Will adding salt kill these plants?

[PJFISH]

So after careful consideration I decided to add salt to combat the small fungus problem I have. I currently have amazon swords, Brazilian pennywort, dwarf chain sword, red Mellon sword and two red crypts. Will the salt kill them or just damage them a bit?


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[ScaryFatKidGT]

Like api aquarium salt in the recommended dosage?

 

[PJFISH]

Like api aquarium salt in the recommended dosage?

Yes, that's exactly what I'm using



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[BBradbury]

Adding Salt

So after careful consideration I decided to add salt to combat the small fungus problem I have. I currently have amazon swords, Brazilian pennywort, dwarf chain sword, red Mellon sword and two red crypts. Will the salt kill them or just damage them a bit?


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Hello PJ...

If you keep the dose to no more than a couple of teaspoons for every 5 gallons of replacement water as a treatment, the plants will be fine. I add a bit to my planted tanks and the plants are healthy. There's a bit of salt in our public water anyway, a bit more to help your fishes' immune system is a good idea.

B

 

[PJFISH]

Hello PJ...

If you keep the dose to no more than a couple of teaspoons for every 5 gallons of replacement water as a treatment, the plants will be fine. I add a bit to my planted and the plants are healthy. There's a bit of salt in our public water anyway, a bit more to help your fishes' immune system is a good idea.

B

Thanks a lot! That takes a load off my mind!


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[mattcham]

To treat fish you need a lot more salt than that. Something in the order of 3 to 5 teaspoons per gallon. A better alternative for that planted tank is Seachem paraguard which is a unique malachite green formulation, different from traditional malachite green. It is safe on most plants but Seachem has not tested it on all possible plant species for obvious reasons.

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[PJFISH]

To treat fish you need a lot more salt than that. Something in the order of 3 to 5 teaspoons per gallon. A better alternative for that planted tank is Seachem paraguard which is a unique malachite green formulation, different from traditional malachite green. It is safe on most plants but Seachem has not tested it on all possible plant species for obvious reasons.

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Thanks, I'm going to use both because I don't want to increase the salt that much. I don't have fish showing symptoms at the moment, what dose should I use as a preventative, until I'm sure the fungus is gone?


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[BBradbury]

Treating Fungus

Thanks, I'm going to use both because I don't want to increase the salt that much. I don't have fish showing symptoms at the moment, what dose should I use as a preventative, until I'm sure the fungus is gone?


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Hello again PJ...

Large, frequent water changes and a little salt are the best and easiest treatments for ailing fish. The small dose of salt will boost the fishes' immune system and at the same time keep the plants safe.

Chemicals put into the tank water are risky at best. You never know how the fish, plants and good bacteria will react. If you want to add a natural antibiotic, then feed the fish a little minced garlic. Spice World has a good product.

B

 

[PJFISH]

Hello again PJ...



Large, frequent water changes and a little salt are the best and easiest treatments for ailing fish. The small dose of salt will boost the fishes' immune system and at the same time keep the plants safe.



Chemicals put into the tank water are risky at best. You never know how the fish, plants and good bacteria will react. If you want to add a natural antibiotic, then feed the fish a little minced garlic. Spice World has a good product.



B

For the time being I'm going to stick with the salt since I don't see any signs of active infection. My flake food has garlic powder in it, is that enough or not?


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[Mebbid]

Garlic is an old wives tale that people keep telling because they refuse to see reason. There's no proof that it works as a treatment for anything. It's used as an appetite enhancer and that's just about the only credible proven use it has.

As for the fungus, can you post a pic? True fungus is fairly rare and its more likely to be a bacterial infection.

 

[BBradbury]

Feeding Garlic

Hello Meb...

I appreciate the way you test me on my recommendations. I do have to go back to my archives to locate my backup information, but it's good for me. Anyway, the use of garlic as a natural defense herb against bacteria has been used for years in freshwater aquariums. I've used it for several years myself. It contains a chemical called "Allicin" a natural immune system booster. I feed it to all my fish from Fancy Guppies to Platys, to Gouramies, Plecos and Corydoras. They all relish it. Spice World has a very good, all natural product. No additives, just the herb and water.

B

 

[Mebbid]

Hello Meb...

I appreciate the way you test me on my recommendations. I do have to go back to my archives to locate my backup information, but it's good for me. Anyway, the use of garlic as a natural defense herb against bacteria has been used for years in freshwater aquariums. I've used it for several years myself. It contains a chemical called "Allicin" a natural immune system booster. I feed it to all my fish from Fancy Guppies to Platys, to Gouramies, Plecos and Corydoras. They all relish it. Spice World has a very good, all natural product. No additives, just the herb and water.

B

I would absolutely love to see some proof of this in a scientific format. Because as of yet I have never ever heard of any credible source that even comes close to stating that garlic is an effective treatment for a fungal infection.

 

[Mebbid]

Bbradbury, I'd like you to loon at this the exact same way I do for a second. Let's say you come in to the hospital I'm at and are informed that you have cancer. Then I tell you its no big deal and all you need to do is eat garlic and drink plenty of water and you will be fine. You and I both know the response you'd give me on that.

That's basically what you're saying here. Garlic as a prophylactic, fine I have no issue with that. However, when a disease outbreak does occur then its time to put the unproven homeopathic remedies away in leiu of proven effective treatments that are proven to work.

 

[mattcham]

Seachem has a garlic product but they do *not* claim that it cures anything except loss of appetite due to bitter taste of other medicines.

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[Delapool]

Thanks, I'm going to use both because I don't want to increase the salt that much. I don't have fish showing symptoms at the moment, what dose should I use as a preventative, until I'm sure the fungus is gone?


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Generally I've found fish will be back to normal a day or two after last sign. For some reason I've found that once a fish gets fungus then they will be the first to re get it so I keep a closer eye on them.

 

[ScaryFatKidGT]

To treat fish you need a lot more salt than that. Something in the order of 3 to 5 teaspoons per gallon. A better alternative for that planted tank is Seachem paraguard which is a unique malachite green formulation, different from traditional malachite green. It is safe on most plants but Seachem has not tested it on all possible plant species for obvious reasons.

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I usually just do the 1 rounded tablespoon per 5 gallons?

 

[mattcham]

I usually just do the 1 rounded tablespoon per 5 gallons?

Depends on your goal. See here
http://www.skepticalaquarist.com/salt-magic


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[Delapool]

I must admit I'm curious if anyone has cured fungus just with salt. Just out of interest.

 

[Mebbid]

I must admit I'm curious if anyone has cured fungus just with salt. Just out of interest.

Salt is reported to be an effective treatment of fungus, however I would choose methylene blue over salt as a fungus treatment. it doesn't put any osmotic stress on the fish and is highly effective. The only problem is you can't treat the display tank with it.

 

[mattcham]

Salt is reported to be an effective treatment of fungus, however I would choose methylene blue over salt as a fungus treatment. it doesn't put any osmotic stress on the fish and is highly effective. The only problem is you can't treat the display tank with it.

Regarding methylene blue versus malachite green for fungus: both will stain silicone and decor but malachite green in the form of Paraguard is safe for the biological filter according to Seachem. Method blue will annihilate your biofilter at recommended dosage.

I do not know why methylene blue is the most recommended prophylaxis against egg fungus. Is it more effective against fungus than malachite green? Some people say hydrogen peroxide is best for isolated eggs (toxic to hatched fry and to adult fish at recommended doses).



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