Question Re Adding Salt To Livebearers Tank

[karigupi]

Like alot of people starting out, I was given bad advice when I first brought my Mollies, now one of them has the shimmies & I need to add some aquarium salt to their tank. I want them to be very healthy & happy.

In there I have some guppies, mollies, 3 peppered corydora, 4 rasbora & a mix of Molly & Guppy fry(1 & 2wk old)

Am I right in thinking that the corydora will have to be moved to another tank? Does anyone know if the Rasbora will tollerate the salt? What about the fry will they be ok?

Does anyone have any recommendations for other community fish which will be happy in a slightly salty water?

Kari

 

[helterskelter]

cory's and rasboura do not like salt.

Have you tested the ammonia and nitrite levels
These are the main cause.

Doing 20-30% water changes every week will help keep these fish happier.

 

[HCpetraitis]

corys and rasboras can't really deal with the salt. But the fry will be fine as long as you stick to the amount per gallon.

 

[OldMan47]

I find that my mollies and platies and even the guppies do not ever need any, that is none at all, salt. What they do need is fairly hard water with a pH over 7.0 and even better over 7.5. In my particular case, the tap water that I have gives me that kind of situation. The concept of salt often comes up and needs clarifying. Sea salt will increase the mineral content of water and will raise pH so it does have a beneficial effect in tanks that have terrible livebearer water. I have lots of cories because I like them and they do fine in my 15 degrees of hardness 7.8 pH water. If you insist on using salt, use sea salt so you get the pH benefit at least. If you are open to it, add some crushed coral or crushed shells to the filter to get the pH and hardness up a bit. That will raise the pH gradually and increase the hardness over a longer time. By moving things slowly, the cories and rasboras will easily adapt and you will be able to get vigorous, healthy mollies and guppies.
It is your choice which approach to use, either one will work for the livebearers but I don't like salt with rasboras or cories.

 

[helterskelter]

Salt also reduces stress on the internal organs of a fish, this is why it also help's as well as hardening the water.

 

[karigupi]

I find that my mollies and platies and even the guppies do not ever need any, that is none at all, salt. What they do need is fairly hard water with a pH over 7.0 and even better over 7.5. In my particular case, the tap water that I have gives me that kind of situation. The concept of salt often comes up and needs clarifying. Sea salt will increase the mineral content of water and will raise pH so it does have a beneficial effect in tanks that have terrible livebearer water. I have lots of cories because I like them and they do fine in my 15 degrees of hardness 7.8 pH water. If you insist on using salt, use sea salt so you get the pH benefit at least. If you are open to it, add some crushed coral or crushed shells to the filter to get the pH and hardness up a bit. That will raise the pH gradually and increase the hardness over a longer time. By moving things slowly, the cories and rasboras will easily adapt and you will be able to get vigorous, healthy mollies and guppies.
It is your choice which approach to use, either one will work for the livebearers but I don't like salt with rasboras or cories.

Thank you for your reply & to everyone for your replys, you have all been really helpful. My ammonia & nitrite levels are both at zero this morning, we have a ph of 7.5 & live in a hard water area, so I wonder if I dont need to add the salt afterall?

All of my other Mollies are really happy & healthy, one had about 20 fry a couple of days ago & we managed to save 12 which are doing really well & the 2 other females are getting nice & fat.

The one which appeared to have the shimmies died last night We brought her on her own about a week ago, as she was such a pretty dalmation & i'm wondering if we were just unlucky with her?

 

[OldMan47]

If you got her when she was already showing a shimmy, a sign of extreme distress, you may have out her in the right water too late. They make a product called a shimmy block that is nothing more than a source of calcium carbonate. It helps people who are having trouble with their mollies, guppies and platies because they don't have water like yours and mine. It helps by raising pH and KH in their water.