correct salt level for goldfish?

[Cathy T.]

I have a 90 gallon tank with 10 fancy goldfish. It has been set up now for
more than a year and it is doing very well. Many years ago I worked in a
fish store, and the owner believed in adding non-iodized salt to all the
goldfish tanks. I don't know why, but he was a very knowledgeable guy and
the fish seemed to do well.

So I basically have three questions regarding salt...

1.) Do other people add it, or was it just this mans idea?

2.) How much salt should I be adding? I seem to remember it was 1 teaspoon
(or maybe 1 tablespoon?) per gallon, but I could be very wrong! Even better
would be knowing the correct salinity level (specific gravity?). I have
access to a hygrometer.

3.) Could the right level of salt help prevent the periodic "upside-down"
floating that one of my fish does from time to time? He can right himself if
he puts the effort in to it, otherwise he flips upside down for a few days.
Then he will be ok for a while, and then the problem returns. This has been
going on for months! (It doesn't seem to bother him, but it upsets me pretty
well.)

Any info would be much appreciated!

CT

[eric]

"Cathy T." > wrote in message
...
> 1.) Do other people add it, or was it just this mans idea?
>
> 2.) How much salt should I be adding? I seem to remember it was 1 teaspoon
> (or maybe 1 tablespoon?) per gallon, but I could be very wrong! Even
> better would be knowing the correct salinity level (specific gravity?). I
> have access to a hygrometer.
>
> 3.) Could the right level of salt help prevent the periodic "upside-down"
> floating that one of my fish does from time to time? He can right himself
> if he puts the effort in to it, otherwise he flips upside down for a few
> days. Then he will be ok for a while, and then the problem returns. This
> has been going on for months! (It doesn't seem to bother him, but it
> upsets me pretty well.)

Salt is used for a few things and a lot of people do use it for goldfish.
For a tonic (about 0.1%) use a rounded tablespoon for each 5 gallons. To
combat some harmful critters for a QT tank upto 0.3% is good. Beyond that is
mostly for salt dips which you do for short periods for specific purposes
and anywhere from 0.5 to 1% has been suggested.

As for #3, its possible if the floating problems are related to fluid
retention. Although what you are saying sounds like a swim bladder problem,
be that a genetic disorder or infection or something else entirely.

[Koi-Lo]

"Cathy T." > wrote in message
...
>I have a 90 gallon tank with 10 fancy goldfish. It has been set up now for
>more than a year and it is doing very well. Many years ago I worked in a
>fish store, and the owner believed in adding non-iodized salt to all the
>goldfish tanks. I don't know why, but he was a very knowledgeable guy and
>the fish seemed to do well.

It's not necessary but you can safely ad 1 tbs. per 10gs if it'll make you
feel better. Too much salt will effect the plants negatively if you have
them.

> So I basically have three questions regarding salt...
>
> 1.) Do other people add it, or was it just this mans idea?

I don't use it for goldfish and koi.

> 2.) How much salt should I be adding? I seem to remember it was 1 teaspoon
> (or maybe 1 tablespoon?) per gallon, but I could be very wrong! Even
> better would be knowing the correct salinity level (specific gravity?). I
> have access to a hygrometer.

> 3.) Could the right level of salt help prevent the periodic "upside-down"
> floating that one of my fish does from time to time? He can right himself
> if he puts the effort in to it, otherwise he flips upside down for a few
> days.

That's not a condition related to salt. These floaters usually end up
dying.

> Then he will be ok for a while, and then the problem returns. This has
> been going on for months! (It doesn't seem to bother him, but it upsets me
> pretty well.)
>
> Any info would be much appreciated!

