Quick salt question

[Robin_42]

I have a sick gold fish that I am suspecting of being harmed my Nitrites or nitrates and he has been in a "bent" position. I have been told that salt baths might help. I have salt that says "this salt does not contain iodide a necessary nutrient". It does not say iodized salt. The question is are iodide and iodine the same? Is this salt safe for me to use? In the ingredients it says salt and yellow prussiate of soda (which I think is a chemical).. I don't want to use something that will make him worse...help?? :

 

[jlk]

Iodide and iodine are essentially the same in table salt but anti-caking agents such as prussiate of soda can be harmful. Look for a salt that only has sodium chloride listed in the ingredients. Canning/pickling salt, some kosher and sea salts, organic designated salt, some types of rock salt are some options aside from aquarium salt. If you suspect nitrite and/or nitrate poisoning, methylene blue baths will be the most helpful.

 

[Robin_42]

Iodide and iodine are essentially the same in table salt but anti-caking agents such as prussiate of soda can be harmful. Look for a salt that only has sodium chloride listed in the ingredients. Canning/pickling salt, some kosher and sea salts, organic designated salt, some types of rock salt are some options aside from aquarium salt. If you suspect nitrite and/or nitrate poisoning, methylene blue baths will be the most helpful.

Thank you for your reply. I am new at all of this. where can i get methylene blue? Is it only sold at pet stores? Do you know if it would possibly help a fish that has been in a "bent" position for a few days. I got him to eat a bit of peas today. He is just laying on his side kind of "bowed". I appreciate any and all information.

Is it sold under that name? such as this, "Kordon Methylene Blue Treatment 4oz" or "Methylene Blue Stain, 30mL (1 oz.) or Fritz Methylene Blue.. Do you have a favorite brand?

I am going to try to get some tomorrow, can you please explain how I do it? Thanks again for your help.

 

[jlk]

Kordon's is pretty common and inexpensive. Some stores may carry methylene blue (MB) depending on where you live and it's also available online at any big aquatics retailer, amazon and eBay.

Dose is approximately 1tsp per 3g of water as a separate bath. Do not add this product to a cycled tank as it will harm your cycle. Baths can be given 1-3x a day. 20-30minutes to start. Make sure you make a new bath each time as MB degrades very quickly. Also be very careful as MB stains anything it touches (sinks, your hands, the floor, etc). Bleach will remove it from most (not all) surfaces and pure lemon juice will remove it from your hands. You can also add a teaspoon of salt per gallon of water. Good luck and please ask any questions!

 

[BBradbury]

Hello Rob...

If you have a sick fish, most times it's due to poor water conditions. I'd suggest concentrating on just keeping the water clean with large, frequent water changes, like half the tank's volume every 2 to 3 days for a few weeks. Chemicals put into the tank water can stress the fish further and aquatic plants don't tolerate salt well.

B

 

[Matt68005]

You can usually find Pure "seasalt" for the table at health food stores. Make Sure you dissolve it first for at least 30 minutes with an airstone before adding your Fish.
Also, make sure you use as big of a QT tank as possible, sometimes goldfish will die from shock if you just move them into a tiny container. The methylene is a great chemical for goldfish to get rid of their fungus and bacterial ailments, and increase their oxygen in bloodstream. Its worth getting trust me. Just be careful because it will stain your clothes and carpet, ect.