Aquarium Salt And Betta (important)

[Nathan_betta3010]

I’m treating my betta in its 5 gallon tank with aquarium salt and was planning to use the salt for a week( using correct dosages along with water changes) but I stumble upon a website that says if you leave your betta in aquarium salt for longer than 8 minutes it will burn its skin! Is this true? Should I do a big water change to get rid of the salt right now?

 

[scohen]

I've read that you shouldn't have aquarium salt with freshwater fish at all, so I probably wouldn't risk it.

 

[Nathan_betta3010]

Well on the box it says it’s for fresh water fish

I've read that you shouldn't have aquarium salt with freshwater fish at all, so I probably wouldn't risk it.

I've read that you shouldn't have aquarium salt with freshwater fish at all, so I probably wouldn't risk it.

 

[Accents]

Aquarium salt is used to irritate the skin, stimulating the fish to produce the slime coat. It can be used in fresh water, if it's only the betta. Fish without scales will be burned, as well corys. It can be helpful, but in reality, if you don't need it, you don't have to add it. A water change certainly won't hurt, but neither would the salt if carefully dosed. It's easy to overdose, though, and it can be hard to be exact every water change, do I would try not to use it.

 

[Nathan_betta3010]

I’m making sure to do the right doses and would a week be ok with no overdosing?

 

[Accents]

It should be ok, but make sure that all fish in the tank are okay with salt. Also, when adding it in, do it in 1/4 of the dose until everything is in. Too much at once is a shock and can hurt the fish.

 

[Nathan_betta3010]

Oops I put the whole dosage in at once

I’ll do 1/4 on the rest of dosages following water changes

 

[Accents]

Ok. Keep an eye on the betta in case they're lethargic, etc. If behaviour changes, immediately change 50% of the water to remove some salt.

 

[-Mak-]

Maybe I missed it but what exactly is the salt for? Bettas come from environments that have no salt. Their bodies are not adapted to salt. It cannot possibly be good for their health for extended periods of time.

 

[AllieSten]

That site that you read was talking about a salt bath or salt dip. It is a different concentration than you are using in your main tank.

In the main tank your dose should be 1 teaspoon per gallon of water, this will keep the salinity very low.

For the salt bath/dip the dosage is different. It is 3 teaspoons per gallon of water. That is 3x’s the amount of salt. You don’t want to leave your fish in that level of salt for more than 6-7 minutes. Not at all. It definitely can burn them. Plus other disastrous damage to internal organs.

This is why the dosage is very important. With a 5 gallon tank I would underdose your salt. I would do 4-4.5 teaspoons. Your tank doesn’t actually have 5 gallons of water in it. So you should accommodate for that.

 

[Nathan_betta3010]

The box said 1 tablespoon for every 5 gallons and 1 tablespoon equals 3 teaspoons so right now I only have 3 teaspoons in my tank

 

[Nathan_betta3010]

I’ve finished treating my 5 gal tank betta tank with aquarium salt and I want to add my mystery snail back into the tank. My question is how do I quickly get rid of aquarium salt so I can add my snail back?

 

[david1978]

Water changes, water changes, water changes.