What is affecting my sorority sisters??

[Fishiies]

I have always added a tiny bit of aquarium salt to my tanks, i dont do it every water change but here and there (since salt doesn't evaporate). It helps kill parasites, promote healthy gill function, reduces osmotic pressure, reduces stress, and helps slime coat production which further helps prevent disease(which is the main reason why i do it!) also helps with electrolytes etc. I know bettas dont normally live with salt but i do about a 1 tsp per ten gallons. Is what Ive read about aquarium salt wrong? I actually would really love your input on this, as I dont want to spread bad information.

I can provide a ton of sources which say aquarium salt is a beneficial tank additive too, but I am also newer in the hobby (only at it a little over a year) so if this is bad advice please lmk!!

Why are you adding salt prophylactically?
Bettas don't normally have salt in the water and if they have been exposed to salt for a long period of time, they could have kidney failure.

Fish Tuberculosis (TB) is actually quite common, especially from fish that come out of Asia. It is unlikely to be Fish TB if your friend bred the fish.

Try not to use antibiotics in the main tank or unless you absolutely have to. There are a number of broad spectrum medications that kill bacteria, fungus and other things, and they are not antibiotics. Save the antibiotics for known bacterial infections that haven't responded to normal treatments.

haha i also realize i said the first time i add EVERY water change but i meant my big ones, I add it when i do my big water change once a month. i do 20% weekely and then at the end of the month i do a 40% and wring out my filters and do big maintenance (trimming plants, gravel vac etc) and thats when i usually add it.

 

[Colin_T]

Adding sodium chloride (salt) to an aquarium that contains soft water fishes is bad for the fish. The only exception to this is if you are treating a disease that responds to salt. Then salt can be used for a short period of time (2-4 weeks).

Sodium chloride damages the kidneys and puts undue stress on the fish.

If you use pure water with 0 GH and 0 KH, you can add some calcium chloride and magnesium chloride in small amounts to raise the GH and KH a little bit, but sodium chloride should only be used for brackish water fish, marine fish and treating freshwater fish with a disease or possibly nitrite poisoning.

 

[Fishiies]

Adding sodium chloride (salt) to an aquarium that contains soft water fishes is bad for the fish. The only exception to this is if you are treating a disease that responds to salt. Then salt can be used for a short period of time (2-4 weeks).

Sodium chloride damages the kidneys and puts undue stress on the fish.

If you use pure water with 0 GH and 0 KH, you can add some calcium chloride and magnesium chloride in small amounts to raise the GH and KH a little bit, but sodium chloride should only be used for brackish water fish, marine fish and treating freshwater fish with a disease or possibly nitrite poisoning.

damn thank you so much. ill stop using it immediately and only use it during salt baths. i know theres a lot of bad info out there but geeze, ive ran into that salt one a lot

 

[Essjay]

Salt was once used routinely in fresh water tanks, and you'll still read about it on various websites - probably just sites repeating old practices.