can bristlenose tolerate a little salt?

squid · Post by **squid** » 16 Mar 2004, 13:46

can bristlenose tolerate a little salt in their tank?
i'm planning tyo add about 1 tbsp per 5 gallon of water because my new angels seem to have a little finrot.

can they tolerate salt?

saradora · Post by **saradora** » 16 Mar 2004, 15:43

I am not an expert by any means, but I was putting 5 tsp. of salt in my tank for several months because my LFS told me it would help my fish (I have a common pleco, an L333, and a clown pleco and several other non-catfish). The LFS advised me to put 1/2 tsp. per gallon (I have a 29 gal tank), and that just seemed like way too much salt to me (especially as I kept reading things about catfish being intolerant of salt), so I scaled back the dosage to be on the safe side. This amount of salt definitely did not bother any of my fish, and I was putting salt in for about four months.
I quit using salt in my tank because I kept reading articles about how it is a dubious preventive measure at best (the most recent thing I've read on that is in the February issue of Tropical Fish Hobbyist where the editorial and an article on osmotic stress are both opposed to the practice).
All of that said, I can vouch that a small amount of salt is not harmful and doesn't seem to affect plecos at all. Do you have any Corydoras? They can supposedly be very intolerant of salt.

squid · Post by **squid** » 16 Mar 2004, 22:18

saradora wrote:I am not an expert by any means, but I was putting 5 tsp. of salt in my tank for several months because my LFS told me it would help my fish (I have a common pl*co, an L333, and a clown pl*co and several other non-catfish). The LFS advised me to put 1/2 tsp. per gallon (I have a 29 gal tank), and that just seemed like way too much salt to me (especially as I kept reading things about catfish being intolerant of salt), so I scaled back the dosage to be on the safe side. This amount of salt definitely did not bother any of my fish, and I was putting salt in for about four months.
I quit using salt in my tank because I kept reading articles about how it is a dubious preventive measure at best (the most recent thing I've read on that is in the February issue of Tropical Fish Hobbyist where the editorial and an article on osmotic stress are both opposed to the practice).
All of that said, I can vouch that a small amount of salt is not harmful and doesn't seem to affect pl*cos at all. Do you have any Corydoras? They can supposedly be very intolerant of salt.

no cories:)
just bns and angelfish:)
thanks.

GreatDane · Post by **GreatDane** » 19 Mar 2004, 10:33

They CAN, but they will loose their colour. They will turn almost transparant. Which doesnt look good.

squid · Post by **squid** » 19 Mar 2004, 21:05

GreatDane wrote:They CAN, but they will loose their colour. They will turn almost transparant. Which doesnt look good.

thanks,
this will just be temporary.
adding salt to treat my angelfish:)
as soon as they're ok will remove the salt:)

CommonPl*co · Post by **CommonPl*co** » 22 Mar 2004, 11:06

I would strongly recommend against using salt with angels. That TFH article had an impact on my perception of salt use, but I'd still use it in 2 situations: livebearers (fairly brackish anyway in most cases) and goldfish with swim bladder problems. It is very much because of the osmotic changes that I recommend it for goldfish... But I digress.

Don't do it with angels. I think it was that same issue in the Ask Jack collumn where Jack Whatley suggested using Melafix for finrot problems. (Okay, he said use a medicine based on melaluca extracts and the Melafix ad was on the adjacent page.) I think you'll find it much more successful and less stressful for your angels and cats.

jurassic_pork · Post by **jurassic_pork** » 22 Mar 2004, 22:14

I concur on using the melafix a fine product which i have used very effectively with angelfish

squid · Post by **squid** » 23 Mar 2004, 08:03

so melafix is efefctive for finrot..?
my new albino bn's tail and fins are almost gone:(
he's also quite qeak already...

CommonPl*co · Post by **CommonPl*co** » 30 Mar 2004, 06:32

Sorry I'm so late getting back - hectic week at work, and started of this morning with a huge HR issue. Hope you BN is having a better week!

Yeah, Melafix is good for fin rot. My other favorite there is Maracyn II. Not sure why, but II is better than I with cichlids and plecos, IME.

'Course, if he's made it this far, keep doing what you're doing!

squid · Post by **squid** » 30 Mar 2004, 08:25

unfortunately i lost the 2 new bristlenose which were sick..
but those with my angelfish are fine and healthy....

can bristlenose tolerate a little salt?

can bristlenose tolerate a little salt?

cories..

thanks!

thanks!