Salt

[Harls]

i know a bit of salt in a freshwater aquarium is good but I would like to know if i can use normal cooking salt salt in my freshwater aquarium?
If so how much?
Harls_Aussie

[OscarFan]

No. Aquarium salt that sas for freshwater use on it

[cocoa_pleco]

nope, only aquarium salt.

salt is only needed to treat disease, and make sure the fish can handle the salt

[A340]

nope, only aquarium salt.

salt is only needed to treat disease, and make sure the fish can handle the salt

Depending on the fish you have, many fish especially live bearers will actually benefit from adding a little aquarium salt into the tank. It's a natural source of many trace elements and minerals for the fish. But, as Cocoa said, you do have to be careful as some fish such as Cory's and Loaches can't handle the salt.

I've also read that Himilayan rock crystal salts works wonders in an aquarium. Never tried it though.

[Lady Hobbs]

Table salt is iodized and "can" contain clumping agents. You can use table salt if it is non-iodized but I would not use even that unless I had a huge outbreak of ICK and needed treatment this very second. (Which I have done and it was fine.)

Kosher (pickling salt) is the same as tank salt. And a whole lot cheaper.

Salt really doesn't need to be used unless you have fish that come from water that has salt in it.......like Mollys and some rainbows.

[Fishguy2727]

Exactly. Freshwater fish need just that, freshwater. Very few species need anything. Mollies are naturally brackish so tend to do better with some marine salt added. Even the rift lakes have salt levels much lower than almost any salt recommendation I have seen. And they need certain types of salts.

If you have hardwater species and your tap is very soft then certain types of salt are one thing. Table, kosher, and aquarium salts are usually sodium chloride. That is not what is needed for the few species that would do better with salt.

Constant use of salt in the aquarium except when needed as described above can end up doing more harm than good and I suggest not doing it.

[NickFish]

Echo all the above.
definelty cannot use table saly but aquarium salt is cheap.
Livebearers benefit from a little salt and so do dwarf Gouramis.
Most fish can survive with a little salt except corys which won't tolerate any amount.

[Fishguy2727]

Actually cories are about as tolerant of salt as others, at least the more common ones.

Livebearers are like other hard water species, the only time besides treating disease that they should get salt is if your tap is very soft. And dwarf gouramis should not get it either.