salt in cichlid tank?

[fishtankmaster5]

would it be okay to put aquarium salt in my cichlid tank, anyone please help

http://www.bigalsonline.com/catalog/product.xml?product_id=28015;category_id=2231;pcid1=;pcid2=

 

[Cichlid-Man]

Why would you need salt in a freshwater aquarium?

Salt is usless unless treating something (and then there are even meds for that) and for brakish fish.

 

[fishtankmaster5]

Helps improve gill function to reduce stress. Reduces electrolyte loss and promotes healthy gill function, i thought it would help?

 

[Aaron]

The thinking is that freshwater fish survive just fine in the wild without having scoops of salt dumped into the water. The part about improving gill function seems to be a heap of marketing b.s. I have yet to have a fish drop dead from electrolyte loss and unless your fish are hemorrhaging electrolytes I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[littleman2001]

Adding salt wouldnt harm nuthin but its really not needed...

 

[wayne]

No. Lots of people were trying to raise the pH of their african tanks by chucking salt in at one point, but frankly it was a pretty stupid idea.

 

[Orion]

Wayne, I know that adding 'Aquarium salt' will not raise the pH, but I have in the past used Epsom salts to raise it combined with Bicarbonate of soda (baking soda). Its cheap, it works so long as you maintain regular water changes and consistant amounts of buffer, so whats stupid about it? Or is the adding of aquarium salt to raise the Ph what your calling stupid? (cause I would agree on the last one)

 

[wayne]

The latter. It works, but you end up with brackish water. It's ok though 'because the water in those lakes is so hard...'

 

[Orion]

I thought that you could not make a tank truley brackish by just using the aquarium salt. And I don't see how that would be ok, just because the lakes are hard, that dosen't say much for the salinity of the water.

 

[wayne]

The last bit was cynicism. Not many Cl- ions in those lakes so trying to harden water with salt is just not a great idea.

I think it's polly best to use marine salt to make brackish water, though as it's just a crude measure of how much NaCL and MgCl2 is dissolved I reckon you could get away with jut NaCl for many situations. Don't really know though

 

[Orion]

lol, sorry about that.

 

[fibrechunk]

salt in freshwater

I add salt to my tank for the catfish. I know it don't hurt the other fish and I have much better luck with my catfish I got. I know at the pet store they told me to add salt to the tank if you have any fish without scales. Like catfish or some of the freshwater sharks. Before adding salt every time I would buy catfish they would die in no time. Now after adding salt I have had 2 Pictus catfish for 6 months with no problem.

150 gal main tank...55 gal 2nd tank( heaters and such)....40 gal sump
2 Red Devils
4 Tinfoil barbs
2 Convicts
1 Blue Johanni
2 Pictus catfish

 

[dss2004]

I think salt is tough on some scaless fishes. I think your fish store may be wrong. Pictus cats, I believe, are often kept in brackish tanks so salt may be beneficial to them, but scaless fish like tetras and corys may not be too appreciative.

 

[fishtankmaster5]

i have never seen a scaleless tetra or cory

 

[Firebug]

silver dollars are scaleless.

I've heard that salt helps reduce stress. I had put a teaspoon or so of aquarium salt in my 50 gallon..Dunno if it works..But I wouldn't add salt continuously, bcuz the salt eventually builds up.

 

[nicolleen]

hi,

what kind of cichlid tank is it??

for malawi (which is soft, but quite alkaline water) there is special cichlid salt which helps little injuries, that happen during their territorial fights, to heal faster and not get infected.
cichlid salt recipe
tanganjika lake indeed contains very hard water.
discus fish or small cichlids often live in extreme soft water...

don't just raise the salinity with aquarium salt (= kitchen salt), and check where your cichlids are from.

lg
niki

 

[Firebug]

Well, it's a community tank, but I kept rams, and angelfish in it at the time..

 

[nicolleen]

hi,

oh in this case i would definitely not put salt in. both are fish from very soft water with low salinity. especially rams are very sensitive in this matter.

lg
niki

 

[fishtankmaster5]

not true always, i keep, a ram in a tank with aquarium salt in it and he is very happy protecting his corner, and i use to keeps angels in with aquarium salt, and they were also happy

 

[nicolleen]

hi,

really?? how long have you had him? my experience is different, but maybe the fish, that actually make it until europe, are weaker and more susceptible to all sorts of things. you often find animals in a terrible state in the fish-shops.

lg
niki