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Re: Medication in plant tanks



Sam Dotson is the latest in a seemingly endless line of folks who have asked
about salt (or other "medication") in a plant tank:

> I've read a great deal of posts in Discus specific discussion boards that
> highly recommend the use of "kosher" salt as a treatment for several
Discus
> ailments.  Can anyone comment on this, and it's effects on the plants?  Is
> there a dosage that would help the fish and not hurt the plants?

First of all, welcome to the Aquatic Plants Mailing List. The archives of
the list may be found at the following URL:

http://www.actwin.com/fish/aquatic-plants/index.cgi

The archives are searchable and contain lots of information which you might
find interesting.

A properly managed planted tank should not need to be medicated. You should
be treating any ailments in a hospital tank/isolation tank before you
introduce your fish into a heavily planted tank.

Most aquatic plants which are commonly kept in aquariums are neither adapted
to nor grow well in a tank which contains sufficient salt to have much of a
"medicinal" effect on an ailing fish. Using salt, or any other "medication"
as a "preventative" is generally just plain bad advice. You shouldn't
medicate unless you have a problem and oyu should only medicate in an
isolation tank.

James Purchase
Toronto