and your tank is maintained decently they will live happy and healthy for many years. If you want them to breed raise the hardness via CaCo3, and Magnesium supplements.
Dave

[kamla]

No Plans for any Hard core breeding.. i just like the way they look.. Specially those long fins one (Not sail fin) plus i also like Tiger barbs.. so you can see my Problem..