Fact Or Myth?

[Kairi]

i've heard aquarium salt will burn a pleco's skin; however, the lps where i got my mollies had a good amount of salt in one of the tanks- and one pleco very obviously dead (the other i couldn't tell if he was dead or not). i held my tongue because i wasn't completly sure if it would indeed burn the pleco or not..... so, is it myth or fact that salt burn the pleco's skin?

 

[dylema]

I don't know that it would actually burn the skin as such. Cells like to have a balance of salt inside and out (skin is made up of cells). If there is more salt outside of a cell it gets rid of some water inside to make it more salty inside (this is called osmosis). This is fine if the cells are made to live in salty water but if not they will dehydrate (lose too much water) and will probably die. This is why the plecos skin would be 'burnt' it would be its skin cells dying. Of course if it is too salty too many cells will die and so will the pleco.

 

[Kairi]

any idea how much is too much? i'm not planning on adding salt to the tank, but in case anyone ever asks me- or i see dead plecs again at petco and there's salt in the tank................

 

[ac106]

myth

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showto...131595&hl=pleco

 

[GuppyDude]

Myth, iv kept my pleco in salted tanks before and he did just fine. I imagine if u used alot of salt they would become ill or die but it would have to be alot.

 

[pica_nuttalli]

actually, if you read the link carefully, nmonks goes on to say that there are no plecs that need salt and there are many plecs that suffer in a salted environment. nmonks also points out that the species which do live in brackish water are very few--odds are poor that you have one of the brackish-tolerant species.

the suffering caused by salt isn't from being "burned" but manifests itself in long-term irreversible damage to the internal organs, especially the kidneys. brackish and saltwater fish have unique biologies to regulate their intermal osmotic pressure that freshwater fish lack.

for the best health of your plecos, please do not add salt.

 

[Kairi]

i haven't- i just wondered. the lps has them in a salted tank- one was dead.

 

[Tempestuousfury]

Just because the pleco was dead does not mean that it was from salt. And Petsmart adds salt to their tanks, and the one I work at rarely if ever has dead plecs. Granted, it is not the best thing for them, but it cannot be helped if the store wants to offer mollies and gobies and whatnot.

I would, therefore, think salt is not needed, and therefore, like pH and softness, should be left alone (meaning you keep fish that will do best in tanks filled with your tap water).