angels and salt

[viinsinn]

Was at the PETCO yesterday and the aquarium attendant told me that we don`t warrantee the angel fish that we buy there unless we put a small amount of "aquarium salt" into the tank and proceeded to show where the salt was located on the shelf. I thought that was outrageous. Do angel fish really need some salt in the tank water because they are from a brackish
environment? I thought that angel fish come from the Amazon tributaries in South America that are not brackish? Also I thought that the angels were very sensitive to salt and it may be toxic to them (??)

[sumthin fishy]

First, it is hogwash that any Freshwater fish needs Sodium chloride in thier tank, and will actually harm them long term. http://www.thepufferforum.com/articles/water/salt.html

Second, NaCl does not replicate brackish water. There is a lot more to saltwater(brackish being diluted SW) than sodium or chloride.

Perhaps you could print out the article Ive linked and ask the petstore why they only guarentee fish that are purposfully harmed? Ask if making money is more important to them than proper care. Go to the store manager and find out why a properly cared for fish would not be guarenteed.

[boofish2]

totally agree w/SF! That friggin' rediculous!!

[jm1212]

i would never add salt to my angels tanks. it doesnt occur in thier natural habitat, so putting it in there with them could harm them. same with corydoras. haveing even a bit of salinity can be very harmful to them.

[sumthin fishy]

Just to clarify, salt does occur naturally in all waters, but for information purposes, jm1212 has it right. The ammount of salt in an angels habbitat is negligable(ill make up the number, but think allong the lines of one grain of salt for every million gallons) In fact salt will increase the hardness of the water which is the OPPOSITE of what angels need.

[Star_Rider]

I find it odd that petco should tell you that..most of their fish are tank reared, not wild caught.
even so..angelfish generally come from varying water types and 'salt' levels. and varying levels of hardness. many of the angels live in conditions where tannins are in the water and consequently are acidic.

keep in mind salt is not only sodium but also many other minerals that exist the 'salt' form.
oddly aquarium salt is primarily sodium chloride. salt as many know it.


btw, I raise angels and rarely ever use salt unless I am treating for some illness.
the range of pH they can thrive in varys from acidic 6.8 to almost 8.0.

[pbecot01]

My guess? The store probably keeps a lot of salt in THEIR tanks to fight ich or something, and have found problems with fish dying of acclimitazation shock when moving to home aquariums without it.

Just a guess though...

[liv2padl]

salt does occur naturally in all waters while this is true for naturally ocurring waters which are mildly to very hard, there are a lot of 'soft water' evnironments which are quite mineral free and sodium chloride is definitely not among those few minerals which might occur naturally therein.