Can I Add An Angelfish?

[jayjay]

Just wondered as a lot of the older literature, they recommend the benefits of old water, and as I am sure you aware old water will have a higher concentration of nitrates than fresh. Due to the sensitivity of Mollies to this compound and the fact that salt reduces its toxicity they found the addition of salt to be benifical. Adding salt to water can be used as a treatment for fungal and paracitical infections as they cant survive in a moderately saline environment. In a FW containing high nitrates the Mollies will become infected due to the fact that their systems are stressed by the nitrate, though in a tank with low nitrates the Mollies are no more likely to be infected than any other fish. Its not so much a case of the Mollies needing salt in the water more a case of the Mollies needing low nitrates in it.

I understand this and I understand what you mean. Nitrates are hard to keep low in most cases though, especially if the tank has no plants or algae, and especially if the tap water used for water changes contains nitrate. After further discussion with the author of the article I quoted and linked he said this-

...in a clean (zero nitrate) freshwater aquaria with a pH above 7.5 and lots of hardness (especially carbonate hardness) salt is probably not essential. HOWEVER, in the average tank with average water quality, adding salt dramatically improves the odds of success. I've read FAR TOO many queries and letters from people with sick mollies to believe the "keep them in freshwater" approach works for 99% of the casual aquarists out there. For those people, adding salt is the way to go. There's nothing to lose, given that mollies clearly like salty water, and it costs so little to use.

I agree you can have success without salt with mollies, for most though success shall be much easier with salt.

 

[Matt_northants]

I can agree with that, LOL looks like we got a little off topic!

 

[jayjay]

Indeed we have... Sorry Hollymolly!