Did I need to add salt to my water?

[johnmccourt]

Hi,

I have just set up my first aquerium.

I done a lot of reseach in to water conditions and performed a fishless cycle and after several weeks all the conditions looked fine so I went to my local aquerium to by the first fish.

They advised me on Mollies and Guppies for the fist fish, but also told me I had to put 1 teaspoon of salt for every 2 gallons of water in my tank.

After doing this and adding the fish, one of the Guppies died within a day and one of the Mollies is not eating and hardley moving.

I took a sample of the water to be tested to another aquerium, He said I should not have put any salt in the water, and because of the salt the GH and KH is too high. He advised to to do a 50% water change which I have done.

I do not know who to believe or where to go from here.

Can anyone help
Thanks

 

[WILDER]

The salt wouldn't of harmed them, only use salt when they are sick, they sound like a bad batch of fish from the store if one died the next day, and your water quality was excellent.

 

[Undawada]

Livebearers like salt. Your guppies and mollies are both livebearers, so that should be fine.

I'm not sure what he was talking about, but 1 teaspoon per 2 gallons seems a bit high. I don't think it's enough to harm your fish, though.

I'd say your problems are related to things other than the salt.

 

[OohFeeshy]

Mollies are brackish fish really, so the salt was right for them Not sure on guppies, but they're not scaless so it should be fine with them. Can salt change the KH etc? I thought that was due to water hardness etc.... Anyways, I'd guess you got a bad batch of fish. Most livebearers are inbred to high heaven, so its no wonder tbh.

 

[MAM]

What type of salt did you use?

There is much debate when it comes to topic of salt use. Yes, in the wild, mollies exist in somewhat brackish conditions. However, the mollies you buy at the LFS were all tank born and raised and therefore do not need salt unless that is how they were originally kept. I know this from experience, I keep mollies without salt and they do just fine. But I know many who keep them with salt without issue as well. It all depends on tank mates. But mollies can also be acclimated very easily to a slightly brackish environment should you chose that route. Guppies however, are totally freshwater fish.

Salt though, in the right dose, and the right type, should be fine for you fish. But you really don't need to use it unless you are treating something. Some people do like to use a little as a preventative, but I personally don't feel it is necessary.

Its possible your tank was not completely cycled or that you just added to many fish too quickly, causing problems with your water. Its also possibly you just bought sick or poorly guppies. Guppies are not the most hardy fish when it comes to a new tank unfortunately.

 

[johnmccourt]

Thanks for all your replies.

I have had the water tested again after the 50% water change, and the KH has come down form 3000 ppm to 2300 ppm, but the guy in the shop says it needs to be about 500.

Any ideas how i can get this down?
Thanks

 

[pica_nuttalli]

actually, i had always heard that trace amounts of salt were pretty good for guppies (even going so far as recommending mildly brackish conditions!)

however, 1 per 2 is A LOT of salt. are you sure it wasn't 1 to 10 gallons?

 

[johnmccourt]

He deffinately said 1 per 2 gallons, he also said he has salt in all of his tanks, which I thought was a bit strange

I have decided to go to another lfs to get my fish and better advice.

If I keep doing water changes and not adding salt will I beable add other types of fish or will small traces of salt kill other fish

I would like to keep Neon Tretras, Clown Roaches, Kissing Guormis, and from what I have read they do not need salt, but will traces of the salt harm them?

Thanks again

 

[SirMinion]

Clown Loach are very sensative to salt and also need to be in groups in a large tank as they can get to a foot long. How big is your tank?

Also, again, what kind of salt did you use?

 

[johnmccourt]

My Tank is 3.5 ft, Im not sure what type of salt they sold me, I will have to check