Newbie... questions about salt in goldfish tanks.

[coolchinchilla]

Are there links that discuss the benefits/detriments of salt in
goldfish tanks?

I've read numerous places that goldfish like to have a little salt
in their tanks. For tropical fish (not goldfish) I've read
repeatedly that no fish needs to have salt. It can be used for
treatment, but never ongoing. Do goldfish differ on the use of salt
or is there some differences of opinion on this issue?

Thanks in advance!
Linda and the zoo.

[[email protected]]

It basically can be use as a medication to prevent parasites. I have
read that it is not best to keep salt in the tank all the time. In fact
it works best from zero salt to medication level and then let leach out
with water changes.
Larry
Carmichael/Sacramento

[ginger]

On the other hand...I always put salt in the water. I use about 1 TBL
/ 10 gal. It works for me. Others may (and do) disagree.

We have just finished a discussion about salt dips and using salt in
tanks. Rather than repeat it all here, if you can get to the archives
from the last two weeks you should be able to follow the trail. If not
ask again and your questions will be answered.

Those of us who use salt all agree the iodized salt is NOT to be used.
Pure Rock Salt (not the pellets) or Kosher Salt are the best choices.

[Koi-lo]

"ginger" > wrote in message
oups.com...
>
> Those of us who use salt all agree the iodized salt is NOT to be used.
> Pure Rock Salt (not the pellets) or Kosher Salt are the best choices.
===========================
Water softener salt pellets are also safe and the cheapest way to go if
you're going to salt your tanks.
--
Koi-Lo.... frugal ponding since 1995...
Aquariums since 1952
My Pond & Aquarium Pages:
http://bellsouthpwp.net/s/h/shastadaisy
~~~ }<((((o> ~~~ }<{{{{o> ~~~ }<(((((o>

[Cindy]

ginger wrote:
> On the other hand...I always put salt in the water. I use about 1 TBL
> / 10 gal. It works for me. Others may (and do) disagree.
>
> We have just finished a discussion about salt dips and using salt in
> tanks. Rather than repeat it all here, if you can get to the archives
> from the last two weeks you should be able to follow the trail. If
> not ask again and your questions will be answered.
>
> Those of us who use salt all agree the iodized salt is NOT to be used.
> Pure Rock Salt (not the pellets) or Kosher Salt are the best choices.

Or sea salt.

[[email protected]]

actually... not sea salt for freshwater fish. Ingrid

"Cindy" > wrote:

>ginger wrote:
>> On the other hand...I always put salt in the water. I use about 1 TBL
>> / 10 gal. It works for me. Others may (and do) disagree.
>>
>> We have just finished a discussion about salt dips and using salt in
>> tanks. Rather than repeat it all here, if you can get to the archives
>> from the last two weeks you should be able to follow the trail. If
>> not ask again and your questions will be answered.
>>
>> Those of us who use salt all agree the iodized salt is NOT to be used.
>> Pure Rock Salt (not the pellets) or Kosher Salt are the best choices.
>
>Or sea salt.
>



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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Solve the problem, dont waste energy finding who's to blame
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I receive no money, gifts, discounts or other
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any of the recommendations I make.
AND I DID NOT AUTHORIZE ADS AT THE OLD PUREGOLD SITE

[Cindy]

wrote:
> actually... not sea salt for freshwater fish. Ingrid

Really?
Why not? I've done it, doesn't seem to hurt.
(Chalk another one up to the "expert" at the LFS. Also I think I read it
somewhere.)

Cindy

[Daniel Morrow]

Bottom posted.

--
You can find my public key at https://keyserver1.pgp.com
"Cindy" > wrote in message
...
> wrote:
> > actually... not sea salt for freshwater fish. Ingrid
>
> Really?
> Why not? I've done it, doesn't seem to hurt.
> (Chalk another one up to the "expert" at the LFS. Also I think I read it
> somewhere.)
>
> Cindy
>
>


Marine aquarium salt is best for freshwater fish when the fish need it (i.e.
most live bearers such as guppies/fancy guppies. Ever since I kept 1
teaspoon per 5 gallons in my fancy guppy tanks I haven't had any problems
unlike before the salt when I had a fancy guppy die mysteriously every 4 or
so days. Trust me - salt (a proper freshwater salt like marine aquarium
salt) can make all of the difference in the world. Good luck and later!

[coolchinchilla]

ginger wrote:
> On the other hand...I always put salt in the water. I use about 1 TBL
> / 10 gal. It works for me. Others may (and do) disagree.
>
> We have just finished a discussion about salt dips and using salt in
> tanks. Rather than repeat it all here, if you can get to the archives
> from the last two weeks you should be able to follow the trail. If not
> ask again and your questions will be answered.

Ok, great. I'll check it out.

> Those of us who use salt all agree the iodized salt is NOT to be used.
> Pure Rock Salt (not the pellets) or Kosher Salt are the best choices.

Yeah. I have Aquarium Salt from the LFS.

Thanks!
Linda and the zoo.

[[email protected]]

