I have a big old Amphilopholous in one tank and a young Flowerhorn in another. Do you guys use salt? Any thoughts on Salt in these tanks?
Do you put salt in your SA cichlids tanks?
- Thread starter Hipporhyn
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No, excepting as a treatment for something. Not only SA, but the same goes for Malawi cichlids (when I kept them) and Tanganyikans-- and that's having kept and bred Malawi cichlids over 15 years and Tanganyikans over 20.
I could say the assumption in adding salt is that your water has none, but in fact it's simpler than that. The truth is most people have no idea of the salinity of their own water, or of this fact: the salinity of the major African lakes is essentially the same as the North American great lakes:
http://www.gly.uga.edu/railsback/Fundamentals/SFMGLakeSize&Salinity07II.pdf
For the most part, the need for salt (sodium chloride) for freshwater fish-- if you believe aquarium salt cartons and some fishkeepers-- is greatly exaggerated. Without getting into the technicalities of what is a salt and what isn't in addition to sodium chloride, other minerals, calcium, magnesium, etc. are important in varying amounts to fish. Here again, unless your tank is filled with distilled water, your water likely has some of these minerals in amounts most of us don't test for.
I could say the assumption in adding salt is that your water has none, but in fact it's simpler than that. The truth is most people have no idea of the salinity of their own water, or of this fact: the salinity of the major African lakes is essentially the same as the North American great lakes:
http://www.gly.uga.edu/railsback/Fundamentals/SFMGLakeSize&Salinity07II.pdf
For the most part, the need for salt (sodium chloride) for freshwater fish-- if you believe aquarium salt cartons and some fishkeepers-- is greatly exaggerated. Without getting into the technicalities of what is a salt and what isn't in addition to sodium chloride, other minerals, calcium, magnesium, etc. are important in varying amounts to fish. Here again, unless your tank is filled with distilled water, your water likely has some of these minerals in amounts most of us don't test for.
Neither of your cichlids are South American.
Amphilophus are from Nicaragua (Central America (actually part of the North American continent).
A the FH is a combination of Amphilophus trimaculatus (Mexico, even more Norh American) and another Central/North American.
Those semantics aside, your fish originate in hard mineral rich water, so if your tap water is soft, a little salt might help, but if your water is mineral rich and hard, there is no point to adding salt, unless they have ick, or some other malady.
Amphilophus are from Nicaragua (Central America (actually part of the North American continent).
A the FH is a combination of Amphilophus trimaculatus (Mexico, even more Norh American) and another Central/North American.
Those semantics aside, your fish originate in hard mineral rich water, so if your tap water is soft, a little salt might help, but if your water is mineral rich and hard, there is no point to adding salt, unless they have ick, or some other malady.
Thanks for the responses. I have not used salt for these fish and do not plan to unless I am (somehow) convinced that it would be beneficial for them. The reason I asked is because it seems to be a recurring concept as I peruse the internet. Many people seem to think it is a good thing to do. It is a question that has percolated up in my mind, probably due to hearing it repeatedly. I realize that the internet is (more often than not) a pool of ignorance. On MFK I have found people, such as yourselves, who have years of experience with these fish and that is why I posted the question here.
Duane’s. Thank you for pointing out that my cichlids are CA cichlids (and derivative thereof). I will try to be more accurate in the future. It’s all about learning and enjoying these great fish.
Ok. I was just asking because not all aquatic critters can handle elevated salt levels. But sounds like you were asking about adding salt regularly, not just as a treatment.
In that case I do not use salt like that. Just to treat as needed.