Aquarium Salt?

MXgirl · Post by **MXgirl** » Sun Dec 05, 2004 1:56 pm

I have a 20 gal. with 2 wood shrimp and 2 amano shrimp and a few white clouds and a 10 gal. with 3 cherry shrimp and a few wild guppies. A couple months ago at the LFS, I was told that adding aquarium salt makes life less stressful for the fish and shrimp. So I added in just a tiny bit: 2 tablespoons in my 20gal. and 1 tablespoon in my 10 gal. Everyone seems fine and happy, but I've never had problems w/o salt in the 3 years I've had aquariums, so I'm not sure how necessary it is.

But what is everyone else's opinion of aquarium salt with keeping fish and shrimp, and if used, how much do you use? I'm just trying to decide on whether or not to make it a permanent addition to my tank water. Any info greatly appreciated. Thanks

Post by **Mustafa** » Sun Dec 05, 2004 2:05 pm

As people working (or owning) LFS do not generally have any idea about fish or shrimp I would venture to say that the guy was just trying to sell you some salt.

You don't need it for the shrimp.

Mustafa

cich · Post by **cich** » Sun Dec 05, 2004 10:47 pm

I've never used salt, but I do use iodine. Much debate over if they need extra iodine, but I add it anyways. Without the the salt of any kind, the shrimp are thriving. Just gotta take good care of them.

Post by **Mustafa** » Mon Dec 06, 2004 12:37 pm

Cich, why don't you try this. Stop using Iodine and see if your shrimp do any worse (I can guarantee you they won't

).

I just read in a book (Fresh-water Invertebrates of the United States by Pennak), by the way, that Saltwater Crustaceans use Iodine, but freshwater crustaceans don't. Makes sense since a lot of shrimp actually come from mountain creeks that have very soft rainwater flowing through them and there is no way that Iodine even has a chance to accumlate there. The food that our shrimp eat provides them with everything they need.

Every other claim endorsing Iodine for freshwater crustaceans is, in my opinion, totally groundless. Pretty much all of the problems that people have with shrimp deaths is due to bad water parameters and uncycled tanks or already stressed out half-dead imported shrimp. It's definitely #not# molting related issues.

By the way, virtually nobody in Germany and Japan, where the shrimp hobby is a lot more popular and common then here, ever uses Iodine in their tanks and their shrimp are doing just great and molting without problems (just like my shrimp who never get any Iodine ever).

Mustafa

Bradimus · Post by **Bradimus** » Mon Dec 06, 2004 1:23 pm

Mustafa wrote: I just read in a book (Fresh-water Invertebrates of the United States by Pennak), by the way, that Saltwater Crustaceans use Iodine, but freshwater crustaceans don't.

Interesting. My sister is sensitive to iodine. Perhaps I could arrange an experiment.

Post by **Mustafa** » Mon Dec 06, 2004 1:30 pm

Are you going to feed her one of your P. paludosus?

Keep in mind that sensitivity to sea food and iodine sensitivity are two different things.

It could, of course, be the case that freshwater shrimp still have some amounts of iodine in their tissues (i'll have to do some more research into that too...) but they have adjusted to freshwater so much that they do not need any additional Iodine than what they might be getting in minute amounts already from what they are eating.

Mustafa

Bradimus · Post by **Bradimus** » Mon Dec 06, 2004 2:03 pm

Mustafa wrote: Keep in mind that sensitivity to sea food and iodine sensitivity are two different things.

Yes. She is sensitive to iodine...horrible reaction to betadine.