rainbow fish

[Briarmoor]

I plan to add rainbow fish to my 55g tank (if it ever get fishless cycled). I read they like some salt in their water. I also read that corys should not be kept in salt at all. For anyone who keeps rainbows, the question is, do you salt your tank? How much? And if so, what kind of scavengers do you keep with them?

I had some salt in my 10g with my corys, but someone told me that over time salt can damage cory kidneys, etc. because they are not adapted to it.

Is salt necessary for the rainbows to be happy?

P.

 

[sylvia]

No, most rainbows don't require salt. If I remember correctly, the ones you were considering were the dwarf neons/blues. These are fine in complete freshwater.

Cories also don't have scales which makes them susceptible to salt burns. The same applies to most loaches and most plecs won't tolerate salt either. That pretty much covers your typical bottom-dwellers though bristlenose plecs and several non plec/cory catfish such as the upside down cat do not mind salt as much. Other bottom dwelling fish that could go in a more salted tank are various gobies.

I have kept various rainbows with various tankmates but have never had salt in their tanks. They were perfectly healthy and I kept them with whatever bottom-dwellers I wanted (cories, various loaches, various plecs, other catfish, cichlids - if you count them - ctenopomas/bushfish, sharks and various others).

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

I would also warn that many tetras are also intolerant of salt, particualy neons.

 

[Briarmoor]

That settles it then, no salt and I will put a pack of cute corys in the 55g when it is done! Thanks.

I can't wait for the 55 to cycle and it is my first fishless cycle. I saw the phantoms at the LFS the other day and was sick I couldn't bring any home. The LFS guy didn't think it mattered about odd or even numbers as long as there were at least 5. I was thinking 6, but seems I read something about odd numbers being better? Anyone else heard this?

Dwarf neon rainbows will be next. I may have to do those 2 at a time as they are $10 each. They are so shimmery. The gourami pig will go in last so she can't take over the tank (at least not right away).

P.

 

[Lateral Line]

It is not just salt burns. Most freshwater fish evolved in exactly that, freshwater. To them, salt is a pollutant. The problem is osmotic regulation. The kidney in particular comes under increased workload when salt is present, it has to maintain the electrolyte balance.

The extra effort placed on the kidney often leads it to "burn out" faster then it would otherwise, killing the fish.

Salt should not be routinely added to freshwater tanks, unless the fish in them were from mildly brackish environments.

 

[Iron Man]

Lateral Line hit the nail on the head and drove it home.

Salt can be good for treating parasitic disease such as ich (don't have experience with anything else) but that is all I would use it for.

I treated a clown loach with ich once with very high doses of salf over a two week period of time and he was fine afterwards....though I am sure he was no happy camper. Just forget about longterm 24/7 though it is unnecessary and a waste of money and the softwater fish and most bottom feeders will be absolutely miserable.

 

[JoLtNbolt]

Does anyone have any experience with Madagascar Rainbows?

 

[Lateral Line]

Before I left England, I had 5 Bedotia geayi in a 5 foot tank. I liked them a lot. Mine were about 4"/100mm when I had to get rid of them. I ran that tank at neutral pH, relatively soft, well planted but with an open theme - it seemed to suit them very well. They will take harder water, but do not tolerate pollution, so good water quality is more important then water chemistry.

I tried and failed to breed them. They are bred, indeed, as they are red listed and almost extinct in the wild, the fish for sale will have been captive bred. I don't know why I failed with them - I've had a lot of success with other rainbows. I'm told they spawn over a lengthy period, a few eggs a day in plants. The parent ignore the eggs and fry is also a common thread, but I, for obvious reasons, can't confirm that.