Killing ich...?

[David]

salt additives: the warnings against use of table salt because it contains iodine, anti-caking ingredients, etc. are bunk. Table salt is safe for aquarium use.

Do you have any hard evidence to back up this claim, sir?

 

[astroboy]

Myself and many other aquarists i know use regular salt with no ill effects.

Maybe this will clear things up.

http/www.aaquaria.com/aquasource/salt.shtml

 

[David]

Myself and many other aquarists i know use regular salt with no ill effects.

Maybe this will clear things up.

http/www.aaquaria.com/aquasource/salt.shtml

Ok... I'm not gonna read that whole thing. But I read a paragraph or two and it helps clear some things up. However it does say that this is one person's opinion...

 

[astroboy]

I find that it clears up many myths that are unknowingly spread around. I found that with this very forum. People take whats written in these "stickies" for face value and think its set in stone. They swearby it.

I interact with the author on a regular basis. He knows people will question what he tests and says, and people should be skeptical of what they hear. He is a VERY experienced and knowledgable aquarist.

I use "sifto" iodized salt with absolutely no harm done to my fish.

Is there even any hard evidence that table salt does harm fish?

 

[David]

Nope I guess not. I myself never use any kind of salt so I can't really comment, I just heard that it's bad to use table salt.

 

[cation]

True a high enough temp will kill anything, but, during the free swimming stage, the ick will not be able to stand a temp of 86 and the salt combined.  The temp alone should be enough to kill it, the salt is an added precaution (necessary IMO).

Some sick fish will not be able to take a temperature of 86 degrees.

However, raising temps in conjunction with adding salt can be an effective way to eliminate the infestation of your fish.


And although I certainly recommend checking multiple sources for info, the linked page you provided clearly states it is the author's opinion. You have not really shown any evidence to back up your claim that table salt is appropriate for aquarium use.

I'd be more likely to trust the opinions and info from the University of Florida, which states:

"Although seawater is composed of many different salts, sodium chloride is the predominant one. Marine animals must be maintained in a saltwater solution that contains the micronutrients found in natural seawater. A number of products containing these nutrients are commercially available. Since the micronutrients present in sea salt are not critical for the survival of freshwater fish, either noniodized table salt or rock salt (suitable for consumption by humans or livestock) may be used for salt "treatments" in these species"

Find it here.

Or the University of Missouri, which states,

"The most common chemical added to transport water is salt (NaCl). Salt is used to relieve stress associated with maintaining a water balance in the fish. Freshwater fish have a blood salt concentration higher than the salts of the transport water. As a result, the fish are continually losing salts to the surrounding water. Concentrations of 5,000 ppm (0.5 percent) are commonly used. A 5,000 ppm concentration can be made by adding 19 grams (one tablespoon) of salt per gallon to water used during transport. Use non-iodized salt that contain no anti-caking compounds. Canning salt is a good example."

Find it here.


Or the University of Hawaii, which suggests,

"... un-iodized salt may be added to reduce stress."

Find it here.


However, none of these opinions carry any proof either. What I'd really like to see are some research papers on the subject, so I could see the outcomes and the data for myself.

 

[astroboy]

I read the links.

And i pm'd the author of the article about the links. The gist of what he said was that the anticaking agents and the iodide are in such trace amounts that they are harmless. Even a concentration 1000X greater than your ick solution would be harmless. Same goes for the iodide. It may even be beneficial to certain fish (African cichlids) for preventing goiters (iodide deficiency). Same goes for shrimp when molting.

He suggested checking it out myself (comparing the concentrations allowable to the toxic amounts to fish) using the FDA and USDA websites. Believe me, i tried to get the numbers, but had difficulty finding it (and reading through so many pages of data).

Heres what he suggested

Check it for yourself - go to FDA and USDA sites and check on the concentrations allowed, then check the refs for the toxicities - to get to toxic levels of these additives, the fish would long ago have been pickled in dense brine, and long-dead from dehydration and osmotic shock. Pure, unadulterated mythology, and you can - with a bit of research - check all the numbers .

If you really want to know, give it a try (i did, and prob will again). Makes you think twice about what you hear.

 

[Angry_Platy]

If you really want to know, give it a try (i did, and prob will again). Makes you think twice about what you hear.

Give it a try? And risk harming my fish? No thanks....then turn around and say "Oh, it is bad after all, damn I lost all dem fish"....again, no thanks....

You talk about toxicity.....OK....so it may not be all that toxic....but think of the little fish....whose environment is a closed space...not open like ours where we have aceess to abundant air supplies (that sounded dumb but its true)....add a little but of a "not so toxic" compound to the aquarium a little bit at a time....over a long period this WILL become toxic. Not has a 4 year Science degree told me that but common sense.

The aquarium salt I buy is actually cheaper than an equivalent sized container of table salt here...

In the end we are solely responsible for the environments which our fish live in. Its bad enough that there world is altered so much that they have to tolerate tanks. But we should, as much as possible keep things as similar to their natural environment as possible. And people are now going to say "but they don't know any different".....well you might get used to walking around in a wollen coat in the middle of summer but it doesn't mean its going to be comfortable right....(just an analogy)....iodine or anti-caking agents do not exist in the wild hence we shouldn't put our fish in them....

Phew....what a ramble that was!!!

 

[astroboy]

Give it a try? And risk harming my fish? No thanks....then turn around and say "Oh, it is bad after all, damn I lost all dem fish"....again, no thanks....

No , i meant trying to find the toxicity level and then comparing to how much is actually introduced into your tank.

I (and countless others) always use table salt to treat fish and i haven't said "oh, it is bad after all, damn i lost all dem fish"

Why don't you try table salt next time and be a little more openminded.