Do Platies....

[Rayne]

salt? do you really need salt in the tank for platies?

I just got 3 sunset platies from my lfs and the worker said platies will die without salt. I have kept platies before and never used salt. from what i've read here it's really the fishkeepers choice, its not a necessity but can be used if you want.

opinions

 

[dwarfgourami]

Nope. If this lfs can't keep platies alive without salt then there is definitely something wrong about their way of keeping platies. Healthy specimens, kept in reasonably clean water, with a reasonable stocking ratio and maintenance routine and an adequate diet, should not need salt; it's like keeping dosing intensively reared chickens on antibiotics, something you may have to do to compensate for their awful conditions- but for aquarists there is really no excuse for keeping fish under awful conditions in the first place. They are freshwater fish. They do like fairly hard alkaline water, though.

 

[xostrawberryox]

Platies do fine without in my experience, perhaps hes getting them confused with mollies who prefer brackish?? BTW i LOVE sunset platies

 

[Rayne]

these fish look really healthy. i went to 12 different pet stores to find these healthy platies. i will go there again on friday when they have 20% off and buy at least 3 more if not 6. but i wnat to be careful as to not overload my tank with too many at once. (it is properly cycled, i'n not new to fish keeping).

do you think i can add 6 at once? i have a 10 gal ( i know a bit small for 9 platies but it is filtered with a filter for a 30 gal and i keep up with water changes and don't feed too much and i plan to have another 10gal set up ready to go within a week or so. i just want to get them while on sale because they are so healthy and bright looking the best i've seen in a while.



the guy tried to sell me mollies saying they don't need salt. i frequent this store to get dog supplies and fish and i think he's new, i've never seen him before, but i will mention the expirence to the girl i usually deal with when i go on friday.

 

[xoedusk]

the guy tried to sell me mollies saying they don't need salt. i frequent this store to get dog supplies and fish and i think he's new, i've never seen him before, but i will mention the expirence to the girl i usually deal with when i go on friday.

A good idea.