Using Aquarium Salt with Kuhli Loaches/Plants

Hello, I have noticed a fungal growth on one of my Betta strohi and I believe that several of my Pygmy rasboras have fungal infections too. They are in my display tank and I am thinking of treating the entire tank with aquarium salt. The only problem is that I have a few plants and numerous kuhli loaches in the tank. I can remove the plants but not all the loaches. Will treating the tank with aquarium salt kill my loaches/plants? If so, should I try and round up all the rasboras and the Betta, place them in a quarantine tank, and treat? Will the fungus remain in the main tank if I go with this approach? Should I just use Maracyn and Ich-X instead?

 

I would round the betta and rasboras up and put them in qt with salt.

 

I would round the betta and rasboras up and put them in qt with salt.

Okay, thank you! I forgot to mention that its a 40B and there are around 40 rasboras so I am afraid of missing one. If I do miss a rasbora, is there a chance of reinfection once I re-introduce the treated fish? Also, is salt a better treatment than Maracyn/Ich-X?

 

Okay, thank you! I forgot to mention that its a 40B and there are around 40 rasboras so I am afraid of missing one. If I do miss a rasbora, is there a chance of reinfection once I re-introduce the treated fish? Also, is salt a better treatment than Maracyn/Ich-X?

There might be a chance so try to get all of them. Salt is defiantly better imo.

 

There might be a chance so try to get all of them. Salt is defiantly better imo.

Thank you for the quick response. I have more questions if you don't mind, as I have never successfully treated fish diseases before and would like to learn. ): There is a male Betta strohi in the tank too, as well as a few chocolate gouramis. They don't have any symptoms. Should they also go in the hospital tank? Could the Kuhlis get the fungus too and re-introduce it to the other fish? And one last question if you don't mind. Can the fungus survive in the tank without a host? Thank you for your help!!

 

Thank you for the quick response. I have more questions if you don't mind, as I have never successfully treated fish diseases before and would like to learn. ): There is a male Betta strohi in the tank too, as well as a few chocolate gouramis. They don't have any symptoms. Should they also go in the hospital tank? Could the Kuhlis get the fungus too and re-introduce it to the other fish? And one last question if you don't mind. Can the fungus survive in the tank without a host? Thank you for your help!!

No problem! I don't mind questions lol. I would separate the fish ASAP so that it doesn't spread to other fish. Depends how big the hospital tank is, but I would say no if they don't have symptoms. The kuhlis could get it and reintroduce it so I would monitor the fish in the hospital tank as well as the fish in the display tank closely for signs of sickness. I'm not sure if it can live without a host but I would assume yes for a short amount of time, but I could be wrong.

 

No problem! I don't mind questions lol. I would separate the fish ASAP so that it doesn't spread to other fish. Depends how big the hospital tank is, but I would say no if they don't have symptoms. The kuhlis could get it and reintroduce it so I would monitor the fish in the hospital tank as well as the fish in the display tank closely for signs of sickness. I'm not sure if it can live without a host but I would assume yes for a short amount of time, but I could be wrong.

The hospital tank is the same size as the display tank (40B) and already filled. I did forget to mention that both tanks are blackwater and I don't have any blackwater on hand at the moment (and I am waiting on a re-mineralizer to make more). The problem is that the parameters are slightly different from those of the display tank (pH difference of 0.7 and unknown GH/KH difference) and I am afraid of further stressing out my fish. If it changes your answer, my hospital tank can fit my entire display stocking. If I can't get the parameters to match right I am thinking about...just treating my display tank(?). I love the kuhlis but I don't think I should risk my entire stocking for them. Alternatively, do you think that maybe putting the sick fish in slightly different parameters won't matter too much? Sorry for all the questions/complications. I see that you are super experienced/respected so I'm just trying to learn as much as I can.

 

The hospital tank is the same size as the display tank (40B) and already filled. I did forget to mention that both tanks are blackwater and I don't have any blackwater on hand at the moment (and I am waiting on a re-mineralizer to make more). The problem is that the parameters are slightly different from those of the display tank (pH difference of 0.7 and unknown GH/KH difference) and I am afraid of further stressing out my fish. If it changes your answer, my hospital tank can fit my entire display stocking. If I can't get the parameters to match right I am thinking about...just treating my display tank(?). I love the kuhlis but I don't think I should risk my entire stocking for them. Alternatively, do you think that maybe putting the sick fish in slightly different parameters won't matter too much? Sorry for all the questions/complications. I see that you are super experienced/respected so I'm just trying to learn as much as I can.

