Salinity in Freshwater

S

Silvyn

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Sep 8, 2004
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I have a planted 55gallon that was started with 2 Otocinclus. This week we put in 4 Platys and 4 black mollies. The informational sheets about both types of fishes said they like salinity (one teaspoon of aquarium salt per two gallons of water).

My question is, will this harm the plants/otos if I do this, or the platys/mollies if I don't?

Thanks in advance!
 
Silvyn said:
I have a planted 55gallon that was started with 2 Otocinclus. This week we put in 4 Platys and 4 black mollies. The informational sheets about both types of fishes said they like salinity (one teaspoon of aquarium salt per two gallons of water).

My question is, will this harm the plants/otos if I do this, or the platys/mollies if I don't?

Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...
Salt is unnecessary for the plays and mollies. They do just as well in hard, alkaline water and can adapt to just about any pH and hardness. For more information regarding why salt isn't necessary in Freshwater, unless it is used as a short term treatment, please read here, here, and finally here. These all go a long way in disspelling the myths surrounding salt for the educated mind.
 
I agree save the salt for any medical treatments. My platies live and breed very fine in pH 7.4, low KH and GH water.
 
That's good to know. There's so much misinformation it's hard to find out what's acurate.

As a related question, what's a good source for finding out what conditions different fish like? Such as PH, temperature, etc? One place says that the platys like 72-82 degrees, another says 78-82.

Also, I read that the otocinclus like the ph between 6 and 7 (it's 6.8 right now), but other places say they like it higher or lower, and I don't want to be causing harm to these guys.
 
In both cases, stability is more important than a specific value. Evaluate the source--is this a private individual reporting what they've kept the fish at? Or is this a species base that's listing what conditions they are found in naturally?
 
Ah, the pH myth. Heh, yes, there is a ton of misinformation out there. Most sites will list pH preferenecs for fish. I believe this is indicative of where these fish priginate from. Unfortunately, most of us do not have the Amazon River running through our backyards. Aditionally, many of the fish in the fish trade are commercially bred and raised for many generations.

What does all of this mean? Well, mostly that fish can adapt. There are only a handful of species that I know of who simply cannot live in any pH we can normally provide out of the tap. Most fish are adapted at a local pet store, where they use the same tap water as you. By simply buying locally and acclimating your fish slowly to the tank conditions you provide, you can get most fish to not only live, but thrive in the pH and other water conditions you can provide them, so long as they are free of toxic pullutants like ammonia and nitrites.
 
Here here to all of the above.
The only problem I have heard of in regards to proper ph {not personel observation here} is in breeding certain species.
My personel experiance with Mollys and Platys and salt is , I have used it and they thrived and bred and had babys.
I have also not added it and they have thrived and bred and had babys.
Save your money ;)
 
I also am adding DIY CO2 which is lowering the Ph from the tap water level. The CO2 is constant, so the ph is constant(ly lower). But if that's okay, I'll just see how they do.

Thanks for everyone's great help.
 
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