The Siamese fighting fish, often known as the betta fish, is a very common freshwater fish with stunning and brilliantly colored tails that can be seen beautifully swimming in tanks all over the world. They are among the most well-liked fish in the hobby of aquarium keeping due to their wild, eye-catching colors.
The betta fish is a delicate species, and just like its brilliant colors, it also throws brilliant tantrums. With sudden atmospheric changes, it becomes quickly disturbed and upset, and this behavior quickly has an impact on its health.
Bettas are quite fine to use aquarium salt as long as you’re not overdosing on your tank. While some people use aquarium salt in their tanks as a general preventative measure, others use it to cure minor illnesses. It’s important to keep in mind that bettas don’t require aquarium salt.
However, there are positive and negative uses for aquarium salt with betta fish. You’ll learn how to utilize aquarium salt properly in this article. Since it can be an excellent medicine when used appropriately. However, if misused, it can be highly dangerous to your betta fish.
Let’s clarify the definition of aquarium salt so that we can discuss how it affects Betta fish in both positive and negative ways.
What is Aquarium Salt?
The chemical composition of aquarium salt is very similar to that of conventional table salt. NaCI, which stands for sodium and chloride in a 1:1 ratio, is the chemical formula for both of these types of salts.
Aquarium salt differs significantly from table salt in that it does not contain any additives, which is its main distinction. Simple seawater evaporation is the source of aquarium salt.
Some of the best salt options are:
- API AQUARIUM SALT Freshwater Aquarium Salt 16-Ounce Box
- Instant Ocean Reef Crystals Reef Salt For 160 Gallons, Enriched Formulation For aquariums
- Epsoak Epsom Salt 19 lb. Bulk Bag Magnesium Sulfate USP
- Amazon Brand – Solimo Epsom Salt Soak, Magnesium Sulfate USP, 8 Pound
How does Aquarium Salt Work?
Death from dehydration is what salt essentially does. Osmosis attempts to balance the salt content on each side of its membrane or skin. Increasing the salinity of the aquarium water causes water to be sucked out of the bacteria, fungi, or parasites.
The pathogens ultimately collapse before their hosts do because these tiny germs dry more quickly than the fish (since the fish have more mass and stored water).
Salt isn’t a foolproof remedy because some microbes can survive in environments with increased salinity.
Types of Aquarium Salt
There seem to be mainly two types of aquarium salt. They are:
Basic Aquarium Salt – Sodium Chloride
Aquarium businesses and the fish departments of major supermarkets are the only places to find aquarium salt.
It is the least expensive fish salt that is utilized.
It is also available as table salt, ice cream salt, and non-iodized salt. In essence, all we utilize in our daily lives is salt.
It contains a wide range of medicinal qualities that can be used to treat illnesses in Betta fish.
Epsom Salt – Magnesium Sulphate
Epsom salt is a saline laxative that people also use as a treatment for swelling. Fish also benefit from it in the same manner. Compared to aquarium salt, it is less dangerous to fish.
It is easily accessible in corner stores, first aid sections, and even at gas stations.
For human use, Epsom salt frequently comes with fragrances and colors; however, since these substances are poisonous to fish, you should make sure that the supply is free of them.
When to Use Aquarium Salt In Betta Tank?
There are many uses for aquarium salt, but they can be categorized into two main categories: improving physical performance and tank water and treating ailments. Here, we’ll talk about how aquarium salt can often benefit your betta.
What are the other benefits of using salt in your tank? Find out in detail here!
Growth of Pathogen and Parasites
If you’ve overfed your betta fish or have already missed a few cleaning schedules. There is a possibility that the aquarium has turned into a breeding ground for worms, diseases, and parasites. All of these may result in problems for the fish, such as Ich, velvet, and other problems. When it comes to the control of these populations, using aquarium salt can be very effective.
Improvement of the Gill Function and Respiration
Your betta fish can absorb water through its skin and gills, and its kidneys perform the essential task of excreting water. The kidneys have to work less because the amount of water that the gills can absorb is decreased by aquarium salt in the tank water.
Additionally, the salt restores the electrolytes that the fish requires to ensure sufficient oxygen intake and gill release of ammonia and carbon dioxide. As a result of its gill and kidneys not having to work as hard, your betta fish can avoid feeling stressed.
Improvement of the Slime Coat
Like most other species, your betta fish has a slime coat made of protein and carbohydrates that serves as its primary defense against practically anything, from objects to pathogens. Additionally, it keeps electrolytes and other necessary fluids in your betta, enabling it to greatly overcome the surface resistance of water and glide easily.
Over time, the slime coat may become less thick due to factors including temperature changes, low oxygen, high toxin levels, and other problems. If used in the right amounts, aquarium salt can accelerate the development of this slime coat. Additionally, the salt can help betta with bacterial infections, biting injuries, damaged fins, and open wounds.
Rise of the Nitrate Level
Nitrate levels that are excessively high are harmful to your betta. Overfeeding, having too many fish in the tank, rotting or dead plant materials, unclean filters, etc., are a few of the factors that contribute to excessive nitrate levels. Salt used in aquariums aids in keeping fish from consuming toxic nitrates.
