Converting From Fresh Water To Brackish

panther1505

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Jul 16, 2004
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Hello,
I currently have a 42 gallon high fresh water aquarium. I have 3 bala sharks, 5 neons, 4 gold zebras, 2 hatchets, 2 plecos, 2 red wags, 2 dwarf gouramis, 1 dojo loach and 1 yoyo loach.
I am thinking about converting my fresh water setup to brackish. I was told that all I need to do the next time I do a water change is a 1 teaspoon of salt for ever 10 gallons of water in my tank. I would like to have a couple of dwarf puffers.

Did I get the correct information to convert to brackish?
 
Not entirely. The salt should be marine mix, not FW 'aquarium salt or table salt. However--what are you going to do with your existing fish? None of them are brackish, and while they may tolerate salt for sometime, in the long run you are shortening their lives substantially.

On the dwarf puffers--I wouldn't add them to your tank. While personality can vary greatly, dwarves are typically very nippy and will shred fins on your other fish, increasing the odds of a nasty infection. And, no, dwarf puffers are not brackish either.
 
Thank you OrionGirl.
I was told the total opposite. Someone at one of the LFS that I go to told me that they put salt in all of their tanks, and that all of the fish in my aquarium right now will be able to tolerate the salt, and that dwarf puffer were brackish.
So, are dwarf puffish saltwater, or fresh?
 
Tolerate, yes, as in put up with for a short period of time, such as treating a specific medication. There are people who use low doses of salt constantly, but there is no long term benefit from this, and many species, like tetras, will noticably decline. Adding salt in low doses does not make the setup brackish--brackish water is much more than just NaCl in the water.

Dwarf puffers are completely freshwater. They can tolerate salt for medicinal treatment, such as used for ich, but that's it. They still won't be a good fit in your tank.
 
panther1505, i'm converting my FW tank to BW now... putting my plants and fish in bet now... from tap water, i get <1.000 SG probably 0.440 for usual tap water SG (correct me if i'm wrong). I put couple of tablespoon of salt in it and it increases slightly higher now... and going to increase it 0.002 each week... someone told me that once it reaches 1.004, my plant will say bye bye... well, i'm betting on it...
 
I bought a Dwarf Puffer for my 55 gallon tank. The guy at the fish store when I bought him said he can live in freshwater, but said he would recommend putting aquarium salt in the tank as they like it and it wont harm my other fish. So far I have had him for 3 weeks and he co-exisits with my 2 balas, 2 large danios, 3 swordtails, 4 catfish, 4 dwarf frogs, 2 gold dust mollies, 2 kerbesis, 4 glass cats and he hasn't nipped an anybody yet.

Was reading this site seemed helpfull

http://www.dwarfpuffers.com/
 
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Lets back this up and start fromt he top, dwarf Puffers are Fresh water that is correct, not brackish,
What are you planning on doing with the fish you have in that tank now? the only fish other then regular brackish fish "Columbian sharks, scats, argentas, Green Spotted Puffer, Figure 8 Puffers,and a few others, that can and like brack water are mollies and platties that I am aware of at the moment, all the fish you have will die from it sept maybe the red wags.....them are platties right?
Use marine salt, not table salt, table salt does not have the right minerals and elements at marine salt.
I know a guy that had been using table salt and when he made the change to marine salt there was a world of difference in his fish.
Now for the extra stuff, You never have to add salt to your tank just to have it there cause a fish like it, it;s not needed unless your a breeder and know what fish like it when they are breeding "IMHO from listening to others" I use to use salt in my tank all the time, and I see now it was the biggest waste of time doing it.
Now this Ick thing, ever tank has ick "well Most of them" the best way to get rid of it, it to turn up the dang heater, yes no salt, just turn the heat up to at least 86*, this will cycle the life span of the ick faster so it don;t have a chance to multiply, leave the heat up for a week and your Ick should be gone.
Using salt while treating ick is ok when you turn up the heat with it, this will help to kill the ick untell your next bout with it.
If your like me and see your ick as soon as a fish gets a couple spots on him, and turn up the heat, you should not see it on anymore fish with in a days time most of the time, but I look at my fish almost daily so I can catch I most times catch it early.
anyway, this is getting off topic so I'll drop it here.
Hope ths helped.
If you want to chat with my brackish buddy down the street, he has researched brackish more then most people who keep brackish fish, PM me and i'll hookyou up with him, he has a 125g brack tank
 
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