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I was in the LFS today, and one of the clerks was giving me a hard time about salt. I don't use any in my tanks, but he says that a lot of freshwater fish do better with it, and that I should try it.

Although I really don't anticipate salting my tanks any time soon -- my fish are doing just fine as is -- I am curious as to other people's experience. I've heard everything from "salt stimulates the mucous coat" to "it boosts fishes' immune system."

I was in the same boat as you are in.I never used salt and everything was fine.I decided to try it once after reading about it online.I do find that my fish are healthier and more active since I began adding salt.However for some strange reason I have a harder time keeping my water as clear as it was.It might just be me.Salt also keeps disease at a minimum in the tanks.

Salt will put stress on fish osmotically and truly freshwater fish have a hard time coping with it in their water. For guppies, platies, etc, all have biological mechanisms to cope with salt because they are brackish. I would NEVER keep blackwater species like neon tetras or corydoras cats in a tank with salt. I try to keep my salt use for freshwater limited to saltwater baths in cases of ectoparasites other than ich.

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I'm not a fan. What salt definitely does do is increase the dissolved solids, and while some see this as relieving osmotic pressure, each species of fish is used to and is built for a certain level of osmotic pressure, the same way they're used to a certain hardness and temperature. And stimulating the slime coat - hmm, sounds like a disease, actually. That makes me wonder if doctors might create something for healthy people that "increases your white blood cell count!" Something like, say, a disease. Or a cut or bruise.

Basically: as far as I know, no one recommends long-term lowering of salinity for saltwater fish, so why is it better to increase salinity for freshwater fish?

-Molly
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Yeah I've had the problem w/ people telling me that i should put salt in the water w/ my mollies. But they were doing just fine w/out it and they dont really need the salt sense they have been captive breed w/out salt and not wild caught. The only time i use salt is w/ bettas and then only a little.

Hi All,
It has been around for a while, the salt debate, to salt or not to salt. Some recomend for freshwater tropical fish, 1 teaspoon Aquarium salt per 1 gal, Then Goldfish, livebearers, can and do better in 1 table spoon Aquarium Salt per 1 gal, African + American Cichlids can also benifiet from salt as well, especially if they have been fighting each other, (same rate as above can also help with kH as well) Its all up to the fishkeeper (you) but you will find that most good quality LFS will use salt in their tanks/systems, it helps with health when new stock arrives on transport, (they may be slightly shaken from the trip, so salt will help heal and keep slime coat in good condition for when you come to purchase) I can tell you from experience, good health of fish in store is vital to not only the profit of the store but to You the buying public, if a LFS does not have good fit stock, you are not going to buy from them, are you?

" An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of Cure"

If you are going to use some salt as suggested, make sure its a good quality Aquarium Salt (flossy salt)and not normal Pool Salt, or table salt or iodised salt.
Good luck. Muss

Well, the ONLY time I put salt in a tank was when my mollies were lookin a bit peaked. Once I put in a bit o salt (1 tsp in a 10 gal tank), they looked and acted better overnight. The mollies, I think, do like a little salt, but as for all my other fish, no, no, no.