Why Do People Add Salt To There Freshwater Aquarium?

Hey guys,

Recently when I have been browsing the forum I have noticed that so many fish keepers have been using salt in there tank when there fish have no illness. I am curious to see why?

This is what I have found on the internet for for’s and against using salt.

Dangers for using salt in a freshwater aquarium:

Using salt means that when your fish do have an illness they would have build up an immunity to the salt meaning that it would not work.

Using to much salt can burn your fish meaning that they could easily die.

Good things about salt:

It helps fish who have nitrite or ammonia poisoning. I have also read that it can help fish with poor swim bladders.

If you do or do not use salt please tell me in the poll and if you do tell me why.

 

I don’t.

I think most people who do it, don’t know what they’re doing, or at least doesn’t have a full understanding of why they do it. Perplexing I know, but I found this to be true on many occasions.

 

I think most people who do it, don’t know what they’re doing, or at least doesn’t have a full understanding of why they do it. Perplexing I know, but I found this to be true on too many occasions.

I always warn against it but they say it is good for the fish it really isn’t.

 

I always warn against it but they say it is good for the fish it really isn’t.

I once read someone spending a lot of money buying fish online and when it arrived the person added salt to the aquarium. It died not long after. The person didn’t have a reasonable answer as to why he/she did it.

 

I used to add just a tiny bit to my guppy tank as I believed that it would help prevent diseases and keep my fish calm. I now know there isn't much evidence for the latter and adding salt may cause more health risks then benefits on the lack of diseases in a tank. So I ditched the salt.

 

I used to add just a tiny bit to my guppy tank as I believed that it would help prevent diseases and keep my fish calm. I now know there isn't much evidence for the latter and adding salt may cause more health risks then benefits on the lack of diseases in a tank. So I ditched the salt.

Pet store give so much false information nowadays,pet stores to to start giving proper information.

 

Pet store give so much false information nowadays,pet stores to to start giving proper information.

Yeah I know! I've thankfully found a pet store near me (1/2 hour) which is staffed only with professionals or whose who have a good fisk-fish-keeping experience, so I'm set

 

I found an interesting video by the wonderful Rachel O’leary.

 

Hey guys,

Recently when I have been browsing the forum I have noticed that so many fish keepers have been using salt in there tank when there fish have no illness. I am curious to see why?

This is what I have found on the internet for for’s and against using salt.

Dangers for using salt in a freshwater aquarium:

Using salt means that when your fish do have an illness they would have build up an immunity to the salt meaning that it would not work.

Using to much salt can burn your fish meaning that they could easily die.

Good things about salt:

It helps fish who have nitrite or ammonia poisoning. I have also read that it can help fish with poor swim bladders.

If you do or do not use salt please tell me in the poll and if you do tell me why.

Fish...

Salt has been used for decades and a natural tonic to help fish deal with stress and to boost the immune system. I've used a little for quite a few years and feel any fish would benefit from a small dose. I use a healthy teaspoon in every 5 gallons of water change water. My Goldfish and tropical fish are colorful and healthy. I would say if you're a water change fanatic and change out most of the water in your tanks every few days, it's probably not really necessary. I know that pathogens and parasites aren't able to live long or reproduce in pure water with a trace of salt in it.

It's your decision.

Old

 

Fish...

Salt has been used for decades and a natural tonic to help fish deal with stress and to boost the immune system. I've used a little for quite a few years and feel any fish would benefit from a small dose. I use a healthy teaspoon in every 5 gallons of water change water. My Goldfish and tropical fish are colorful and healthy. I would say if you're a water change fanatic and change out most of the water in your tanks every few days, it's probably not really necessary. I know that pathogens and parasites aren't able to live long or reproduce in pure water with a trace of salt in it.

It's your decision.

Old

Addding salt to your aquarium actually makes the fish Ill as it provides a barrier to stop fish from getting the nutrients they need,I would personally only use salt if the fish have nitrite poisoning.

 

I will still use salt as baths and dips though for treatment! I've seen it's positive effects on any poorly fish I have so I know it works

 

I believe people add salt because they tried adding pepper and it made their fish sneeze. Its the lesser of two evils.

 

I believe people add salt because they tried adding pepper and it made their fish sneeze. Its the lesser of two evils.

I would LOVE to see a fish sneeze.

 

I would LOVE to see a fish sneeze.

I've seen a fish yawn before!

If a fish sneezed would it be with bubbles or water? Maybe they do sneeze and we just don't know it..

