Cichlid Lake Salt

dcraveiro · Mar 8, 2004

What is everyone's opinion on Lake Salt? I got some in my tank and I'd like to know more about it. Does it help simulate the natural environment for the cichlids I have? Any info on that stuff would help, I'm just curious.

wuvmybetta · Mar 8, 2004

I've used the African lake salts before, I don't know how well your pleco will do with them though, they may not affect him at all :dunno:

IMO..it's not necessary unless they're wild caught. Or perhaps if they've lived in natural habitat simulated enviroments recently. Most pet store cichlids are adapted to regular tapwater by your lfs. I use Cichlid-gro by Tropical Science, only on occasion though and not at full strength because I have loaches. I can't tell any difference from when I use it and when I don't so...I hardly use it. Leaning more towards never than hardly.

thecichlidaddict · Mar 8, 2004

Ditto ditto ditto. Most of our fish have been aquarium bred and it doesn't make much difference.

I've haven't used these additives in years and the health, color, breeding, longevity etc. of the fish have not been effected. Because of this experience I'm convinced that in most cases, unless your tap water is unusually soft, these additives are more useful as an idea then in application. Now I just use baking soda if my kh is too low, to buffer the PH, and that's it.