Saltwater Or Freshwater

[jdwarrior89]

in my tank i have danios a pleco and two marble shrimp when i went to buy my shrimp i saw that they needed aquarium salt in their water so with a little research i found out that fresh water fish can survive in a salt water tank so i added the salt and all my fish are doing great, they are actually more happy in the salt water. but from what i have read here freshwater fish will die in saltwater and will not act fine why are my fish different??

 

[andywg]

You can't see the damage you are doing.

The pleco almost certainly comes from an area where there is no appreciable salt levels in the water. By putting salt in the water you will most likely be placing a strain on the osmoregulatory system that will lead toeventual liver or kidney problems.

Aquarium salt is useless and should only ever be used for treating a parasite infection.

The salt used to replicate saltwater environments is marine salt. Bamboo shrimp (while preferring a brackish environment) will do fine in FW.

 

[jdwarrior89]

the salt i put in the water is aquarium salt is this the same as marine salt?? and i read that danios especially prefer salt water to freshwater

 

[starrynightxxi]

aquarium salt is completely different from marine salt. Freshwater fish cannot live in salt water, nor saltwater fish in freshwater. seeing a difference using aquarium salt seems to have as much to do with WANTING or EXPECTING to see a difference using the stuff than its actually working. I have always used it until recently and have noticed no difference.

Most pet stores will say that all the fish and invertebrates they sell will want aquarium salt added to the water. This is a good way to make more money.

 

[jdwarrior89]

the box says "Benefits: API aquarium salt provides essential electrolytes freshwater fish need to reach peak coloration and vitality."

aquarium salt is completely different from marine salt. Freshwater fish cannot live in salt water, nor saltwater fish in freshwater. seeing a difference using aquarium salt seems to have as much to do with WANTING or EXPECTING to see a difference using the stuff than its actually working. I have always used it until recently and have noticed no difference.

Most pet stores will say that all the fish and invertebrates they sell will want aquarium salt added to the water. This is a good way to make more money.

so are my fish in any danger? and my fish seem more active when the salt is added

 

[starrynightxxi]

well, plecs are very intolerant of salt, but i don't know if this includes aquarium salt or not. The others will not really be harmed by it if you decide to use it, but keep in mind that just because you read something on a box doesn't mean it's true. my fish are just as colorful without the salt as they were with it, and just as healthy.

in any case, aquarium salt is NOT marine salt (though it will probably also say it is from evaporated seawater). If you put marine salt in your tank you will most certainly do more harm than good.

[edit] in other words, by adding aquarium salt, you are not making your tank a saltwater tank

 

[jdwarrior89]

thanks and im not planning to put marine salt in my water and i have had my tank set up for bout 4 months with aquarium salt in it and my pleco has not showed signs of being harmed does this mean he is prob. fine?

 

[starrynightxxi]

i honestly can't say. you'd have to ask someone who knows plecs. try asking the catfish forum.

 

[Ginge]

Just stop using it then there is no risk.

 

[andywg]

The chances are that the pleco will eventually suffer, his kidneys are not designed to deal with water that has salt in it.

The use of Aquarium salt as a tonic is an outdated way of doing things (just like using under gravel filters in marine tanks).

Plecos can tolerate salt in the short term, such as when treating a parasitic infection, but they will not do well from long term exposure to salt. The exact level of salt they can tolerate is not very well defined anywhere.

And to clarify, aquarium salt tends to contain almost pure salt (sodium chloride) whereas marine salt contains all the other trace elements and minerals found in seawater that are necessary for marine life.