Hmmm. That makes things a bit more complicated... Kuhlis are scaleless fish and will NOT take salt well. IDK what other fish you have in there that could be sensitive to salt. Maybe drip acclimate from one tank to the other? One option would be to find all the scaleless fish and move them with the plants, but that would be a pain since Kuhlis are impossible to catch and they hide really well.

 

Hmmm. That makes things a bit more complicated... Kuhlis are scaleless fish and will NOT take salt well. IDK what other fish you have in there that could be sensitive to salt. Maybe drip acclimate from one tank to the other? One option would be to find all the scaleless fish and move them with the plants, but that would be a pain since Kuhlis are impossible to catch and they hide really well.

Yea...I was thinking of using Maracyn and Ich-X at the same time as an alternative. I know that kuhlis don't like that either but I thought that it was better tolerated than salt. I definitely won't be able to catch them as the tank is very dim, there is a deep sand bank, and I have a lot of leaf litter so I'm kind of stuck. I suppose I could try to use a homemade trap. If I am to use salt though, I think drip acclimating them to the new tank would be good. I have two reservations however. First I don't know the GH and KH levels (I used 25 gallons of tap water with Fluval peat granules sitting in them for two weeks and 10 gallons of RO). Second, I just acclimated and introduced the chocolate gouramis today and I'm afraid that moving again would stress them out too much. Thank you so much for your help, especially considering how new I am. The personalized, in-depth help is why I love this site so much

 

Yea...I was thinking of using Maracyn and Ich-X at the same time as an alternative. I know that kuhlis don't like that either but I thought that it was better tolerated than salt. I definitely won't be able to catch them as the tank is very dim, there is a deep sand bank, and I have a lot of leaf litter so I'm kind of stuck. I suppose I could try to use a homemade trap. If I am to use salt though, I think drip acclimating them to the new tank would be good. I have two reservations however. First I don't know the GH and KH levels (I used 25 gallons of tap water with Fluval peat granules sitting in them for two weeks and 10 gallons of RO). Second, I just acclimated and introduced the chocolate gouramis today and I'm afraid that moving again would stress them out too much. Thank you so much for your help, especially considering how new I am. The personalized, in-depth help is why I love this site so much

I would not use Maracyn or Ich-X unless it was a last resort type thing. since the chocolates are new, you might just want to leave them and only take the fish that you can tell are infected. This way there is less stress on the gouramis and they have time to settle in disease-free. No problem! I'm always happy to help. In-depth and personalized is what makes this site great.

 

I would not use Maracyn or Ich-X unless it was a last resort type thing. since the chocolates are new, you might just want to leave them and only take the fish that you can tell are infected. This way there is less stress on the gouramis and they have time to settle in disease-free. No problem! I'm always happy to help. In-depth and personalized is what makes this site great.

Okay, thank you! I didn't know that Maracyn/Ich-X was considered stronger/more harmful than salt. I'm just really afraid of the fish getting the fungus for a second time/ creating some super strain. I'll start treatment first thing tomorrow morning. Does a does of one tablespoon per three gallons sound appropriate? Oh also, this is the fish in question.

https://imgur.com/a/O5rrS2f

Oh, while we're on the topic of medication, could I get your advice on quarantine? I quarantined all my fish for four weeks but evidently it didn't work out. Would you recommend pre-emptively running medication in quarantine tanks? If so, which ones?

 

Okay, thank you! I didn't know that Maracyn/Ich-X was considered stronger/more harmful than salt. I'm just really afraid of the fish getting the fungus for a second time/ creating some super strain. I'll start treatment first thing tomorrow morning. Does a does of one tablespoon per three gallons sound appropriate? Oh also, this is the fish in question.

https://imgur.com/a/O5rrS2f

Oh, while we're on the topic of medication, could I get your advice on quarantine? I quarantined all my fish for four weeks but evidently it didn't work out. Would you recommend pre-emptively running medication in quarantine tanks? If so, which ones?

I wouldn't say that it's stronger/more harmful, just that I feel that it is worse than a more natural opinion. Of course, I wouldn't use either salt or meds on a scaleless fish. That dosage sounds right...

I would dose with salt if you wants, but mostly observe, personally, I don't take in enough fish to need a dedicated qt tank so I just wing it and trust my LFS.

