Salt

dprUsh83

I've been considering adding small amounts of salt to my freshwater tank to help build slime coat. Is this recommended and if so, how much should be added per gallon? What kind of salt should be purchased, as well?

Nick

I've pretty much heard that salt is only necessary for sick fish it helps meditate them. along with raising the temp of the tank that is....:D There are some conditioner products out there that even if you dont have chlorine in your tank it helps build a slime coat on your fish to help save against cuts and scrapes.

dprUsh83

Nick, thanks for the info! That's what I'm after, just trying to boost overall health in case something should arise. Thanks again! :D

Jet

To "boost slime coat" sounds like something a fish store or product manufacturer invents to part you from your money. Fish in good condition have a perfectly good slime coat, and don't need you adding products to the tank to add more. Salt should NOT be added to a freshwater tank except to detoxify nitrite or treat disease. Some people mistakenly add it with every water change to "prevent disease" or some such rubbish.

The best advice is that you don't need to go adding chemicals to your tank with no reason. The best disease preventitive you can give your fish is regular water changes with as few chemicals as possible. As a matter of routine you should only need dechlorinater.

bettababy

I completely agree with Jet on this issue. Some fish have a very low to no tolerance level for salt in the water, and you could easily harm your fish by making this a regular habit. Unless it is a tank full of mollys, or brackish, I would leave the salt and other chemicals alone. One of the products on the market to help with slime coat is deceiving. It can be used when moving fish and at high stress moments, and when doing water changes, but if it's used too much, it will quickly drop the pH level in the water, and this is not only dangerous to the fish, but is hard to fix.
If you provide a healthy environment for the fish, they will produce sufficient slime coat of their own to keep them happy, healthy, and safe.