tank with salt

[Briarmoor]

I have been reading that it is an absolute no-no to use *any* salt in a tank with corys or plecos. I had planned to use a bristlenose and some corys in my 55g when I stocked it. I am putting in dwarf rainbows and they are supposed to like some salt in their tank. I have some, but very little, salt in my 10g and the 3 corys in there are okay, but I don't want them to suffer salt if it is very bad for them.

So should I try to find other scavengers and algea eaters for the 55g if I am putting small amounts of salt in it? The LFS guy said they salt all their tanks and the corys would be fine. I just read so much conflicting advice.

P.

 

[Inchworm]

Hi Briarmoor

The problem with salt is not that it makes these fish uncomfortable, but that it can cause long term damage to their kidneys and livers. Salt is actually an old fashioned remedy for fish illnesses and is OK if used for medicinal purposes only.

The problem is that they come from native waters that is salt free and so they have never developed the ability to remove it from their systems after it is absorbed through their skins. Salt in the water will not kill them immediately, but will cause harm over time and will reduce their natural life spans.

Often the lfs will use salt in their tanks to cure mild bacterial infections, ich and other things that can make the fish sick during the shipping process. It does more good than harm, and in some ways is better for them to use than antibiotics and other meds.

The short time the fish stay in their tanks will not harm them, but keeping them in salted water over a long period of time will.

 

[Briarmoor]

The problem is that they come from native waters that is salt free and so they have never developed the ability to remove it from their systems after it is absorbed through their skins. Salt in the water will not kill them immediately, but will cause harm over time and will reduce their natural life spans.

The short time the fish stay in their tanks will not harm them, but keeping them in salted water over a long period of time will.

Thanks for that tip. I have not salted the water in the 20g or the 50g. Now, will moving everyone from "lightly salted" to no salt water harm the other fish? I am moving everyone from the 10g to the 20g until the 55g is cycled. That is not going as well as I hoped, but that is another post.

P.

 

[Inchworm]

Hi Briarmoor

I don't think changing them to unsalted water should hurt them at all. The fish you show in your signature are not fish that normally need salt.

If you are in doubt, just do a 50% water change with fresh water one day and another the following day. This will have gradually taken out 3/4 of the small amount of salt you have added and there should be no question of their well being then, when you do move them to the other tank.