Salt Dip

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T

ThaDude

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Feb 11, 2009
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I've had a JD for about a year now.
Last night, I found a place that had a male that was slightly smaller, so I brought him home and put in him in the tank. They've been getting along really well.

Well, for the last month or so I've been really suspicious of my female JD's forehead. I noticed a sort of 'dent' right underneath her markings, but thought this was just the way her head was shaped.

Upon closer inspection, & comparison to my new JD it looks like there may be some damage around the eyes too. I'm fearing HITH.
Luckily it seems to be in the real early stages...

I want to give her a salt dip. I read over "salt and it's uses" about 3 times now, and for the life of me, the thread leaves me with no instructions.

From what I understand:
I want to give her a dip in 5 gallons of water.
I want to use a 3% concentration (Which I have no idea how to calculate..)
I want to leave her for 30 minutes or until she rolls belly up.

What I don't understand:
What kind of salt to use - what ingredients are to be avoided
How to calculate how much salt is 3% of 5 gallons

There was also something in the article about returning the fish to UNTREATED water? meaning chlorine? or salt?

I would include some pics but I've tried photographing the troubled area for a while now, and I just can't get it to read on the camera like it does in real life.

I plan on doing heavy constant water changes after the dip... hoping it will clear... I don't want to have to use any meds, but will if necessary
 
What made you decide you needed to do a salt dip? I've never heard of using salt to treat hith. Are you sure you're not just observing the sensory pits on her head?
 
Yes.. I thought it was nothing but that at first, the natural curve of her forehead, but upon closer inspection and comparison with this new JD, I'm fearing this dent looks alot like HITH. I've dealt with it before with my piranha.

She was doing some flashing, but I figured it was to show dominance. After watching for a while I noticed she's scratching her forehead as well as gills.

I figured a salt dip would be a good place to start, as well as daily water changes.
If I don't see any improvement that's when I plan to move to meds.
 
Salt dip is a waste of time here. What do you normally feed your fish? How does the poop look? How is the appetite? Any pics of the affected areas?
 
As stated, the pictures I have taken are of no use here.
Due to the dark color of the fish it is impossible to see the pit I am talking about.

I normally feed hikari gold large pellets, with an occasional feeding of beefheart.

At one point of time the poop was white and stringy (which would point to hex) but it didn't seem to last that long.

Appetite is strong.

I was thinking a salt dip would help with whatever is possibly effecting her gills. She began flashing those on the gravel, now she is about 50/50 with that behavior and turning completley upsidedown & smashing her forehead on the gravel
 
Then you need to dose salt, prazi and metro (Flagyl or generic metro from pharmacy)/Metromeds altogether. Dips are pointless here especially as flukes are a little resistant to salt. Prazi should deal with flukes and possible intestinal worms (cestodes). Metro will sort out the flagellates (hexamita). Metro is also an antibiotic so it should be able to resolve possible internal bacterial infection.
 
You're suggesting to use praziquantel and metronidazole at the same time?
 
Yes. It should cover the probable flukes, cestodes and flagellates. Prazi is a mild treatment so it's hard not to overdose. There are plenty of info I put under the sticky thread titled "List of Treatments and Contraindications" along with the dosages you need.
 
I took a look in that thread and the directions seem to be very, very different than what is suggested on the bottle.
I have some prazi on hand, I'll have to get some metro.

However I can't help but be torn about using them together, as the back of the bottle strictly suggests 'do not mix any other medication with this product'

I was going to set up a 6 gallon bucket "sick tank" using an existing filter (carbon removed).

I'm also a little bit torn on dosage while using these medications together. Should I use the suggested dosing on BOTH bottles (1/8 teaspoon for 10 gal) or should i use 1/16 of each? (to equal 1/8 teaspoon)
 
Prazi and Metro are frequently used together as a wide ranging parasite treatment. In fact, many commercially available products include both, such as API General Cure, and Jungle Parasite Clear.
 
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