Should I Be Adding Salt?

[Elena]

I've never added salt to my tropical aquarium before is it necessary? What does it do? What are the pros and cons?

 

[KirkyArcher]

Dosing with salt stems back from the early days of fishkeeping it has the ability to reduce the toxicity of Nitrites, it's claimed to improve gill function and reduce chances of bacterial and fungal infections and can help ward away parasitic critters! Just about all the above can be achieved with just regular maintenance and water changes.

 

[daizeUK]

As Kirky says, salt is useful to detoxify nitrite or to treat certain problems but it should not be added on a regular basis (despite what the packaging will have you believe).

 

[anteatergoanna]

Salt is okay if you need to treat the fish for something. Some fish, like Clown Loaches, are sensitive to salt. I was adding salt to my tank, but my loaches got sick and the plants kept dying, since removing the salt (through regular water changes), my loaches are back to their normal selves and my plants are doing well.  
Adding salt is a divided issue, depends on what fish you have and how you want your tank planted.  Personally, none of my fish eg: Guppies, have suffered by NOT having salt.