The above-mentioned goals are considered preventative measures for bettas or general healthcare. You need to know how much aquarium salt is safe for the betta and other populations in the tank now that you can choose when it can be used.
Can you Add Aquarium Salt to your Betta Fish Tank?
Although it’s possible, adding aquarium salt to your betta fish tank is really not generally advised. Your betta fish will be alright if it is housed alone. However, if your tank has any of the following, you should avoid adding aquarium salt to it.
When There Are Scaleless Fish
If your tank has scaleless fish, you should stay away from applying aquarium salt to it. A scaleless fish will suffer because salt dries away its slime coat. Scaleless fish are more resistant to external illnesses due to their slime coat.
They will not only be more vulnerable to illnesses from the outside when they lose their slime covering, but their immune systems will also be affected.
When you have Live Plants
Additionally, if your betta fish tank has live plants, you should refrain from using aquarium salt. The salt will be too much for some of the weaker plants to handle. However, you might well be able to get away with using aquarium salt if you have plants such as Java Fern, Java Moss, Anacharis, and Anubias.
However, it’s best to typically avoid adding aquarium salt at all costs and to always use caution.
A quarantine tank will always be the ideal place to apply aquarium salt to your betta fish.
When your Fish have Certain Diseases
Due to their irrational love for aquarium salt, many betta keepers turn to it as a remedy for issues including swim bladder condition, bloating, Popeye, dropsy, and serious fungal infections or fin rot. Using aquarium salt could make things worse for the fish rather than help them.
Even though it has a mixed record of effectiveness in treating bettas with dropsy, the death rate is too high for keepers to take a chance on it. Before treating these illnesses, you should speak with specialists because they are frequently more deadly than other diseases that can be cured using salt.
Can Regular Salt be Used in Place of Aquarium Salt?
No! Epsom salts or plain table salt should never be used in place of aquarium salt. Both of those salts have ingredients that might hurt or even kill your betta fish, including coloring, flavor enhancers, and other things. The tank’s water quality and pH level can both be impacted by the use of table salt. Additionally, aquarium salt will restore the water’s natural electrolytes, while table salt won’t.
The same holds true with sea salt. This is designed for use in marine and reef tanks and may have additives that could be harmful to your betta fish.
So, when treating your betta fish, only use aquarium salt.
How to Use Aquarium Salt for Betta Illnesses?
You might be aware of the debates surrounding the usage of aquarium salt to treat ill bettas, but there are several circumstances in which it may be helpful. Open wounds, velvet, ich/ick (white spot), slight fin rot, and fungal infections are among those ailments.
How to use aquarium salt to solve these issues is what we’ll cover right now. However, because these health problems can be so enduring, you might wind up relying more on additional potent drugs in addition to the aquarium salt if they don’t get better on their own.
Treating Mild Fungal Infections
A betta fish with a fungal illness will frequently rub against different objects and have white blotchy spots on its body and head. Lethargy, a lack of color and appetite, clamped fins, and other outward signs of illness are also present.
- Keep the temperature of the tank between 75 °F and 77 °F and isolate the sick betta.
- To 1 gallon of water, add 1 tablespoon of salt.
- Each day, change the water by 80%.
Keep using this medication for no more than 10 days. If the symptoms are still present, you should look into more advanced treatments that include certain antifungal drugs.
Treating Velvet
The majority of the symptoms are the same as those that betta fishes with fungal diseases experience. The single identifying sign is a film that covers your betta and has a golden or yellowish color. Find out by shining a light on your fish.
- If the current tank is small (less than 15L), try moving the fish to a bigger one. If the current tank is large enough, you must replace 80% of its water.
- Clear the filter of any chemicals or carbon. After the treatment has begun (adding salt and other medications), stop the carbon filtration process.
- Keep the water around 85 °F in temperature.
- For the duration of the therapy, don’t let the aquarium get too bright.
- 2.5 gallons of water should be added to 1 tablespoon of aquarium salt.
- Malachite Green or copper sulfate should be used in accordance with the label’s suggested dosage (about 22 grams), as exceeding this amount could result in the death of your fish while treating velvet. Either of these medications may be maintained for up to 10 days.
Treating Mild Fin Rot
Fins that are frayed or ragged with a black, white, or red tone, fins that are thinning and breaking apart with tiny holes and a loss of color, and irritated or sticky fin bases are common symptoms.
- To stop the culprit (bacteria) from growing, keep the water around 75 °F.
- 1 gallon of water should have 1 spoonful of salt added.
- As long as the treatment is proceeding, change the water by around 90% every day (no longer than 10 days).
If this approach doesn’t work, you’ll need to look for a more powerful way to prevent the betta from falling into such a risky situation.
Treating Ick/ Ich
Most of the symptoms of your betta’s ick are identical to those of velvet, with the exception that the head and body will have white specks rather than the gold or yellow coating.
With the exception of a few changes to salt intake and drug selection, the treatment for this specific condition is essentially the same.
- Depending on how visible the particles are, add 1/2 or 1 tablespoon of salt to 1 gallon of water.
