salt in tank

[Knuc dog]

hi i was jsut wondering how you salt a tank to help cure a fungus problem? i am pretty sure all my fish can handle the salt.. i have three blood fins thre guppies and ghost shrimp? does anyone know how to do this?

 

[WILDER]

You could try a salt bath one tablespoon to 1 gallon that's 5 litres of water, for tank it's one tablespoon to 5 gallons, good luck.

 

[Knuc dog]

regular table salt?
wouldn't that be bad... isn't there different residue chemicals left over from the processing?

 

[WILDER]

Aquarium salt, you can use table salt, but some fishkeepers don't like you to, but I have if I haven't had any aquarium salt in at the time.

 

[nino]

i would suggest you go out and buy some aquarium salt. it's really cheap and good to have around.

 

[Knuc dog]

alright i'll look in to that thanks everyone!

 

[sylvia]

Wilder, about the table salt - I've always wondered but never dared try it myself - how much did you use, for what and on what fish? I've also heard that not being able to use table salt (apparently because it is iodised or something) is a complete myth but I wasn't prepaired to risk it.

 

[Tempestuousfury]

If iodine in the salt is the problem, then there is table salt that is not iodized. I bought it for my fish, but I still had aquarium salt so never tested it.

As for curing fungus, isn't it for better immune systems and not to cure the problem (I don't know if you are using it as a medicine or just to bolster immunity).

 

[sylvia]

'Fungus' is generaly caused by bacteria and salt can sometimes help with killing them off. However, it is one of those treatments that is more an all-round preventative and not so much a cure for specific diseases a lot of the time - as such, I'd suggest you buy a good anti-fungus med and use it (or you can use it with the salt if the instruction say that's ok).

 

[WILDER]

Lfs and a fishkeeper who has been keeping fish for 25 years said it's fine to use, as you would have to use a lot for the odine to have ill effects, once a got whitespot and used if for that and done salt baths with it and put in tank for fungus with no meds and it worked.