Sea salts have a different combination of mineral salts than those used for
freshwater fish. The Goldfish Guru, Jo Ann Burke, says it isnt a good idea, maybe
contact her to ask.

Sea salts are expensive. Rock salt is cheap. Ingrid

"Cindy" > wrote:

wrote:
>> actually... not sea salt for freshwater fish. Ingrid
>
>Really?
>Why not? I've done it, doesn't seem to hurt.
>(Chalk another one up to the "expert" at the LFS. Also I think I read it
>somewhere.)
>
>Cindy
>



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
List Manager: Puregold Goldfish List at
http://weloveteaching.com/puregold/
sign up: http://list.lovemyoldhome.com/web/wa.cgi?REPORT&z=3
www.drsolo.com
Solve the problem, dont waste energy finding who's to blame
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I receive no money, gifts, discounts or other
compensation for all the damn work I do, nor for
any of the recommendations I make.
AND I DID NOT AUTHORIZE ADS AT THE OLD PUREGOLD SITE

[[email protected]]

There are different basic uses for salt. As a preventative (low salt all the time)
the action is mechanical, it stimulates turnover of slime coat production which is
laced with antibodies and other anti-microbial proteins. It also reduces osmotic
pressure, that is the flow of fresh water into the fish cells which are much saltier
than the surrounding water.

Most fish breeders use low levels of salt all the time in their pond. Any parasites
on the fish are adapted to those salt levels. They dont "de-adapt" just because the
fish keeper doesnt have salt in the water.

Salt as "treatment" is basically good for stripping the slime coat, as a salt dip.
Most parasites are in the slime coat and are removed with the dip. the remainder are
more easily treated them by the following medications.

High levels of salt are hard on GF and not recommended for very long. There are
inexpensive and below are safer treatments for GF than salt.

ICH ... quick cure, every other day for 3 treatments with water changes in between
Oodinium, costia, etc. potassium permanganate
http://www.mu.edu/~buxtoni/puregold/disease/treatment/trtmnt.htm#POTASSIUM
flukes like gyros or dacs, peroxide dip (CAREFUL FOLLOW DIRECTIONS) Jo Ann's PEROXIDE
DIP ... every other day until flukes are cleared up
http://weloveteaching.com/puregold/disease/treatment/treatment2.htm#peroxide_dip
lernea (anchor worms) or argulus (fish lice) Dimilin which is now found OTC in
"Anchors Away".

Mostly, great water quality, good aeration, even temps, nitrates less than 20 ppm and
NO NEW FISH in the tank (the closed tank system) will keep fish healthy so they dont
need a lot of chems.
Ingrid


" > wrote:

>It basically can be use as a medication to prevent parasites. I have
>read that it is not best to keep salt in the tank all the time. In fact
>it works best from zero salt to medication level and then let leach out
>with water changes.
>Larry
>Carmichael/Sacramento



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
List Manager: Puregold Goldfish List at
http://weloveteaching.com/puregold/
sign up: http://list.lovemyoldhome.com/web/wa.cgi?REPORT&z=3
www.drsolo.com
Solve the problem, dont waste energy finding who's to blame
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I receive no money, gifts, discounts or other
compensation for all the damn work I do, nor for
any of the recommendations I make.
AND I DID NOT AUTHORIZE ADS AT THE OLD PUREGOLD SITE

[coolchinchilla]

Wow... Thanks for all the input. I really appreciate it. :-)

Linda and the zoo.

wrote:
> There are different basic uses for salt. As a preventative (low salt all the time)
> the action is mechanical, it stimulates turnover of slime coat production which is
> laced with antibodies and other anti-microbial proteins. It also reduces osmotic
> pressure, that is the flow of fresh water into the fish cells which are much saltier
> than the surrounding water.
>
> Most fish breeders use low levels of salt all the time in their pond. Any parasites
> on the fish are adapted to those salt levels. They dont "de-adapt" just because the
> fish keeper doesnt have salt in the water.
>
> Salt as "treatment" is basically good for stripping the slime coat, as a salt dip.
> Most parasites are in the slime coat and are removed with the dip. the remainder are
> more easily treated them by the following medications.
>
> High levels of salt are hard on GF and not recommended for very long. There are
> inexpensive and below are safer treatments for GF than salt.
>
> ICH ... quick cure, every other day for 3 treatments with water changes in between
> Oodinium, costia, etc. potassium permanganate
> http://www.mu.edu/~buxtoni/puregold/disease/treatment/trtmnt.htm#POTASSIUM
> flukes like gyros or dacs, peroxide dip (CAREFUL FOLLOW DIRECTIONS) Jo Ann's PEROXIDE
> DIP ... every other day until flukes are cleared up
> http://weloveteaching.com/puregold/disease/treatment/treatment2.htm#peroxide_dip
> lernea (anchor worms) or argulus (fish lice) Dimilin which is now found OTC in
> "Anchors Away".
>
> Mostly, great water quality, good aeration, even temps, nitrates less than 20 ppm and
> NO NEW FISH in the tank (the closed tank system) will keep fish healthy so they dont
> need a lot of chems.
> Ingrid