What fish can stand a treated salt water? Im in Jeddah, and we don't have fresh water here/?
2007-01-31T03:04:08Z
i love fishes, when i was still in my place in manila, I had 2 tanks, one for big fishes like arowana and oscars and the other was for cyclids.
I just arrived here in Jeddah, KSA last december for work, and i want to have a tank here especially when i saw one in a mall. but i wander if fish particularly fresh water could stand a treated salt water, coz as we all know that middle east has no access for fresh water, and they just treat salt water. please needing help here, if someone in jeddah could help me start up my aquarium, contact me as well. thanks...
Anonymous2007-01-31T04:29:53Z
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Hi John,
I live in Jeddah too and have 2 aquarium (1 big about 80cmx 120cm and small one). I used tap water and put few drops of chlorine remover to neutrilized the water into fresh water. You can buy some from any pet shops (Sitten street after Irfan Hosp. - before Quraish street - others in Sari street and could be every pet store) and it works well. Try to replace new water once in every two weeks. Believe me it works well!
Since we don't have "treated" salt water here, Mollies and guppies are both good candidates for your treated salt water. However, Mollies and guppies both like the harder water not so much the soft water where you are. they are fairly hardy and will accept a varied water parmiters. However, you will still have to cycle your tank.
There are many fish that will live in the softer salt treated waters. your local fish store should be able to advise you in your area what is available.
P.S. For the rest of you, salt treated water is no different than water in your home that is run thru a water softener. The water is "Treated" with salt to remove impuraties making the water soft vs. hard.
Also, water which comes from salt water is evaporated water from ponds of salt water. What has condensated is collected treated again and sent out for public use.
Of course you have fresh water there. That is what you drink. :)
There are many fish that are in the pet trade that are saltwater fish but the only way you can control the water parameters is to use fresh water and add marine salts to that water.
It seems you are new with fish care, it would be easier to start with freshwater fish. It is OK if it is treated water. Use the water out of your tap and add chlorine removers if chlorine is added to your water supply. If you have pet shops there that sell fish, spend some time with them and ask them how they care for fish and what types of fish are available.
Fresh water live-bearing fish like salt. I started out with guppies in a fresh water tank and added salt every week. They did well, I started with 5 guppies and ended up with 30!
you can start a brackish water aquarium (which is a fresh/salt aquarium) There are many types of freshwater fish that can adapt to brackish tanks such as mollies. Cichlids are very colorful and LOVE a little cichlid salt in their aquarium! Don't Worry. It is not as involved as a saltwater tank. Here are some useful links with initial setup and types of fish.