- Use a solution where the main component is either malachite green or methylene blue.
Two Quicker Alternatives for Minor Issues
Up until this point, all we’ve mentioned was dosing the tank with aquarium salt. However, there are other techniques that work just as well and require much less time while still supplying your betta fish with larger salt concentrations for faster results.
Salt Dip
Directly adding aquarium salt to the tank is not always a good idea. One such situation is when salt sensitivity affects other fish or plants in the fish tank. Their health could be negatively impacted and difficulties could result from adding aquarium salt.
However, you can still use salt to cure your sick betta by dipping it in salt water.
How to do it:
- In a bucket, add 4 teaspoons of salt.
- Fill the bucket with 1 gallon of aquarium water, then swirl it around to dissolve the salt.
- Put the diseased fish in the bucket and let it sit there for at least five minutes.
- Pay close attention to see if anything has changed. Give it another five minutes to go. Not more than 20 minutes.
- If you see symptoms that the fish is in distress, return it to the aquarium.
Salt Bath
Your betta fish can have a salt bath treatment if you don’t want to salt your entire tank. Salt baths provide you the ability to kill organisms like flukes by applying a lot higher quantity of salt for a much shorter period of time to whatever condition you’re treating.
You should gather all the necessary materials (aquarium salt, tank water, 2 large containers) before beginning to save time and prevent unnecessary fumbling.
How to do it:
- Start by adding one tablespoon of salt to one container after it has been filled with one gallon of aquarium water.
- Add 1/4 spoonful of salt after adding 1 gallon of aquarium water to the second container. After receiving treatment, your betta gets acclimated in this second container before being put back in its tank.
- Try to get the water’s temperature as near to 78° Fahrenheit as you can.
- Remove your betta from his aquarium when the containers are ready, and place him inside a plastic bag.
- To help the betta acclimate to the temperature, float him in the first container for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Put your betta in the saltwater in the first container now, and let him swim around there for no longer than 5 to 8 minutes.
- Put your betta in the second container after 5 to 8 minutes have passed. The objective is to acclimate your betta before putting him in his permanent tank to prevent scaring him. Give your betta five minutes in the second tank. Once the temperature has stabilized, place him back in his bag and let him float in his tank at home.
- To complete your pet’s salt bath treatment, release him back into his tank.
Because the salinity of the water will change, it’s important to pay close attention to your betta’s minute-by-minute reactions. Otherwise, the fish may suffer catastrophic consequences. Put your betta back in the main aquarium as soon as you notice it moving sideways, breathing very little, or not breathing at all.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Does Salt Affect your Tank’s PH Level?
Answer: There are claims that tonic salt can improve buffering and raise the carbonate hardness of the water. However, its chemical composition of it has very little potential to alter the pH of the tank or trigger any meaningful reactions.
Is Aquarium Salt the same as Table Salt?
Answer: Table salt and aquarium salt are chemically identical. However, never put table salt in your aquarium. The difference is that aquarium salt doesn’t contain flavorings, colors, or artificial additions, but table salt does. The pH level and water quality in your tank could both be impacted by using table salt. Additionally, table salt won’t restore the water’s natural electrolytes, unlike aquarium salt.
What are the Illnesses that you should not Use Salt for?
Answer: They are:
- Swim Bladder Disorder
- Major Fin-Rot
- Major Fungal Infection
- Bloating
- Dropsy
- Popeye
Can you Use Salt for Fish in Quarantine?
Answer: Yes, you can give new betta fish a low-salt treatment for two weeks (1 Tbsp salt for 2 gallons of water). Most potential infections should be eliminated by this approach by about 60%. This method can also be used to treat injured fish who require some isolated recovery time in a hospital tank.
Can you Keep Snails in a Salted Aquarium?
Answer: Snails are sometimes preferred above other species as betta fish tank mates. They are often able to tolerate little amounts of salt (1-2 tbsp. Per 5-7 gallons). However, overdose can be lethal. Snails’ slime coating loses its effectiveness when exposed to salt. They suffer a sad death once osmosis causes them to lose their internal fluids. Before treating the betta fish with aquarium salt, it is best to keep it in isolation.
Does Aquarium Salt Knock Out Friendly Bacteria?
Answer: The majority of the organic wastes in your betta fish tank can be broken down by some types of bacteria, including nitrifying bacteria, which also provides a natural and biological method of filtration. If the concentrations are not too high, say 1 tbsp per gallon, these bacteria, which are good, can thrive in salted water. You should keep a watch on their quick infestation, though.
Final Thoughts
You shouldn’t rely on salt to be the sole thing standing between your betta fish and illness, despite what salt, even in the right quantity, may accomplish for the fish. Salt is helpful, but when your fish are exposed to it in excess or for an extended period of time, it can lead to dehydration and, eventually leads to death.
Don’t forget to check the salt’s purity level before purchasing. Avoid using it only when you feel like it. More helpful than salt or any over-the-counter prescription is maintaining the quality of the aquarium’s water, doing routine cleanings, weekly inspections, and other maintenance duties.