salt dip advice

[sophie]

I recently posted an article worrying about the possibility of flukes
and received no replies :-( and I'm hoping a different subject line
might help!

I would really appreciate any advice on the following two ideas I have
(bearing in mind I am an inexperienced idiot) about treating possible
parasites:


1) salt dip all fish, transfer to bucket of nice clean water, leave them
there for 30 mins to an hour while I fill the tank with a salt dip[
solution and run the filter, then fill tank with clean water (having
rinsed the filter medium well in dechlorinated water) and return fish.
As I understand it the salt shouldn't hurt the biobugs, though I'm not
at all sure why they shouldn't be subject to death by shrivelling under
osmotic pressure.

2) don't do this yet, but if fish continues to improve, immediately dip
all of them before adding to the main tank.

Is method two risky or not? are the eggs on the fish or in the water?

Many thanks,

--
sophie

[Brian S.]

Hey sophie,

I would say that this works.

I used to add a tablespoon for every five gallons in my tank for about a
year. Didn't have any problems with bugs or parsites.

So, I don't see how the salt would hurt the fish other than the fact of the
first shock of the change of water conditions.

I would almost advise having the hospital tank setup (of course) and let the
water sit overnight in the hospital tank so it can get closer to the actual
real tank's water conditions.

After this, move the fish into the hospital tank and let them get used to it
for about an hour. I would then add the salt, possibly 1.5 tablespoons per
five gallons to add a little extra to kill the parasites.

Keep them in overnight then revert them back to the main tank.

However, in the main tank, you still may have the parasites living so it is
a catch 22 situation. I guess you could always add salt to the main
aquarium at the same time you do the hospital tank, but would do bout a 50%
or more water change in the main tank before putting the fish back in to
help get rid of the salt.

Just my two cents, and I don't know too much about it myself either.
Haven't really had any parasites or items that I've had to deal with.

Brian S.

"sophie" > wrote in message
...
>
> I recently posted an article worrying about the possibility of flukes
> and received no replies :-( and I'm hoping a different subject line
> might help!
>
> I would really appreciate any advice on the following two ideas I have
> (bearing in mind I am an inexperienced idiot) about treating possible
> parasites:
>
>
> 1) salt dip all fish, transfer to bucket of nice clean water, leave them
> there for 30 mins to an hour while I fill the tank with a salt dip[
> solution and run the filter, then fill tank with clean water (having
> rinsed the filter medium well in dechlorinated water) and return fish.
> As I understand it the salt shouldn't hurt the biobugs, though I'm not
> at all sure why they shouldn't be subject to death by shrivelling under
> osmotic pressure.
>
> 2) don't do this yet, but if fish continues to improve, immediately dip
> all of them before adding to the main tank.
>
> Is method two risky or not? are the eggs on the fish or in the water?
>
> Many thanks,
>
> --
> sophie

[Billy]

"sophie" > wrote in
message ...
|
|
| 1) salt dip all fish, transfer to bucket of nice clean water, leave
them


Some fish do not tolerate salt at any level, for even a short time.
Research individual fish before trying this.

[sophie]

In message <REbjd.64369$R05.27521@attbi_s53>, Brian S.
> writes
>Hey sophie,
>
>I would say that this works.
>
>I used to add a tablespoon for every five gallons in my tank for about a
>year. Didn't have any problems with bugs or parsites.
>
>So, I don't see how the salt would hurt the fish other than the fact of the
>first shock of the change of water conditions.
>
>I would almost advise having the hospital tank setup (of course) and let the
>water sit overnight in the hospital tank so it can get closer to the actual
>real tank's water conditions.

they're actually in my quarantine tank at the moment, so it will have to
double as a hospital tank... I don't really want to routinely have salt
in the tank unless absolutely necessary, which is why I was thinking of
a dip (or even a series of dips).

Many thanks for your help!


>
>After this, move the fish into the hospital tank and let them get used to it
>for about an hour. I would then add the salt, possibly 1.5 tablespoons per
>five gallons to add a little extra to kill the parasites.
>
>Keep them in overnight then revert them back to the main tank.
>
>However, in the main tank, you still may have the parasites living so it is
>a catch 22 situation. I guess you could always add salt to the main
>aquarium at the same time you do the hospital tank, but would do bout a 50%
>or more water change in the main tank before putting the fish back in to
>help get rid of the salt.
>
>Just my two cents, and I don't know too much about it myself either.
>Haven't really had any parasites or items that I've had to deal with.
>
>Brian S.
>
>"sophie" > wrote in message
...
>>
>> I recently posted an article worrying about the possibility of flukes
>> and received no replies :-( and I'm hoping a different subject line
>> might help!
>>
>> I would really appreciate any advice on the following two ideas I have
>> (bearing in mind I am an inexperienced idiot) about treating possible
>> parasites:
>>
>>
>> 1) salt dip all fish, transfer to bucket of nice clean water, leave them
>> there for 30 mins to an hour while I fill the tank with a salt dip[
>> solution and run the filter, then fill tank with clean water (having
>> rinsed the filter medium well in dechlorinated water) and return fish.
>> As I understand it the salt shouldn't hurt the biobugs, though I'm not
>> at all sure why they shouldn't be subject to death by shrivelling under
>> osmotic pressure.
>>
>> 2) don't do this yet, but if fish continues to improve, immediately dip
>> all of them before adding to the main tank.
>>
>> Is method two risky or not? are the eggs on the fish or in the water?
>>
>> Many thanks,
>>
>> --
>> sophie
>
>

--
sophie

[sophie]

In message >, Billy
> writes
>
>
>"sophie" > wrote in
>message ...
>|
>|
>| 1) salt dip all fish, transfer to bucket of nice clean water, leave
>them
>
>
>Some fish do not tolerate salt at any level, for even a short time.
>Research individual fish before trying this.

I _think_ (and am desperately trying to get this confirmed) that while
loaches don't like salt and will not tolerate the dip for as long as
other fish, it won't actually kill them (unless they are very weak).

loaches online is a good place with a nice forum, and I'm hoping they'll
help!

Many thanks,
--
sophie