Stella Posted January 4, 2007 Report Share Posted January 4, 2007 This is something that has bugged me for a while and I would like to have a roughly definitive answer at the ready just in case. I want to know how much salt to use, in tea/tablespoons per litre to treat sick fish, both as a short shorp dip (30sec to a minute) and for a longer treatment. Also what is a good low level to have in the water when fish are at risk of disease (eg just removed a sick fish, water conditions got out of hand etc) Most stuff on the internet is in gallons, grams (I so don't have that sort of scale!) or US/UK versions of tsp/tbsp (even the australian tsp/tbsp measures are quite different to ours. Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Stella Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sharn Posted January 4, 2007 Report Share Posted January 4, 2007 i use (and this is the formula that is most commonly reccomended in my readings on the net) 1TBS per 20L for tanks without sensitive fish (plecos, clown loaches, BGK, discus, some tetras etc) and 1TBS per 40L for fish with sensitive fish. i rarely ever use salt anymore though. this dosage is for scrapes, to help combat fungus (wont cure fungus by itself though), helps to combat a few other external problems too (salt helps stimulate slime coating etc). you add it to the tank, only replace what you take out with water changes and when you want to discontinue using salt you just w/c it out. salt will hurt your plants though so if you have live plants you may not want to use salt. i am unsure what dosage to use for a short term or longer term bath (how long do you mean?). i think when you do the short term bath you want the fish to roll over and then transfer them back into fresh water. the only time i did a salt bath it took around 8 minutes for the fish to roll. i frequent alot of overseas forums and if it doesnt require complete and total accuracy i just times the gallons by four. there are a few converters around too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aquagold Posted January 4, 2007 Report Share Posted January 4, 2007 For Goldfish you can have 2ppm for health sake long term and 5 to 8 ppm for short term treatment. 2ppm helps in osmoregulation in some freshwater fish. I use 1 handful per 20ltr bucket for several cases. Only leave till it flips over. At this strength it doesn't take long. Salt baths produces production of new slime coat and helps as a laxative. Rob@Aquagold. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella Posted January 5, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 5, 2007 Thanks Regarding handfuls per bucket, I am kinda after something more precise, or at least to sound like I know what I am tlaking about, I want the info for something I am writing as well as personal use. 8) Admittedly the last qucik dip treatment I did involved several 'pours' of salt from the bag into a small jug of water.... hardly precise. It seemed to help. (anyone else seem the measuring spoon sets that are labeled 'dash', 'pinch' 'smidgin' etc? I'd love to get some. They sum up my attitude to most measuring... which possibly explains why I am not so good at cooking...) Stella Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sharn Posted January 5, 2007 Report Share Posted January 5, 2007 found this on a google- you will probably need to convert the measurements but that isnt too hard. you normally need a fair amount of salt anyway and a scale that measures grams is pretty cheap http://www.google.co.nz/search?hl=en&q= ... arch&meta= http://www.google.co.nz/search?hl=en&q= ... fish&meta= Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Insect Direct Posted January 5, 2007 Report Share Posted January 5, 2007 flip over, or for te fish to roll????? will it literally roll over like when you pat a puppy on its tummy lol but seriously will the fish turn upside down? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sharn Posted January 5, 2007 Report Share Posted January 5, 2007 yep, its really scary to watch a fish you care about roll over like its dead Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Insect Direct Posted January 5, 2007 Report Share Posted January 5, 2007 lol thats out of it, so I assume once its goes back into fresh water it will come back around lol rather quick?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sharn Posted January 5, 2007 Report Share Posted January 5, 2007 yes they do IME, mine flipped back up the right way within 5-10 seconds from memory. i netted him out of the bath, put him back in the tank and he seemed stunned for a bit then just swam off like normal. im not sure how long its supposed to take them to roll back over but you wouldnt want it to be too long Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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