Betta In Brackish Water?

[gearhead65]

So, I just bought a Betta to join my Mollies. She is very small, smaller than my mollies. She love swimming back and forth across the bubbles. Mollies prefer brackish water, but I haven't added salt yet because I wasn't sure how it would affect other fish that I plan to buy in the future. The Petsmart instruction flyer said it wouldn't harm other fish, but I want to make sure. Will brackish water kill a Betta and/or a snail? I also plan to add some Dwarf Gouramis.

 

[lilfishie]

most mollies do perfectly fine in normal water these days because they are bred and raised in it. pretty sure salt would kill the snail and it isn't good for bettas in the long run.

also betta' and gourami dont make very good tank mates so you'll have trouble there

 

[nmonks]

There is a Betta species, known as Betta sp. Mahachai, that comes from hard, alkaline, slightly brackish coastal habitats. Although closely related to the commonly traded betta Betta splendens, it appears to be distinct. So far as I know, Betta sp. Mahachai is not traded though it does appear in the hobby through specialist breeders and fish clubs.

Mollies need warm, hard, alkaline water to do well. Choose tankmates that require similar conditions. They are ideally kept with species that tolerate slightly brackish water since they are invariably easier to keep in slightly brackish water: 3-5 grammes/litre marine salt mix makes all the difference to their hardiness and longevity. Good companions in slightly brackish conditions would include other salt-tolerant or low-end brackish water fish such as Hoplosternum catfish, knight gobies, orange chromides and so on.

Mollies are not compatible with dwarf gouramis. Dwarf gouramis are delicate, disease-ridden, poor value fish that should be avoided if at all possible! Neither are mollies compatible with ordinary bettas.

Apple snails are intolerant of brackish water, though nerite snails won't mind such conditions at all.

Cheers, Neale

So, I just bought a Betta to join my Mollies. She is very small, smaller than my mollies. She love swimming back and forth across the bubbles. Mollies prefer brackish water, but I haven't added salt yet because I wasn't sure how it would affect other fish that I plan to buy in the future. The Petsmart instruction flyer said it wouldn't harm other fish, but I want to make sure. Will brackish water kill a Betta and/or a snail? I also plan to add some Dwarf Gouramis.

 

[BethK]

I would say no, bettas are freshwater

 

[Gunngee]

I kept my betta with my mollies for 3-4 years and all were very happy. I will be introducing my new betta to my mollies once my 30 gallon tank gets set up. I do agree that the gourami and betta is a bad idea though. I'm also running very little salt in my 20 gallon more or less just for health reasons and my mollies and my betta did just fine.

 

[gearhead65]

I kept my betta with my mollies for 3-4 years and all were very happy. I will be introducing my new betta to my mollies once my 30 gallon tank gets set up. I do agree that the gourami and betta is a bad idea though. I'm also running very little salt in my 20 gallon more or less just for health reasons and my mollies and my betta did just fine.

About how much salt did you use?

 

[Gunngee]

I use a teaspoon of salt per 10 gallons.

 

[nmonks]

That's 6 grammes/38 litres, or 0.16 g/l. Pointless. What possible use is there for a salinity this low? I can't get my head around this at all. Bettas die because people keep them in tanks that are too small, or not adequately heated, or not properly filtered, or with tankmates that harass them. They do not die because people don't add trivially small amounts of salt to the aquarium!

Cheers, Neale

I use a teaspoon of salt per 10 gallons.

 

[Assaye]

Betta splendens (your typical "siamese fighting fish") is a freshwater species. Salt should only be used for it's medicinal value as needed.

Betta splendens are soft water fish that thrive on a low-neutral pH. Mollies thrive in lightly brackish conditions and/or with hard water of a high pH.

I'm learning the hard way with my bettas that water quality (such as pH and hardness) is important for their health. I imagine mollies are very similar - no species should be forced to endure water conditions far removed from those it has evolved to thrive in. My bettas live in very hard water and even though the tap pH is about 7.6 they just don't thrive. My £30 white HMPK is on deaths door and we can't work out why - never been exposed ammonia or nitrites, always had an excellent and varied diet, etc. We can only conclude that the hard water is making them more prone to disease and sickness. I've lost several other bettas the same way.

Keep the mollies in brackish and/or hard, high pH water (and don't just add aquarium salt - that doesn't make it brackish!) and keep bettas in soft water with a low to neutral pH, where possible. And don't mix them - mollies are boisterous and bettas rarely feel safe around them. There could even be fights. Not worth the risk to "try it and see" (which is what a lot of people insist on doing when their water isn't right or they want to mix fish that are incompatible).

 

[GuppyGoddess]

Betta splendens (your typical "siamese fighting fish") is a freshwater species. Salt should only be used for it's medicinal value as needed.

One "expert" betta site I read said that a bit of aquarium salt added with each water change prevents fungus from forming.

That said, like Assaye, I consider it as a medicinal product and when using it only add about 1/4 the recommended amount since my bettas don't routinely have it added, plus my tanks are smaller.

 

[Davo86]

The types of salt you are adding will also have some effect, Tonic/Aquarium Salt, Mineral salts and Marine/Sea Salts have slightly different compositions and effects

 

[Assaye]

Betta splendens (your typical "siamese fighting fish") is a freshwater species. Salt should only be used for it's medicinal value as needed.

One "expert" betta site I read said that a bit of aquarium salt added with each water change prevents fungus from forming.

That said, like Assaye, I consider it as a medicinal product and when using it only add about 1/4 the recommended amount since my bettas don't routinely have it added, plus my tanks are smaller.

Good husbandry also prevents fungus =)

If it's needed as a medicine then I don't mind it being used. I'm using salts with my HMPK atm as I'm trying to beat whatever infection he has.

I'd just be wary of using it all the time.

 

[Gunngee]

That's 6 grammes/38 litres, or 0.16 g/l. Pointless. What possible use is there for a salinity this low? I can't get my head around this at all. Bettas die because people keep them in tanks that are too small, or not adequately heated, or not properly filtered, or with tankmates that harass them. They do not die because people don't add trivially small amounts of salt to the aquarium!

Cheers, Neale

I use a teaspoon of salt per 10 gallons.

I never said they die. I said mine lived with mollies for 4 years and I never had a problem with either species health wise or fighting. He asked how much salt I add to my aquarium, I answered.