Salt Information

[Gerry]

Salt treatment for fresh water fish
By Gerry

We can use salt in fresh water for treating many conditions and reducing stress

Salt:
Use only pure salt with no additives "cooking salt" is pure salt, along with rock salt, kosher salt, sea salt, pure salt. (get it from a grocery store as it will be a lot cheaper than an LFS)
Look at the ingredients and all it should say is Salt, many table salt contain anti caking agents and these cannot be used.


Doses:
For true longer term stress from cycling, aggression and such 1 tablespoon per 10 gallons

For Ick and and many other illnesses salt is recommended and this would be used at 1 tablespoon per five gallons of water.
This dose is generally not used for scale less fish like Pleco’s and Clown loaches and the one in 10 is used instead, though many sites are now saying that it can be used, if you try it on these fish I would add the dose slowly over time and watch for any adverse effects.
I have used 1 in five gallons with my own Plecs.

Dissolve the salt in tank water or dechlorinated tap water before adding to tank

Salt does not evaporate from the water so any top up water should not contain any salt, during water changes if the salt treatment is to be continued then only treat the amount of gallons being removed/replaced, if you remove 20 gallons treat the 20 gallons going back in and not the tank total.


Epsom Salts (not a true salt actually magnesium sulphate)

Epsom salts are good as a laxative and can help constipation, dropsy and bloat, can also help in drawing fluid from popeye.

Dose:
1 tablespoon in 10 Gallons. again dissolve the salt in tank water or dechlorinated tap water before adding to tank

This salt does not evaporate either and the same thing applies to replacement as for ordinary salt

It is safe to use both theses salts at the same time if required