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Salt has long been used in aquaristics for various purposes. However, salt is not a panacea. Even though it is always recommended to add salt to every aquarium as a preventative measure, salt should only be used when absolutely necessary.
Frequent recommendations are weekly additions of, for example, 1 teaspoon of salt per 54 to 60 liters, which is said to be good for the gills and mucous membranes of the fish.
The salt irritates the mucous membrane, which then produces more mucus. Problems are often attributed to the fact that salt is often used in the trade and the fish then arrive overwrought and sensitive in the home aquarium. It is now only recommended for fish species like Black Mollies that really like added salt. A healthy mucous membrane does not have to be constantly irritated by salt and then possibly calmed down again by adding water treatment agents.
If the fish appear healthier after the addition of salt, it is better to check what is affecting the gills or mucous membranes and how the cause can be eliminated. Possibilities are, for example, high germ pressure due to overstocking, insufficient water care or other stress factors.
An advantage of salt over many other remedies is that salt does not decompose in the aquarium and therefore does not have to be replenished. At the end of a treatment, the salt content is lowered again with several water changes.
On the other hand, salt is not necessarily gentler than other treatments. For example, salt irritates the skin of the fish and, depending on the dosage, can severely stress the fish. The frequent distinction made between natural and chemical remedies does not always do justice to the actual effects.
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