To salt....or not to salt

[bluefrog]

Also posted in the Beginner thread...
I recently moved my ryukin goldfish to an appropriate sized tank. I used "goldfish salt" to help protect him. I never used it before, and was wondering if it is a good practice. He is mostly hiding in his new tank and didn't eat today. I have 'newbie' fears that I might mess something up and kill the little guy. I've had him since April, and he has done great....

 

[Jamnog]

yea ive heard allot of people saying goldfish NEED salt i think they are all morons but thats just my opinion goldfish are fresh water fish and its only recently that some people have decided to keep them in marine water conditions (as far as im aware). goldfish survive for up to 15 years in fresh water as far as ive seen one thats 15 years old or there abouts and he was in fresh water. perhaps they last that long in salt water they are so darn tough i expect they would. at the end of the day so long as you followed the instructions and didnt add too much salt then the fish will last for a long time im shure i just thing you waisted you money on the salt and the people who sold it to you are also happy. now bring on all the decent

 

[dolphin]

Hi

Decent, never, but...

When I last went to buy some kio carp, I asked to shop owner, a way to rid my pond of algea and blanket weed. His responce was "salt, in fact alot of people put salt in there ponds as a matter of coures". He then pointed to some 25Kg bag of salts that they sell, just for ponds. I did not go down this route.

I must point out, that the shop is one of the top stores for Jap kio carp in the south west, and the only place I will buy kio from down this way.

 

[Jamnog]

mmm they are bred from koi among other things and alltho being an inland lake and pond type of fish i suppose salt in moderation would mean less maintenence in terms of things like alge and most traditional parasites would not do anywhere near as well due to the reverse osmosis that means the fish practically sweat water out or something anyways like i said they dont NEED salt and to sugest they did would be irrisponcible imo the amount of carp fish NEED is very diferent when you talk to experienced fish keepers and when you talk to the morons who sell lazer treasure chests and glow in the dark castles.

 

[bluefrog]

Thanks for your help. I didn't really think golds needed the salt on a regular basis. I figured that it might help with the stress of moving to a new tank (as stated on the salt package and from other literature I've read up on) . Anyway, this morning he seems to be doing better- swimming around more and he ate a bit of food, although doesn't seem to have his normal appetite back yet. He is definitely hiding under plants more than usual. I'm thinking this is all just due to stress from moving.

Another question though- does anyone have suggestions on having a fan blow on the top of the water? I'd like to keep the temp of the water lower than room temp (which is about 75o F), since the light warms it up a bit more. My tank is small- only 10 gal US, so I'd like to avoid buying one of those floor fans.

 

[Jamnog]

if you blow air on the water it might be best to blow air on a sponge thats in the water this means evaporation aria increases and cools the water allot more. also if you have an airator put that near a tob of ice (dont let it get wet) all thease things will help you cool your tank and not forgetting turn down your thermostat on your heater by one degree celcius while the heat is on just encase

 

[bluefrog]

Some info I've found on salt: It is a good practice to use salt when quaranteeing a new goldfish or treating one for bacterial infection. .3% salt is best, which equals 1 tablespoon per gallon of water. Salt does in fact alleviate stress in goldfish (promoting the slime coat), and does kill bacteria. Many health issues can be helped with using the .3% formula. On another note- salt does slow cycling time, it inhibits nitrIte absorption. This is good...better to have low level nitrites for four days than high levels for two days.... I'd rather deal with a longer cycle time than have very sick fish for a short time....Salt is good, although not necessary with a healthy and cycled tank. It's a good tonic to have on hand if you're into goldfish...By the way, make sure you use aquarium salt, and never use table salt. Iodine kills fish. Remember than salt does not evaporate, and must be replaced after a water change.