Re: Mystery Snail - Is aquarium salt safe? How to move snail?

My betta has fin rot. I have been advised to add aquarium salt to the 20Gal Long that he shares with my Mystery Snail.
I have read that aquarium salt is dangerous for Mystery Snails so have been advised to keep and treat betta in the 20L, and to move the snail out during treatment.
How do I set up a temporary tank for the snail? I have a spare 3 gallon - the one the snail came in when I adopted him - but not sure how I can move him asap because I do not have time to cycle the small tank.
Do I - add water from the 20L, some of the substrate, a decor item, and watch for an ammonia spike?
Do I - need to acclimate the snail if the water is the same temp as the 20L?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

Why not move the betta to a hospital tank/bucket and treat there so you're not salting your display tank. The salt will still be there when you want to return your snail to the tank (in the substrate, etc). It's much easier and generally more desirable to medicate a small hospital tank than the other way around unless the problem is endemic to the tank and not the fish. You don't need to cycle the hospital tank, just be vigilant about changing water and using conditioner that will squash the ammonia as it appears.

ps - the salt will also harm/kill your plants if you have that.

 

That makes sense. I was being advised to move the snail (and my plants) so as not to stress the already-weak betta fish. That said, my snail is happy and healthy - I don't want to do anything to hurt the snail. I did not think about the salt remaining in the substrate.

 

If you take care in capturing the betta and use some water from the tank he's in it should minimize stress to him/her. You can try to sink a container that will hold water and lure the betta in with some food then raise the container and fish out slowly instead of swiping at it with a net.

 

Great advice. I will do that.