 

I used to add a small amount of salt on and off for my tail biting betta and it helped his fins regrow and not get infected or bitten more, ect. He also had bad gills so it helped with that. I’ve never used it for any other fish than that betta, and it really was a last-ditch attempt to heal his poor fins. I stopped the salt after he stopped biting his tail (it took monnnths). I wouldn’t do a full dose on a tank for anything other than medication. I think for my betta I did like a 1/3 dose for a week then slowly reduced the salt then gave it a couple weeks then slowly increased the salt if it got worse (it usually did). I don’t really recommend it unless it’s the last resort.

 

Well blow me down I'm wrong. Fish cannot sneeze but they can cough in order to clear their gills.

 

Well blow me down I'm wrong. Fish cannot sneeze but they can cough in order to clear their gills.

Adding salt for fish is like going into the sea with a huge cut.

 

Aquarium Salt is useless.

20 years ago it was great! Because there weren't meds.

Now there are meds and methods for ammonia poisoning, disease, etc.

Also, I must correct you in saying that it's actually Epsom salt that is useful for swim bladder disease, as well as bloating and dropsy.

 

No salt. Especially if you have:

1. Scaleless fish.

2. Plants.

3. Ornamental snails.

 

Try telling goldfish keepers not to have salt on hand.

 

One word describes why most people dose salt: "Ignorance."

It ain't good for freshwater fish - tis why it's used as a medication. And that's only how it should be used.

 

Aquarium Salt is useless.

20 years ago it was great! Because there weren't meds.

Now there are meds and methods for ammonia poisoning, disease, etc.

Also, I must correct you in saying that it's actually Epsom salt that is useful for swim bladder disease, as well as bloating and dropsy.

Thank you for that fact, adding to my knowledge is fantastic and I am happy to be corrected if I am wrong.

One word describes why most people dose salt: "Ignorance."

It ain't good for freshwater fish - tis why it's used as a medication. And that's only how it should be used.

I would disagree yes using salt in my opinion is silly unless you have ill fish, but they not ignorant they are just misinformed

 

I would disagree yes using salt in my opinion is silly unless you have ill fish, but they not ignorant they are just misinformed

Ignorance is simply the absence of correct knowledge.

Try telling goldfish keepers not to have salt on hand.

I will say that I do not know the first thing about goldfish. They never interested me.

 

Try telling goldfish keepers not to have salt on hand.

Why not?

 

Try telling goldfish keepers not to have salt on hand.

Why not? I never used salt for my goldfish.

 

Why not?

He doesn't know. It's why he hasn't elaborated .

 

Try telling goldfish keepers not to have salt on hand.

Goldfish are cold water, not marine they don’t need salt.

 

I am not ignorant I know two things about Goldfish.

First they are gold.

Second they are fish.

 

I am not ignorant I know two things about Goldfish.

First they are gold.

Second they are fish.

Nobody said you were ignorant?

 

Nobody said you were ignorant?

He's just kidding

 

I do not use salt in normal Freshwater tanks unless there is a disease problem, and I have, of course, used salt for brackish water tanks. Many common species are capable of living in both fresh and brackish water, such as Mollies, which can even adapt to full sea water. However, fish that come from freshwater far from the ocean should not have salt added unless treating an illness. It is useful when treating sick fish, as the right concentration makes it easier to maintain osmotic balance, which actually can make medications more effective. However, bringing the fish back to pure freshwater too quickly after it has adapted to such water is a common cause of "mysterious" deaths. It has also started a counter-myth that salt is always bad for Freshwater fish. One claim is that it irritates the skin into producing more slime. While it does increase slime production, it is not due to irritation. Again, it relates to the osmotic balances.

The idea for adding salt as a prophylactic treatment is an old one. It is partially true, but in the long run, not a good idea. I believe it stems from the fact that many of our earlier aquarium species were hard water fish. It helps with keeping hard water species in water that is relatively soft by increasing the TDS. However, we now know that things that add calcium are better for this purpose. But old ideas die hard. Many people still believe that the smallest amount of salt will kill Corydoras, even though that was proven wrong decades ago. How some of these ideas got started is hard to say, but there are a lot of old wives' tales out there. Telling which is fact and which is fiction is not easy.

Edit: after writing the above, I watched Rachel's video. Essentially, we are completely in agreement concerning salt use. If you haven't watched that video, I would highly recommend it.

 

Addding salt to your aquarium actually makes the fish Ill as it provides a barrier to stop fish from getting the nutrients they need,I would personally only use salt if the fish have nitrite poisoning.

Hello Fish...

Sorry. I don't buy it. I've been in the water keeping hobby too many years. Salt, in small doses, is excellent for my Goldfish and Livebearing fish especially. I've use it with my Corydoras, some are more than six years old. My Plecos and Danios thrive in water with a bit of salt. Why do you think it's used to treat pathogens and parasites like Ich. In all the years I've used it, I've never had a tank issue.

The choice is yours,

Old