Mystery snails and aquarium salt

[MIKE D]

I have ICH in my guppy tank and I need to treat it with aquarium salt but I have mystery snails in the tank too. Will they be ok if I add the salt or do I need to remove them?

[catnipgal]

I'm pretty sure you have to remove the snails when treating with ich. I'm sure those with more knowledge in this area will answer.

[msjinkzd]

Its always best if you isolate them, but they can tolerate salt treatment.

[MIKE D]

Ok thank you both

[Hooked Newbie]

Also.... "Aquarium salt" is not the salt you need for treating Ich and generally a waste of money.

[MIKE D]

I've used it every time and it works like a charm

[msjinkzd]

it works fine, but you can use table salt. The iodine being dangerous is a myth.

[DarrylR]

Salt+ ICH medicine is a lethal combo to shrimp and snails. I lost a lot of amanos and mystery snails in the past. Best to take them out of the tank when medicating.

[MIKE D]

I yook them out just to be on the safe side

[Lupin]

Salt may be dangerous to snails but if precautionary measures are taken, the damage can be averted. Problem with most people is they fail to dissolve the salt before putting in the tank. To put salt straight to the tank without dissolving and adding carefully is similar to dumping copper sulfate carelessly to kill hydras, etc. I've dissolved salt when I treated for ich and none of my loaches and catfish showed a slightest sign of stress at all. It will work similarly to snails although as mentioned, they can be removed as they are not affected by ich at all.

[MIKE D]

Thank you lupin I did not know about that. I removed all the snails before I added the salt.

[kayla25690]

I Had ich in my tank about a month and a half ago, and i removed my snails, but then i put them back 3 days after.... and i floated them in a bag, then started adding the water with salt, in the bag they were floating in to get them used to the salt, and it hasn't bothered them... so as long as their isn't extreme amount of salt, your snails should be fine.

[pik01]

can snails (or shrimp for that matter) get ich?

[MIKE D]

Thats a good idea kayla I think I'm going to try that. I dont know if snails of shrimp can get ich pik01

[Lupin]

can snails (or shrimp for that matter) get ich?
No, they can't. Ich affects only the fish but some cysts could stick on the snail's shells although given the lack of fish as hosts for more than 48 hours, the ich is unlikely to survive.

[pik01]

thanks lupin, that's good to know

[FallenAngel]

So how much (rock?) salt should i put in my 25g tank with loaches, mollies, angelfish, corys, kribensis, red tailed shark, ramshorns and BN ancistrus?

[Lupin]

My max dosage if it involves loaches and catfishes is two teaspoons per gallon. Add a teaspoon per gallon every 12 hours. Be sure to DISSOLVE the salt thoroughly. A lot of your fish are sensitive to the presence of salt grains that could otherwise irritate them if they graze around it.

[FallenAngel]

So is rock salt fine?
I would put 5 tsp of rock salt into a cup of aquarium water, let it dissolve, then put into tank.
Then repeat 5 times? (Tank is 25g)

[Lupin]

Ahhh...That's 25 teaspoons total every 12 hours. Gradually add the salt. 5 teaspoons per cup to make sure the grains are totally dissolved as adding all at once will not dissolve it completely at all.

Rock salt is fine.

[FallenAngel]

Ok so the 'recipe' is..
Get 5 cups
Put 5 tbsp's in each cup
Wait for them to dissolve
Add all at once?

[Lupin]

Teaspoons, not tablespoons! Add them gradually. Give 5-10 minutes per cup. Better do it slowly. Repeat this in the next 12 hours with another set.