View Full Version : pleco and salt
Fishy_Fun
03-31-2008, 12:57 AM
can i use salt to treat ick even if there are corys and a pleco in there?if so can i use table salt?i think i might have ick as all the fish are acting strange and i think salt will help.Even if they don't have ick it might clear it up.just in case your wondering ammonia 0,nitrite 0,and nitrate below 10.
heres the problem
i added a molly about two weeks ago even after quarantining it i think it had ick because just a couple days ago it started occasionally scratching against a leaf.i have seen both my danios rubbing on the sand as well.i also got two swordtails and one hides and sits in the corner and doesn't eat anything except bloodworms and the other sits in the top corner but eats and has scratched a couple times.i see no visible signs of ick (no spots) but they seem listless and not very active any ideas why there doing this:confused:
doreenjoy
03-31-2008, 12:59 AM
What's the pH and temp in the tank? Flashing can be cause by any kind of irritant, not just ich.
Fishy_Fun
03-31-2008, 1:06 AM
PH isn't all that high as i run DIY CO2 and tank temp is right around 80*.its not just flashing but the most of the fish seem lethargic
Don't treat yet unless you see sure signs of ich. Flashing occasionally is fine but too often would be an abnormal sign.
By the way, when my loaches had ich, I treated with table salt at a tablespoon per 5g. I dissolved it before adding to my tank. Plecos and loaches were fine during treatment.
Fishy_Fun
03-31-2008, 1:10 AM
so i shouldn't do anything even though they seem lifeless because both female swords sit in the corner and hide.i do see the male chasing them alot would that cause the female swords to hide and sit in the corner?but that doesn't explain the molly
so i shouldn't do anything even though they seem lifeless because both female swords sit in the corner and hide.i do see the male chasing them alot would that cause the female swords to hide and sit in the corner?but that doesn't explain the molly
That would explain why your swordtails seem stressed then. Is your tank heavily decorated?
Fishy_Fun
03-31-2008, 1:19 AM
yes its (HEAVILY PLANTED).there are hiding spots but he still seems to find them
yes its (HEAVILY PLANTED).there are hiding spots but he still seems to find them
I'd simply isolate the male and allow the females to roam around in peace.
Fishy_Fun
03-31-2008, 1:36 AM
hmm where shall i put him lol????i think i might have to get another aquarium...
hmm where shall i put him lol????i think i might have to get another aquarium...
MTS isn't bad.;)
Carp37
03-31-2008, 6:31 AM
Personally I wouldn't add salt to a tank with Corydoras or plecs in- some species can tolerate it, some really can't, and I wouldn't want to take the risk.
Barbie
03-31-2008, 1:40 PM
Most plecos and cories can handle more salt than they get credit for, as long as it's not for a long period of time. Over time, it can cause stress, but I frequently use it with great results, up to a 3% solution, then immediately the next day diluting by 1/3 and continuing that for a week to remove the salt. That gives you an effective dosage to control the parasites and also minimizes the stress. The problem that most people run into when adding salt is that they've already got some in the water and then adding more can run you into the danger zone. I never add salt unless I'm specifically treating, and then I add a large dose (usually a teaspoon per gallon, added daily for the total gallonage to increase the concentration, after a 1/3 water change to remove any tomites and keep the water quality optimal). I recently acquired a microscope in order to better determine the causative factors for losses and I definitely think most people don't use enough salt to make it actually beneficial when they add it and then they leave it in the tank longer than is healthy for the fish. That's just my opinion though ;).
Barbie