Can I Use Table Salt Instead Of Aquarium?

[LolaLouie]

My Pleco has really bad pop eye and is really bloated, his skin is splitting he's so swollen. I've almost finished a course of waterlife myxazin which has done absolutely nothing.

I read that putting the fish in salt water helps draw out the fluids.

1. Is this safe with a pleco?
2. If so how much salt do I add?
3. Can I use table salt instead of aquarium?

Thanks

 

[lilfishie]

salt is generally a no no with plecos anyway due to them being scaleless, try posting in emergency's see if you get a better reply

 

[Truck]

table salts contain caking agents, so thus are not suitable for saltwater dips

 

[minxfishy]

Epsom salts can be used to give the fish a quick bath if bloated, but unsure on how the plec would react to it, also you dont dose it into the tank water, you use a solution in a tub and kinda dip the fish into it.

 

[LolaLouie]

Ok I got some epsom salts... how much should i add?

 

[stang1]

As Wilder said on your other thread, it is not advisable to use salt with your Plec as they are not very tolerant of it.

 

[minxfishy]

Its 1 tablespoon per gallon of water I believe (someone correct me if Im wrong), mix it well into some tank water (removed from the tank) and slowly add the plec, leave for 10 minutes, then return to the normal tank, this can be done up to 2x daily, but remember this will be stressful to the plec.

Before you do all this, have you tried to feed some cooked shelled peas to the plec, if hes bloated, it could help.

Edit: Posted after stang: If Wilder advises not to use the epsoms on the plec, then dont, she has more knowledge of this than I do.

 

[LolaLouie]

I put him in the salt as he's about to die.. might as well try something. He doesn't seem phased by it. If he's still the same tomorrow i might put him out of his misery.. apparently the prognosis for dropsy is very bad.

 

[stang1]

Lola, it might be worth carrying this on in the Emergency section to ensure you get the right help. Wilder is very good when it comes to fish illness and should point you in the right direction.

 

[minxfishy]

Is it definately dropsy? Can you get a pic?

 

[rabbut]

Just to add dosages;

1tsp per gallon for a bath (added to the tank, you don't want this here)

or

1tsp ber l for a dip (you're application)

Once pop-eye is showing, it rarely heals IME, so s/he is probibly a gonner With this in mind a salt dip probibly won't do additional harm, but a pleco won't take a dip well As Wilder advises, it's best not to

All the best
Rabbut

 

[lilfishie]

issolate the fish and try the pea

 

[andywg]

salt is generally a no no with plecos anyway due to them being scaleless, try posting in emergency's see if you get a better reply

*Sigh*

The myth rears its head again...

The intolerance of salt is nothing to do with the pleco being sans scales and everything to do with the osmoregulatory system having evolved to deal with water that has very little salt content. If a lack of scales was a problem we would not have brackish and marine catfish, nor moray eels.

As Wilder said on your other thread, it is not advisable to use salt with your Plec as they are not very tolerant of it.

Plecs are fine for short term medicinal treatments (like cories). Some plecos are now found in brackish water in Florida so it is a little misleading to group them all together.

 

[stang1]

Point taken, Andy but then we are all guilty of not finding out what type of Pleco it is.
The Plec doesn't sound too good and I should imagine a salt bath will stress it out further.

 

[LolaLouie]

it's ok i decided to put the fish in clove oil instead... thanks for advice though!