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what's the difference between aquarium tonic salt and epsom


BikBok

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I've been using tonic salt bought from a petshop but I've seen people talk about epsom salt for salt baths.

I was out shopping tonight and saw some epsom salt at the supermarket so bought some.

What's the difference between the two and do either affect pH ?

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oh ok.. so the epsom is a muscle relaxant? which is why humans put it in their bath too.

What would be the applications for the aquarium... and is dosage different?

The reason I ask, is I am currenlty salt bathing my betta (30 mins a day) for a bump that appeared on her head. day 3 and the bump is reducing.. I'm using tonic salt.. wonder if epsom salt would be better and if the dosage would be the same or different.

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Epsom Salt is usually used if your Fish are Constipated :o So in other words it makes them Poooo :wink:

Instead of buying Tonic Salt from the Petshop you can just buy Rock Salt from the Supermarket, does the same job, just make sure it doesn't contain any Iodine.

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Ahh the old iodine debate :-)

As above the normal salt (sodium chloride) which is labled as rock salt, aquarium salt or just table salt is good for external infections and will control fungal infections and protozoal infestations and can help protect against nitrite (NO2) poisoning.

Epsom salts (magnesium sulphate) is supposed to be good for constipation in fish and is of some benifit to fish suffering dropsy or hard metal poisoning as the magnesium salt wont pass through the lining wall of the stomach, like normal salt will, but will extract or absorb excess water out of the kidneys and surrounding tissue where it can be passed naturally out of the fish. It should also be used prior to using medications for internal diseases like metronidozole or praziquantel as it clears the way and so the medication will work quicker.

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I use non iodine salt but only because that’s what I have. The amount of iodine in the normal table salt is so small that its is very unlikely to cause a problem.

It is said that to get a toxic dose of iodine would need a salt concentration more than enough to kill kelp but I would still prefer to not to risk it.

Tiny amounts of iodine may, as Navarre suggests, be beneficial in some cases.

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