Bacteria are grouped by the environmental conditions they prefer, and one such grouping is based on salt tolerance. Organisms that need salt to grow well are called halophiles, and within this group, those that grow best in a mild salt range of about 0.5 to 3 percent are called slightly halophilic. Moderate halophiles need higher salt, around 3 to 15 percent, and extreme halophiles need even more. Since the range given matches the mild end, these bacteria are halophilic.