# What kind of salt is safe for bettas



## jeffandcole (Mar 16, 2012)

I needed to know what kind of salt is safe for bettas. Is like sea salt safe for them or regular kitchen salt cuz mine got some sort of sickness and salt apparently helps but i needed to know what kind so i can put it in tank i havent put anything in cuz i dont know what kind and if its safe to do and i also need to know the procedure for adding salt so i do not damage my betta cole


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## Laki (Aug 24, 2011)

Do NOT add kitchen sea salt to the tank. These contain anti-caking agents and that can harm your fish more. Bettas are freshwater fish. The ONLY acceptable salts to use are aquarium salt (available at the petstore and pet supply store) and un-scented epsom salt. 
We need you to help us help your fish by telling us the symptoms and filling out the "sticky" in the emergency section.


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## MrVampire181 (May 12, 2009)

Aquarium or rock salt is the only safe salt. Epsom is only good for bloating.


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## jeffandcole (Mar 16, 2012)

well he has a brown dot on his head and has been acting weird by running into stuff and normally hes calm and he keeps blowing up as if there are prey and so i thought some salt might help him a little and someone mentioned they thought he was missing some scales and he has had this for a week


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## Laki (Aug 24, 2011)

Aquarium salt, rock salt and epsom salt probably won't help him. It will only protect his missing scales from getting worse.


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## jeffandcole (Mar 16, 2012)

well today i cleaned his tank really thorough to get out whatever was in there causing the loss of the scales and it seemed to help but im just not sure how long it will take him to get better


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## Laki (Aug 24, 2011)

DO you possibly have any decorations or plastic plants he might have gotten stuck behind or rubbed against to have lost the scales??


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

If the fish is skittish, in smaller spaces where the ornament takes up more space, he can easily run into things. My one female was really skittish when I first got her, and she'd bury herself in the gravel :roll: 


Can you put up a picture?

How big is your tank? How often do you clean it?


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## Catfish Billy (Jun 27, 2012)

I believe, Rock salt is fine but table salt is not.
e.g

"Saxa Table Salt - Ingredients; Salt & Sodium Hexacyanoferrate. Toxic Do Not Use.

Saxa Rock Salt - No Ingredients; Exactly what it says, Fine To Use."


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## jeffandcole (Mar 16, 2012)

well i have plastic plants but they arent sharp they are super soft and he is always been skittish he is afraid of me or doesnt like me i have had him for like 4 months now so im not sure how to make him more happy with me


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## Aus (Feb 3, 2012)

It'd help if we knew what size tank/how often the water's changed & what you add when you change it/where in the house the tank is/ what you feed him/how much... etc.

Bettas aren't dogs, and generally don't give a hoot who owns or feeds them as long as it's regular and they're in decent water conditions. 

Some bettas are more shy than than others. But the tank decor can help a shy betta as the more cover he has/the less environmental and physical stress, the more his naturally aggressive (ie, 'friendly') nature will shine through.


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