# Are bettas salt-tolerant fish?



## Dead Sunlight (Jun 14, 2010)

I hope so because I'm probably going to be using salt everyday twice a day for at least a month!!! ;-)


----------



## Dead Sunlight (Jun 14, 2010)

help?!


----------



## ANHEL123 (Jul 21, 2010)

dead sunlight said:


> i hope so because i'm probably going to be using salt everyday twice a day for at least a month!!! ;-)


i have 5 bettas for 2 y. Whan i chancge water i usually put amquel plus drops to remove ammonia and chlorine and aquarium salt ,and i let water stay 24 hrs.i add less than instructions recomendations.i read that aquarium salt prevent disease.


----------



## Oldfishlady (Mar 1, 2010)

Yes, Bettas are salt tolerant, however, long term use can cause kidney problems.


----------



## Adastra (Jun 18, 2010)

Bettas are much more tolerant of salt compared to some other fish, such as neon tetras, for instance. However, they come from a part of the world that does not naturally have a lot of electrolytes (salt) in the water--so the extra salt does place more stress on their internal organs since they were not made to process it. Personally, I would not add salt unless there was a medical need, such as fin damage or open wounds.


----------



## Dead Sunlight (Jun 14, 2010)

I was just wondering if about 10 days twice a day a teaspoon per gal. would be safe because I'm treating Roger Taylor for Fin Rot and my boys for fin damage.


----------



## Oldfishlady (Mar 1, 2010)

For treatments-I like to pre-mix aquarium salt 1tsp/gal in a clean 1g jug of fresh dechlorinated water and use this for my daily 100% water changes for 10 days. I keep the Betta in this salinity level for the duration of the treatment.

For salt baths/dip I use a much stronger dosage of salt (1/2c salt/1g water) for only 3-20 minutes or when the fish rolls over (depending on what I am treating) (usually a last resort when everything else has failed), however, bath/dip in high levels of salt can be stressful and/or kill the fish IME.


----------



## ANHEL123 (Jul 21, 2010)

dead sunlight said:


> i was just wondering if about 10 days twice a day a teaspoon per gal. Would be safe because i'm treating roger taylor for fin rot and my boys for fin damage.


my fish had fin rot about 1 year ago


----------



## Amour (Jun 26, 2010)

I use a 1/4 teaspoon per gallon of Aquarium Salt for my bettas with every water change. But I wouldn't recommend putting it in their water twice a day every day. They just need a little for good gill function and electrolytes.


----------



## 1fish2fish (Sep 10, 2009)

Like others have said, prolonged use of salt is bad for Bettas, they can't handle it. Salting tanks regularly is a bad idea, eventually it will lead to problems. Not to mention that if you ever do really need salt you'll have to use a higher dose because the fish will have already in salt, making the treatment much more dangerous.

Here is some excellent info on the effects of prolonged use of salt..
http://www.fishyfarmacy.com/koipond/salting_fish.html


----------



## Oldfishlady (Mar 1, 2010)

Although that link had some really good information and I agree with most of it...you have to remember that they are selling something too...medication......
One thing that is true IMO/E-long term use of salt can cause problems in some species of tropical fish and use of too low of salinity level long and short term can also cause resistant strains of pathogens/parasites and soon the salt treatment will no longer work.


----------



## Sarada (May 11, 2010)

And the salt remains in the water so no need to add a second 'dose' throughout the day without water change. If you keep adding salt it would get very concentrated.


----------



## XSprinkleFaceX (Nov 17, 2009)

So for a 50% waterchange (weekly) in a 5G how much Aquarium Salt should I add in that won't harm the fish but will keep pathogens away?


----------



## Oldfishlady (Mar 1, 2010)

XSprinkleFaceX said:


> So for a 50% waterchange (weekly) in a 5G how much Aquarium Salt should I add in that won't harm the fish but will keep pathogens away?


 Use of low doses can create stronger pathogen or salt resistant pathogens


----------



## XSprinkleFaceX (Nov 17, 2009)

So should I just not add the salt than?


----------



## Oldfishlady (Mar 1, 2010)

You take risk using salt long term IMO/E-besides the resistant issues you can also have health issues.
Salts are great to use short term in the correct dosage for treatment, I don't use salts longer than 10 day with 5 day breaks if I need it longer.


----------



## XSprinkleFaceX (Nov 17, 2009)

Ok. Thanks OFL.


----------

