salt for Molly tank

Jorl Dagger

Jorl Dagger

AC Members
Aug 31, 2004
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Madison, WI
I've heard that adding salt in a tank for Mollies is beneficial, though I've heard many different amounts. I've been putting in 1 tablespoon per 5 gallons, so 4 in my 20 gallon tank. I usually do 25% water changes and add one tablespoon of salt to the water before adding it. Is this an appropriate amount?
 
Salting the mollies wont hurt them, I wont start another war about salt so lets just say some like to keep Aquarium salt in there tanks all the time, Other's dont agree. But what your hearing about is brackwater which is Marine salt not aquarium salt. Mollies are a brackish fish so check the Brack Faq at the start of the Brackish forum. If you want to learn about brackish water.
 
salinity level isn't crucial but I have heard of health problems with mollies in pure freshwater for a prolonged time. I add salt from time to time with my mollies but never a measured amount or on a regular basis. I've seen mollies in pure saltwater as well so you can't oversalt them. Kyle
 
If your water is already hard and alkaline, then that would be enough to keep your mollies happy. Mollies are very adaptable fish and can live just fine in pure fresh water, brackish, and seawater...as already mentioned. A little crushed coral in the filter would be all they need if your water is very soft.
 
Yes, it isn't sodium or chloride that they need (which is most of what salt is) but the buffering agents that make water hard (such as calcium etc...). So adding aquarium salt won't hurt them per se but it really isn't needed and is better left as a medication when the fish need it. So if you wish to have a benificial "salting" for the tank then look into doing a very light brackish tank, one where the pH is in the uper 7's to low 8's. Use Marine Aquarium salt to achieve this. But not if you have other freshwater fish in the tank.
 
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