Salt Does Wonders

[redtailfool]

Or you could use plain UNIODIZED table salt if you want to play it safe.

 

[guppy]

I cook with kosher salt any way but nice to know I can use table salt if I have to, I don't use aquarim salt either.

 

[M|L]

I cook with kosher salt any way but nice to know I can use table salt if I have to, I don't use aquarim salt either.

This hobby lingers with lots of "old wives tales". Don't listen to everything you are told unless it's from personal experience. I've always used table salt without any negative effect on my fish. Anyone can tell you how sensitive stingrays and tigrinus catfishes are, and I've used table salt with both.

 

[kuruppa]

I use salt everytime i do a water change so i guess the effect it has on treating fish has been toned down a lot.

 

[Miles]

I buy rock salt in the 50lb bags at WalMart for cheap. If you are buying Aquarium Salt, you are wasting your money.. I have even seen a manager from PetSmart buying rock salt at WalMart for the store.

My thoughts on salt though.. Don't use it unless it's necessary. I have heard many ideas of what is a proper amount, or using at as a permanent preventative. I've read that it helps with the osmoregulation of the fish's body, which means it can expend more energy towards fighting off other ailments. So if you use it all the time, and something bad happens, the salt won't have as much of a positive effect because they are already used to it's positive effects.

A person once related it to if you help a baby chicken hatch out of it's egg, it will die. It's due to the fact that the chicken needs that strength to grow and survive. If you baby it along too much, it will not develop properly. I feel this is very similiar with fish and their immune systems. Keep your water quality in excellent shape, and always quarantine your fish... Then you will only need to use salt in emergencies. It works great on Ich too Salt+Heat = no ich.

Hasta,

Miles

 

[M|L]

yea, I don't use it unless it's neccessary.