Tank cleaning and medication?

[Punkrulz]

Hey guys,

I just have one simple question. I'm always worried about stressing out my fish during a simple 10% water change that I perform weekly. I've gotten into the habit of adding some melafix / pimafix to the tank after doing the water change.

Is this bad?

 

[TabMorte]

You don't need Melafix after every water change and infact the pimafix WILL stress them if they're being exposed to it constently.

Just change the water. If you're overly concerned use stress coat but personally I think that's even unnessesary.

 

[Whiskers]

All I ever use is aquarium salt at w/c. Does anyone know it that is overkill with aquarium salt ? Or is that an approite thing to do at w/c ?

 

[TabMorte]

Aquarium salt depends on your stocking list. With your cories I wouldn't. While I know lots of us have done it, apparently long term it's not good for them, loaches or other scaleless fish.

I have no idea about the ciclids though I don't keep 'em. (yet)

 

[khisanthax]

it's only good for scaleless fish? I thought they all had scales ...

 

[Whiskers]

Catfish and some others have skin rather than scales. I did read that the columbian shark i have can handle brackish water. I understand that the salt is a little different but if it can handle brackish water, would the aquarium salt being a little different not have any affect on the fish?

 

[GeraldTheMouse]

Whiskers, aquarium salt is different from marine salt. You need marine salt to get brackish water. Aquarium salt just acts as a medication/stress reliever in FW tanks.

 

[Super Six 5]

My fish seem to like when I do regular water changes. Some of them will even swim right up to the vacuum to check out what's being sucked up from the gravel. The others just swim to the opposite side of the tank.

The only thing I add to the tank during the water change is the fresh clean water.

 

[TabMorte]

My fish like the clean water too. Also they like water changes because right before water changes I spoil them with a feeding frenzie of blood worms .

 

[cgbender]

Fish like spiny eels and catfish can tolerate salt thats true BUT being salt tolerant is not the same thing as needing it. Most eels and cats dont do as well in brackish water as they would otherwise do in freshwater. As for the water changes I usualy do a 15-20% and my fish seem happyer for it ... the eels come out and watch looking for missed left overs that they didnt find though the week and then go play in the plants and around the rest of the decor after im done. De-chlorinate your water and use stresszime if you want but anything else is overkill. As for treating you fish for fungus, ich, bateria and parosites READ the package carfuly some medications are bad for some species and shouldnt be used ..... sorry about the spelling (lack of sleep and a pulled muscel + medication means Im not all with it)

 

[MissFishy]

Your fish will be fine with just doing the water changes. I would save the melafix and pimafix for actual medicating. You can use salt if you want, but again, watch out if you have scale less fish. A healthy established tank with no new fish shouldn't need salt at regular water changes anyways. But if you've added new fish in the past few weeks, you could do a little bit of salt.

 

[roark fishies]

All I add is water and Start Right with allantoin