You can look up swim-bladder disease on the net. I've never had a GF
completely recover from this disorder no matter what diet they were fed.
Salt is useless. One fish lasted months in an outdoor pool but did finally
die. Some lasted as your fish seems to be doing but still died in the end.
--
Koi-Lo.... frugal ponding since 1995...
Aquariums since 1952
My Pond & Aquarium Pages:
http://tinyurl.com/9do58
~~~ }<((((o> ~~~ }<{{{{o> ~~~ }<(((((o>

[Roy]

Keep the salt in the kitchen not in the fishes water unless its
absolutely necessary to add it for treatment. If you want to add salt
to the fishes water perhaps setting up a marine tank would satisfy
that urge.



On Fri, 3 Feb 2006 21:29:02 -0500, "Cathy T."
> wrote:
>><>I have a 90 gallon tank with 10 fancy goldfish. It has been set up now for
>><>more than a year and it is doing very well. Many years ago I worked in a
>><>fish store, and the owner believed in adding non-iodized salt to all the
>><>goldfish tanks. I don't know why, but he was a very knowledgeable guy and
>><>the fish seemed to do well.
>><>
>><>So I basically have three questions regarding salt...
>><>
>><>1.) Do other people add it, or was it just this mans idea?
>><>
>><>2.) How much salt should I be adding? I seem to remember it was 1 teaspoon
>><>(or maybe 1 tablespoon?) per gallon, but I could be very wrong! Even better
>><>would be knowing the correct salinity level (specific gravity?). I have
>><>access to a hygrometer.
>><>
>><>3.) Could the right level of salt help prevent the periodic "upside-down"
>><>floating that one of my fish does from time to time? He can right himself if
>><>he puts the effort in to it, otherwise he flips upside down for a few days.
>><>Then he will be ok for a while, and then the problem returns. This has been
>><>going on for months! (It doesn't seem to bother him, but it upsets me pretty
>><>well.)
>><>
>><>Any info would be much appreciated!
>><>
>><>CT
>><>

--
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The original frugal ponder ! Koi-ahoi mates....

[[email protected]]

salt is used prophylactically all over. Goldfish and koi breeders use it in their
ponds. 1 teaspoon of salt per 5 gallons. This can be increased to 3 teas. per 5 over
a few days. rock salt with no additives.
http://weloveteaching.com/puregold/ in the disease/treatment there is a heading
talks about use of different concentrations.
hygrometers usually arent sensitive enough. a pond salt test kit is.
upside down floating is almost always an overfeeding issue. too much food at once.
too much of the wrong kind of food (grains are undigestible).
floating is almost always a problem of deep bodied fancy GF. a little heat will
help.
there is one other time fish float, that is when there is gravel that has accumulated
anaerobic fermentation and when the fish goes down to sift thru the gravel they suck
up toxic gas across their gills ... they start by wobbling in the water. if this
goes on they lose bouancy too.
then there is the fish that is dropped damaging their air bladder.
Ingrid

"Cathy T." > wrote:
>1.) Do other people add it, or was it just this mans idea?
>
>2.) How much salt should I be adding? I seem to remember it was 1 teaspoon
>(or maybe 1 tablespoon?) per gallon, but I could be very wrong! Even better
>would be knowing the correct salinity level (specific gravity?). I have
>access to a hygrometer.
>
>3.) Could the right level of salt help prevent the periodic "upside-down"
>floating that one of my fish does from time to time? He can right himself if
>he puts the effort in to it, otherwise he flips upside down for a few days.
>Then he will be ok for a while, and then the problem returns. This has been
>going on for months! (It doesn't seem to bother him, but it upsets me pretty
>well.)
>
>Any info would be much appreciated!
>
>CT
>



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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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AND I DID NOT AUTHORIZE ADS AT THE OLD PUREGOLD SITE

[Mellie101]

Hi, I am a newbie to all this so what i say might be sooo wrong. I
recently read about a man who had a goldfish with swim bladder
problems. Anyway, he fed the fish just frozen peas for a few days and
found that the fish recovered well and hadn't had the problem since.
He seemed convinced that this was the cure. I use frozen peas a few
times a week as I thought that it stopped the fish getting constipated.
Anyway, whether this was pure luck or not, might be worth giving a go
if all else is failing. Hope I haven't made lots of experienced people
cringe with my useless information.

Mellie

[Koi-Lo]

"Mellie101" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> Hi, I am a newbie to all this so what i say might be sooo wrong. I
> recently read about a man who had a goldfish with swim bladder
> problems. Anyway, he fed the fish just frozen peas for a few days and
> found that the fish recovered well and hadn't had the problem since.
> He seemed convinced that this was the cure. I use frozen peas a few
> times a week as I thought that it stopped the fish getting constipated.
> Anyway, whether this was pure luck or not, might be worth giving a go
> if all else is failing. Hope I haven't made lots of experienced people
> cringe with my useless information.
=========================
The "pea cure" has been around for some years now. I didn't find it helpful
at all. It always came back. Once a fish got swim-bladder it died of the
condition. But that's been MY experience.
--
Koi-Lo.... frugal ponding since 1995...
Aquariums since 1952
My Pond & Aquarium Pages:
http://tinyurl.com/9do58
~~~ }<((((o> ~~~ }<{{{{o> ~~~ }<(((((o>

[[email protected]]

peas are not digestible. basically they give the fish diarrhea. it is a treatment
like a crystal of epsom salts in the peeled pea.
the CAUSE of swim bladder (mostly seen in fancy big bodied GF) is overfeeding. see
here
http://weloveteaching.com/puregold/disease/symptom/symptom.htm#floating%20problems
Ingrid
(come join the puregold GF list)

"Mellie101" > wrote:

>Hi, I am a newbie to all this so what i say might be sooo wrong. I
>recently read about a man who had a goldfish with swim bladder
>problems. Anyway, he fed the fish just frozen peas for a few days and
>found that the fish recovered well and hadn't had the problem since.
>He seemed convinced that this was the cure. I use frozen peas a few
>times a week as I thought that it stopped the fish getting constipated.
> Anyway, whether this was pure luck or not, might be worth giving a go
>if all else is failing. Hope I haven't made lots of experienced people
>cringe with my useless information.
>
>Mellie



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
List Manager: Puregold Goldfish List at
http://weloveteaching.com/puregold/
sign up: http://groups.google.com/groups/dir?hl=en&q=puregold&qt_s=Group+lookup
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