Aquarium Salt

[jewel_363]

I've had a male betta for six months in a 10-gallon tank, along with three zebra danios and an algae eater. I recently added two platies and two swordtails. The fish store said to add 1 tablespoon of salt for every 5 gallons of aquarium. I added the salt and a week later my betta died. The other fish are healthy. I am wondering if the salt killed the betta. The pet store said the salt wouldn't hurt the other fish. Is this true? Has any one else had a similar experience. I love bettas and would like to get another one, but I don't want one if it can't handle the salt.

Thanks for your advice!

 

[Mollymomma]

Hi
Since no one else has helped yet here goes.. The salt did not kill your betta.I have 2 betta's in 1 gallon tanks and I add salt to them..a tablespoon for a 5 gal. is fine..Not sure what the problem was except maybe stress.. sorry not to be too much help but this way ya did get a reply

 

[LiquidLife]

Yes, Mollymomma is right. I routinely throw some aquarium salt into all the tanks (but I never measure it--been doing this so long it's become like cooking--a little of this, a little of that) when I clean them. The salt helps maintain healthy gill function and replaces electrolytes lost during water purification. Must have been something else that killed your betta and I'd check your other fish carefully for awhile to make sure it wasn't something contagious. And if I got the count correct, that's was 9 fish in a 10 gallon tank--that's getting kind of crowded and it might have stressed your betta out to suddenly have 4 new fish in there.