Neon Tetras with ich

[star_tenshi]

HELLPP!!!! Ok, i'm sure my neon tetras have ich/white spot. But what I'm not sure about is whether or not i can use the salt treatment on them. I came home after school today and I found some of them with ich. (I should've notice when they were swimming into the rocks yesterday!!!) I've already separated them into my 'sick tank'.

If i can use the salt treatment, how much do i use per gallon? And i also, i had two pregnant guppies and six harlequin rasboras in my main tank, are they also infected? I've already read dragonslair's note on ich.

Please reply asap?

 

[platypus]

Hi,

OK, this is hardly asap, but according to this site neons do tolerate salt. It also gives advice as to dosage.

I have neons but never use salt on them as I have scaleless fish (loaches) in there too.

Good luck!

 

[cheirodon]

I've had neons, and I've used salt without trouble.
The recommended dosage is one tsp. per gallon. Since I'm not a fan of "cooking metrics", I managed to translate to 5 grams of salt per gallon. Then I scaled it down a bit, and now I use 1 gram per liter.
Remember, it's Coarse or Raw salt (aquarium salt), and not the one for humans, as this one has fluor and iodine added.
Also, when adding the salt, dissolve it first in 1/2 a glass of water taken from the tank, and pour it back slowly, at short intervals, so it will spread evenly within the tank.

 

[star_tenshi]

Ok...much thanks platypus and cheirodon for all the info....it seems as if my prego guppies are a little infected too...so i should prolly put some salt in the main tank too.....

Out of aquarium salt and epsom salt....which is better?

Much thanks again ^^

 

[cheirodon]

Never heard of epsom salt being used in aquariums
Epsom salt is like Alka-Seltzer, probably made up of some acid and or basic effervescent component that surely includes carbon, mostly used for upset stomachs.
Coarse salt is Natium or Sodium Chloride (NaCl), and nothing else. Is what is left after ocean water evaporates

 

[star_tenshi]

well....because on www.guppies.com, they say that most guppy diseases are cured with epsom salts, so i was just wondering whether or not epsom salts would be better, since i have both epsom salts and aquarium salt at home.

 

[Ron]

I usually use non-Iodized salt, you can find this right next to teh regular table salt in any grocery store. Again, use 1 tsp per gallon. I would take out teh infected fish and put them in a hospital tank, if you have one. It's just easier then salting up your whole tank. Good Luck!
Ron

 

[Alien Anna]

I've heard of Epson salts being used as a dip for fish with constipation. Personally, I prefer frozen peas - less chance of over-dose!

The sort of salt you need is sea-salt, or pure rock salt. It needs to be non-iodised. You can buy Aquarium salt which contains other salts supposed to have a tonic effect on your fish (and designed to be quick dissolving) but personally I use Marine salt as that is closest to the kind of salt brackish fish are used to (its for my mollies). It contains trace elements of essential metals as well as sodium chloride and is safe for aquarium use.