Petco Petsmart

[radioman]

At petsmart the description of fish say that some of the tropical species need a little salt but petco does not say this.
So my question is do some species nedd a little salt in the aquarium.

 

[shibby]

aquarium salt helps with gills and some health aspects i believe

 

[Lynda B]

Different fish need different levels of salt. Some fish do not do well at all with the tiniest bit. Your best bet is to thoroughly research the particular species that you wish to get and go from there.

 

[OohFeeshy]

Salt isn't nessecary unless you're keeping brackish or marine fish, and even then it's marine salt.

 

[Aphotic Phoenix]

The "salt" thing is generally there to sell you a product...aquarium salt. It can be used in treating ICH, but most fish do not need salt in their water, and some fish are quite sensitive to salt (like corys/otos).

One exception is Mollies which are technically brackish fish, but obviously many people keep them in purely freshwater aquariums without problems.

 

[Lynda B]

Another exception would be bettas.... which thrive with salt in their water. Keeps them healthy.

 

[Aphotic Phoenix]

Generally I've found that PetSmart's labels are more prone to mistakes than Petcos. Often they have the maximum size of fish too small, and last time I was in there they had Dwarf Puffers labeled as "Community Fish"!!!! (Dwarf Puffers should be kept in species-only tanks as they are often quite aggressive)

Just another reason why you should always do your own research before purchasing fish.