Slime coat

[mr.waffles1842]

Does anyone know something to provide slime coat to my corys? they are getting slower, and are starting to lose color. they still attack my leftover food, but im worried they dont have enough slime coat... Im on the verge of adding Prime to the water, im desperate!

 

[BBradbury]

Good morning mr...

Don't keep otos, but I can tell you what I do for my tropicals. Besides using Prime, I feed a supplemental food called "TetraMin". Your fish may simply need some different nutrients.

I also use a little aquarium salt in my tanks. A teaspoon mixed with five gallons of my water change water supports the fishes' immune system or their "slime coat". The use of aquarium salt is controversial at best, but I've used it for years and find my tropicals do very well with it.

B

 

[plecoluver]

aquarium salt should not be used permanently in a tank... it should be used for medicinal purposes only. ottos are fairly sensitive fish that like established tanks... how long has your tank been set up? also, what are your water parameters?

 

[mr.waffles1842]

10 months about

 

[BBradbury]

aquarium salt should not be used permanently in a tank... it should be used for medicinal purposes only. ottos are fairly sensitive fish that like established tanks... how long has your tank been set up? also, what are your water parameters?

Hello pleco...

You may be right. No doubt the use of standard aquarium salt is a personal choice. My belief is tropical fish all come from water areas that have a natural salt content, so my job is to keep the tank environment as close to nature as humanly possible. Water passes through a fish's gills more easily with a trace of dissolved salts in the water and benefits their immune system.

I keep several varieties of Corydoras, fish that are also sensative to salt and have never had a problem.

When I started my tanks several years ago, a friend who'd been a fishkeeper for many years, encourage me to use a little aquarium salt in my tanks, because he believed it killed disease causing bacteria he said were present in all tanks. That was six years ago, and I've never had a disease in any of my tanks.

"An Ounce of Prevention is Worth a Pound of Cure."

Thanks for your post.

B

 

[absolutangel04]

Are you sure they getting slower because of their slime coat? Did you also check your water params?

 

[mr.waffles1842]

WATER params are fine

 

[alLexX]

Hello pleco...

You may be right. No doubt the use of standard aquarium salt is a personal choice. My belief is tropical fish all come from water areas that have a natural salt content, so my job is to keep the tank environment as close to nature as humanly possible. Water passes through a fish's gills more easily with a trace of dissolved salts in the water and benefits their immune system.

I keep several varieties of Corydoras, fish that are also sensative to salt and have never had a problem.

When I started my tanks several years ago, a friend who'd been a fishkeeper for many years, encourage me to use a little aquarium salt in my tanks, because he believed it killed disease causing bacteria he said were present in all tanks. That was six years ago, and I've never had a disease in any of my tanks.

"An Ounce of Prevention is Worth a Pound of Cure."

Thanks for your post.

B

adding salt for anything but a disease is a waste of time,and on soem species can actually do harm. are you sure they are getting enough to eat? are you supplementing anything and are you sure they are etaing it?


@plecoluver,you have it set so people cant pm you,so i couldnt reply to your question

 

[mr.waffles1842]

adding salt for anything but a disease is a waste of time,and on soem species can actually do harm. are you sure they are getting enough to eat? are you supplementing anything and are you sure they are etaing it?


@plecoluver,you have it set so people cant pm you,so i couldnt reply to your question

I see them nosing about the gravel, and i put in sinking pellets every other day......

 

[alLexX]

I see them nosing about the gravel, and i put in sinking pellets every other day......

if they are non-alagae pellets they wont eat them.even if they are algae based they probably wont eat them. try blanched veggies like cucumber

 

[mr.waffles1842]

if they are non-alagae pellets they wont eat them.even if they are algae based they probably wont eat them. try blanched veggies like cucumber

really? these are corys. Are you sure?

 

[alLexX]

really? these are corys. Are you sure?

for some reason i thought they were ottos

 

[mr.waffles1842]

darn it, i messed up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I MEANT corys!!!! im SOOOOOOOO sorry everybody!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!