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View Full Version : Is salt necesary??

artemisblossom
10-05-2008, 02:48 AM
Can mollies and guppies be kept together? I thought mollies needed salt in the tank. The guy at the lfs told me that they (mollies and guppies) will do well in either brackish or fresh water. He had the mollies in fresh water at the store........but I don't trust everything that I am being told by people trying to sell me fish.
Red
10-05-2008, 02:52 AM
guppies can be kept in freshwater but mollies do like the salt better... but can live in fresh..
troy
10-05-2008, 02:52 AM
They'll both do fine in freshwater.
smaug
10-05-2008, 03:07 AM
Unless a fish is strictly a brackwater species then salt is a waste of time and effort.
ILuvMyGoldBarb
10-05-2008, 03:55 AM
The simple answer is this: No, salt is not necessary. Mollies are a euryhaline species and as such they can thrive in a variety of salt levels ranging from full freshwater to saltwater.
cocoa_pleco
10-05-2008, 04:06 AM
not necessary
Gemstone
10-06-2008, 08:27 AM
I have 4 different kinds of livebearers..including mollies..all in the same community tank...and all are doing very well...an d no....you dont have to give them any salt at all...it is not necessary...although mollies and guppies d well in brackish water as well..hell...mollies can even go full seawater if conditioned for it...

My personal advice..if they are in freshwater now...leave them that way..don;t go adding salt.
graycurse
10-06-2008, 09:41 PM
you can do either. however, brackish water does have some advantages: the fish tend to get sick less with salt in the water. something about the salt killing bacteria/parasites. i've definitely noticed an improvement since i started adding aquarium salt.
smaug
10-06-2008, 10:10 PM
you can do either. however, brackish water does have some advantages: the fish tend to get sick less with salt in the water. something about the salt killing bacteria/parasites. i've definitely noticed an improvement since i started adding aquarium salt.
If that is really the case then you have some water quality issues that need addressing.Salt does very little to improve the health of fw fish unless there is some underlying factor that makes it neccesary.
Northernguy
10-08-2008, 11:01 PM
The only time I put salt in my comunity tank is because of an illness.

But to each his own ,I guess!!!:c2:
Red
10-08-2008, 11:02 PM
"eats popcorn"
ILuvMyGoldBarb
10-08-2008, 11:07 PM
If that is really the case then you have some water quality issues that need addressing.Salt does very little to improve the health of fw fish unless there is some underlying factor that makes it neccesary.

Agreed. Salt in a freshwater aquarium simply allows you to get away with lower water quality than you should have. It is a crutch for not doing enough water changes. The only true health improvement salt provides is a cure for Ich.