using salt

[Diddymen]

does any one use salt in their aquariums?

Is there any benefits or will it just harm plants

I've noticed a few ailments lately and wondered if salt would help as a general tonic before reaching for meds ....bear in mind its 350lt tank

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

or will it just harm plants

People don't tend to add salt, mainly because plants and sodium (Na) aren't a good mix.

I'm not a salt fan unless you keep brackish water fish. What ailments do you have?

cheers Darrel

 

[Angus]

Quarantine the fish if you can and medicate it there... otherwise i wouldn't put salt near your plants.

 

[Diddymen]

My tank is quite heavily stocked which is why I was thinking whole tank rather than quarantine ....but I will try quarantine first

Some of my neon tetras have a white growth around their mouths, it seems to have gone on its own ....but it comes and goes. A couple of them have ragged fins since when I bought them which have never really healed.

Some of the other fish did have a misty look around their mouths ...but that seems to have gone now....although one of my dwarf rainbows recently died

Another dwarf rainbow has a red spot with a white lump in the middle

 

[alto]

My tank is quite heavily stocked

These symptoms are often associated with less than optimum water quality - rather than reaching for the salt, get out the water change kit & increase water change frequency (& possibly %age) for a month or so

It's always a good (& conservative) idea to quarantine any new fish - regardless of fish shop source - before adding to an existing community tank
This becomes even more important in an active community - new fish will always be stressed from all the changes
(& shipping etc), existing fish will always investigate (& often intimidate) new fish.
Stressed fish have significantly depressed immune systems so can easily be overcome by new immune challenges or pre-existing minor issues
By the time their activity level & feeding behaviour is impacted, they are very sick

Salt increases skin secretions by acting as an irritant - hence its widespread use against external parasites - an otherwise healthy fish may be benefitted by this, an already ill & stressed fish may be overwhelmed by yet another stressor: there is a reasonably high metabolic cost to produce the increased secretions, weakened fish that are not eating well would respond better to an actual medication that targets the parasite rather than the host fish
Salt levels to actually impact parasite life/reproduction are higher than most fish species can tolerate

Exceptions to this are the various livebearers that tolerate (& live naturally, on occasion) brackish waters
Domestic bred angel fish also tolerate salt very well (introduce salt gradually), wild caught angel fish can react adversely to similar salt levels

Rainbow fish are among the species with a significantly higher incidence of "fish TB" - there are several "bacteria" identified, & of course, assorted secondary infections - fish never have just one predominating infectious agent

Fish also experience various tumours (benign & malignant)

 

[alto]

Heavily stocked tank can have more/less success depending on the compatibility of the mixed speceis, not just in terms of behaviour & territories but also preferred water parameters
Over the long term, even (multi generational) tank bred fish will live shorter, thriftier lives in water conditions (including such parameters as flow) that differ substantially from natural waters; often there are alterations in behaviour - pH is one factor that has been linked not just to altered sex ratios (of offspring) but also aggression levels observed in fish


Exception: zebra danios - cockroaches of the ornamental fish trade 😉

 

[sciencefiction]

My tank is quite heavily stocked which is why I was thinking whole tank rather than quarantine ....but I will try quarantine first

The issues with your fish are brought by your stocking levels. Reduce the stock, increase the water changes, and you will keep a healthier tank. You can't cure sick fish in an overstocked tank....It will just get worse from there..The problem comes from less than ideal water quality, promoting pathogens getting out of control, plus cramped conditions increasing the risk of spreading the pathogens from fish to fish. There is no other way round but reduce the stock...When the fish's immune system is compromised, and there are pathogens, the result is all type of "odd" diseases going on...
On a temporary basis, you may be able to control the situation with rather large frequent water changes....

 

[Diddymen]

thanks for the advice alto & sciencefiction

I did wonder if the missing/presumed dead rainbow, and the one with the red sore were due to stress/exhaustion they have been breeding non stop for over a month, in the breeding tank and 3 wks later going tank.

I've not introduced any new fish since last year, and other than the neon tetras, there was no sign of any issues

 

[sciencefiction]

I did wonder if the missing/presumed dead rainbow, and the one with the red sore were due to stress/exhaustion they have been breeding non stop for over a month, in the breeding tank and 3 wks later going tank.

Yes, that can affect fish's immune system a lot. I'd try the large water change route for the next few weeks. Ideally, 2-3 months to get things stable, providing your stocking level is not excessive? I know it takes time and dedication but it yields results as far as fish health is concerned, plus your plants will love it too...

 

[Diddymen]

yea, I do need to up my water change routine, I usually only get time to do 1/3 every 2-3 weeks ....I test regularly and levels are always fine.

I might test the water before I do a change later once the kids & Mrs D have gone out

My stoking level is just under 50 fish, mostly tetras & dwarf rainbows, with a couple of kribs, dwarf gouramis, 4 clown loaches, 5 corries, 4 bristle nose, a horse face loach and a sucking loach and 5 amano shrimps ...and one otto - the other ottos died shortly after arriving ....I didnt quarantine them, and I was a bit suspicious of their health after that.

 

[sciencefiction]

.I test regularly and levels are always fin

Test results are irrelevant...In a cycled tank ammonia and nitrite show up as zero, nitrates climb up but nitrate is not the only problem. It is just the only problem we can test for.....The fish's health is what you should go by.....The effect of bad water quality is cumulative, i.e. the effect doesn't show up until things have been systematically bad for a period of time.