What Do You Use Salt For In A Fresh Water Aquarium?

[Plecc]

Hi,

I quite often here a light dose of salt being recommended for various treatments.
Is this marine salt? the sort used in a reef setup?
And if so how does it benefit ill freshwater fish?

Plecc.

 

[OldMan47]

It is not used as a general tonic. If you are treating ich, it can be a useful medication in the right concentration. Either sea salt or regular salt can be used for that treatment.

I also often see salt recommended for everything imaginable, but I prefer to use the right treatment for any diagnosed illness.

Another place that sea salt can be used is to create brackish water, like the water becomes near the place that a river runs into the ocean. A fish that would normally live in that kind of place is often able to live for short times in fresh water but it would do better with that salt/fresh mix in a tank. Examples include some of the puffers.

 

[Plecc]

Thanks for the quick reply.

One of my gourami got pretty excited yesterday, jumped out the water and hit the glass support brace in the center of my tank.
he's fine but has a small scrape in front of his dorsal fin. (i have put a strip of electrical tape down either edge of the brace to protect them.)
is a weak salt solution any good for helping him heal?
or do i just give him time?

Plecc.

 

[OldMan47]

A nice fresh water change and pristine conditions will let it heal up quickly.

 

[Plecc]

Thanks.
Merry Christmas!