 

Okay thank you!!! I think I'll just move all my infected fish to the quarantine tomorrow morning and treat with aquarium salt. I hope it ends up okay, I have yet to successfully treat any disease as all of my diseased fish have died ): hopefully this time it's different

 

Okay thank you!!! I think I'll just move all my infected fish to the quarantine tomorrow morning and treat with aquarium salt. I hope it ends up okay, I have yet to successfully treat any disease as all of my diseased fish have died ): hopefully this time it's different

Good luck!
Any update?

 

Good luck!
Any update?

Hey so I just started the treatment today (a little late I know), but she was isolated in a 20 gallon long since yesterday morning. Nothing has changed as of yet but I will provide updates as they come.

One thing I should mention is that she has had a white spot on her head for about a month. What really confuses me is that she has been eating voraciously, no stress lines, and has even exhibited the vertical lines that are indicators of readiness to breed in wild Bettas, despite the fungus infection. She does have clamped fins from time to time, but I always attributed that to her interactions with the male. Could it be possible that the fungus infection doesn't impact her that greatly? Is this something I should let her fight off by herself? It looks certainly looks like a fungus but her behavior to it seems...nonchalant? I am a little weirded out.

I couldn't actually find any rasboras with any fungus on them. My guess is that the weaker ones have already died as the ones in the tank now are really bold and look great. I started off with a school of 60 so I don't really count them. The chocolate gouramis also look fine now, except for some fin clamping. I'm still trying to figure out what is stressing them out. Everyone seems fine but I will continue to monitor as I really don't want a fungus infection spreading across my tank.

 

Hey so I just started the treatment today (a little late I know), but she was isolated in a 20 gallon long since yesterday morning. Nothing has changed as of yet but I will provide updates as they come.

One thing I should mention is that she has had a white spot on her head for about a month. What really confuses me is that she has been eating voraciously, no stress lines, and has even exhibited the vertical lines that are indicators of readiness to breed in wild Bettas, despite the fungus infection. She does have clamped fins from time to time, but I always attributed that to her interactions with the male. Could it be possible that the fungus infection doesn't impact her that greatly? Is this something I should let her fight off by herself? It looks certainly looks like a fungus but her behavior to it seems...nonchalant? I am a little weirded out.

I couldn't actually find any rasboras with any fungus on them. My guess is that the weaker ones have already died as the ones in the tank now are really bold and look great. I started off with a school of 60 so I don't really count them. The chocolate gouramis also look fine now, except for some fin clamping. I'm still trying to figure out what is stressing them out. Everyone seems fine but I will continue to monitor as I really don't want a fungus infection spreading across my tank.

I think that you should add salt and just let her be.

 

I think that you should add salt and just let her be.

She's being treated right now and I'm happy to say she is eating just fine. Unfortunately, I found a few more fish that I think may have a fungal infection but I would like some confirmation. Here is one gourami and one rasbora that may be infected. Additionally, there is one other that I am not sure about. If you don't mind, could you take a look and tell me what you think?

https://imgur.com/a/X5IZ73W

 

She's being treated right now and I'm happy to say she is eating just fine. Unfortunately, I found a few more fish that I think may have a fungal infection but I would like some confirmation. Here is one gourami and one rasbora that may be infected. Additionally, there is one other that I am not sure about. If you don't mind, could you take a look and tell me what you think?

https://imgur.com/a/X5IZ73W

hard to tell, but the fish look fine. A camera may not capture it as well as the human eye so if you think there is something wrong, better safe than sorry.

 

hard to tell, but the fish look fine. A camera may not capture it as well as the human eye so if you think there is something wrong, better safe than sorry.

Okay, the one in the tupperware worried me the most. They're being treated now. Thank you for all your help! My plan is to keep them in treatment for a week and then re-evaluate to see how they are doing.

 

hard to tell, but the fish look fine. A camera may not capture it as well as the human eye so if you think there is something wrong, better safe than sorry.

How long would you recommend treating the fish with aquarium salt? I've seen some sources say a 30 min bath will suffice, while others are saying a week. My Betta seems pretty stressed since I've added the salt (1 Tbsp per 3 gallons).

 

How long would you recommend treating the fish with aquarium salt? I've seen some sources say a 30 min bath will suffice, while others are saying a week. My Betta seems pretty stressed since I've added the salt (1 Tbsp per 3 gallons).

I would go with what Aquarium Co-Op says for salt/gallon and time.