Sids & aquarium salt

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bimbimbi
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Joined: Fri Nov 09, 2012 10:24 pm

Sids & aquarium salt

Post by bimbimbi » Mon Nov 19, 2012 9:02 pm

Im planning to get a school of sids to go into a community aquarium. i have always added salt when doing water changes (1 tbs per gal). Is this appropriate for loaches - specifically sids? Thanks Laura

starsplitter7
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Joined: Thu Sep 13, 2007 11:04 pm
Location: Tampa, Florida

Re: Sids & aquarium salt

Post by starsplitter7 » Mon Nov 19, 2012 11:53 pm

Never add salt and loaches and most catfish (especially cories) for that matter. Do you also remove the salt? You know if doesn't evaporate like the water does, so the salt concentrates in the water. Do you check the salinity? There's so reason to use salt in a freshwater tank. Yes, if you have brackish, and if you have sick fishes (not loaches or catfish) it can be affective, but removing the salt after treatment can really mess up fish if it is done too quickly. You need to make sure the salt is gone before you add Sids.

And yes, I know everyone says to use salt but it is basically an old wives tale.

bimbimbi
Posts: 7
Joined: Fri Nov 09, 2012 10:24 pm

Re: Sids & aquarium salt

Post by bimbimbi » Tue Nov 20, 2012 4:53 am

Many thanks again, ive been doing the wrong thing for years! I'll now start removing it slowly b 4 adding the sids. do u have any suggestions for removing it? Perhaps more regular water changes without the added salt? im never gonna ask advice of an aquarium store again!

starsplitter7
Posts: 5054
Joined: Thu Sep 13, 2007 11:04 pm
Location: Tampa, Florida

Re: Sids & aquarium salt

Post by starsplitter7 » Tue Nov 20, 2012 1:07 pm

I am not exactly sure how to do it properly. Definitely removing the water very slowly (maybe 5% a week or 5% every few days with vacuuming) without adding salt is the way to go. The problem is that if you remove too much at one time, you can really damage your fish, and I am not sure how to avoid this. I could be 100% wrong, but I think ChefKeith has talked about this and maybe Diana too. Our moderator Jim would be another person to ask. I know that a hygrometer used for salt water fish can be helpful. You may want to take a sample of your water to a saltwater store, and ask them to check how much salt is in your water.

People on here have explained how salt and the body chemistry of fish interacts. It is too complicated for me to repeat. You might want to do a search on salt in the index and see if you can find the threads.

One of the reasons this fish keeping hobby is in such peril is because the fish transporters and sometimes to fish breeders use salt to treat fish. They do not remove the salt, so when they end up at the retail end, the retailers add salt to match the water parameters of the fish that have been shipped. They falsely believe that the breeders and transporters always know the conditions that fish should live in. SInce I live in the heart of fish breeding and transporting, I can tell you as an absolute fact that many do not.

This bad information is passed to the consumer, and if you're someone like me who had learned to use salt then when you are acclimating, it can take forever to reduce the conductivitiy of the water. Locally my natural conductivity is about 200-300. I have checked bags of fish from stores and a local transporter where the water was 2000-3000 and it was due to the water being salted. You'll find many Petcos actually proudly display cups of salt in the tank. Bring those fish home and try acclimating them to your tank. Unfortunately, this practice is killing the industry. Between the lack of cycling knowledge in setting up new tanks and salt being added to freshwater, the fish have a very difficult time surviving the transistion and people believe the problem is entirely their fault. As beginners there are mistakes to be made, but the salt is not their fault and affects all hobbyists.

I am speaking entirely from an American standpoint. I know this does not happen in other countries. Although I do believe fish from Asia are frequently shipped in salt and antibiotics.

With all that said, salt can have a place in the hobby for people who know how to use it and use it when needed. I am not one of those people.

What I do with LFS sales people is I act completely ignorant and ask questions that I know the answers to. Three usually does it. 1.) That's a really cool pleco. I have a 10 gallon tank. Is that big enough to keep it? If they say yes, I know they do not know this fish grows to 24". Sometimes they even ignorantly announce that a fish grows to its environment. Not true. (Strike one.) If the person says, No, that fish will grow too large, but these Otocats or a mystery snail would be better algae eaters. (Then I figure they know something.) 2.) What's this pretty orange and black fish? A clown loach? How big does it get? (They grow 12-16" and live 20+ years). Most people will suggest them as perfect snail control for a 10 gallon tank African cichlid tank. (Strike 2). If they suggest, that I am overfeeding causing my snail explosion, they are my best friend. :) 3.) I have a new 10 gallon tank, and I want to get these three goldfish today. How much salt do I add? If they don't stop me from wanting to buy fish and/or agree I need salt, I know there is no hope. Should also discourage me from getting goldfish for a small tank, need to tell me to cycle my tank, . . .(Strike three.) It is very effective method. :) I used to work in a fish store and had people do a variation of this with me. I would answer their questions to the best of my ability, admit when I was clueless and help when I could.

Diana
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Joined: Wed Jan 04, 2006 1:35 am
Location: Near San Franciso

Re: Sids & aquarium salt

Post by Diana » Thu Nov 22, 2012 10:19 pm

To remove salt from the aquarium do water changes.
You do not want to drop the level all at once, though. Too fast.

I would follow a schedule like this:
25% water changes, twice a week. No salt in the new water.

OR

Larger water changes, and add less and less salt each time:
50% water changes, once or twice a week, but add half as much salt as usual for 2-3 changes, then 1/4 the original dose for a couple of changes, then no salt.

The net result is the salt goes down over about a month, which is just fine.

In the mean time, get the sids, they will be in quarantine for about the length of time it takes to get rid of the salt.

There is one local store that has such a high salt level that I could quarantine new fish from them in my brackish water tank! I have tested the water, and it really is salt (sodium chloride).
38 tanks, 2 ponds over 4000 liters of water to keep clean and fresh.

Happy fish keeping!

bimbimbi
Posts: 7
Joined: Fri Nov 09, 2012 10:24 pm

Re: Sids & aquarium salt

Post by bimbimbi » Fri Nov 23, 2012 9:33 pm

Thankyou both once again. I've gone for the 25% weekly water change with no salt

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