betta care: advice on salt baths

[zenithr]

Hey guys, me again. I've got ICH meds for Seth, and thanks to your advice last night, I also picked up some salt for a salt bath. Now I'm stuck - the carton says a tablespoon per 5 gallons, but I need to do it outside the tank because of my plec. I'm thinking of using a teaspoon in a bowl, but how long do I leave Seth in for? I don't have a spare tank, so it's gonna be a bowl job. I'm stressing big time, might need a salt bath myself to calm down. Thanks, Alex

[flora]

For a salt bath, I'd say go with 1 tablespoon per gallon of water - that way, you can leave Seth in for as long as needed. Now, if you want to do a salt dip, it's a different story - 4 tablespoons per gallon, but only for up to 30 minutes, and keep a super close eye on him, if he starts to struggle, goes still and flips over, get him out and back into non-salted water, he should come round.

[zenithr]

Hi flora, thanks for the advice, really appreciate it. Just wanna make sure I get it right, when you say TBSP, do you mean a big spoon, like a tablespoon, or a little spoon, like a teaspoon? I'm totally new to all this, it's a huge learning curve for me.

[flora]

No worries at all. I just use a simple plastic spoon, scoop it into the salt, and make sure it's just slightly rounded with salt - not too much, not too little.

[dunesh]

For a salt dip, how much per litre of water? I know flora said 4 TBSP per gallon, but I'm not sure what that is in litres, can someone help me out with that?

[zenithr]

Right, so Seth's had his salt bath, 15 mins only, didn't wanna risk it being my first time. He seems more active now, fingers crossed the ich will clear up. How many times should I put him in a bath while he's got ich? Is it a daily thing? I'm learning fast, thanks to all your help, big thanks to everyone.

[bricksandfiddles]

I've done salt baths on my betta 3 times a day, 15 mins each, but I reckon you can go up to 30 mins if you're feeling brave, I was a bit cautious with Seth being my first time and all, but fingers crossed it'll do the trick.

[flora]

I've been doing mine once a day for 30 minutes - just 'cause my schedule's tight. Still seems to be doing the trick. If Seth's got ick, you'll need to treat his tank water too, or the ick'll just come back.

[flavorist]

I recently tried the salt bath method as recommended, but unfortunately, it didn't quite go as smoothly as I'd hoped. I followed the guidelines, using 4 TBSP per gallon, and my fish's reaction was instantaneous - he panicked, then passed out, with his eyes bulging and pointing in different directions. It was a truly distressing experience, and I quickly removed him from the bath, returning him to the safety of his 10-gallon tank.

As I sat on the floor, giving him space to recover, I couldn't help but feel a sense of dread wash over me. It seemed like an eternity as I watched him struggle to regain his composure, his erratic breathing and labored movements a stark contrast to his usual energetic self. But, as the minutes ticked by, he slowly began to come out of it, and my anxiety gave way to relief and gratitude.

My intention in sharing this experience isn't to dissuade anyone from using salt baths as a treatment option, but rather to emphasize the importance of caution when introducing your fish to any new or sudden change. Perhaps my Betta was uniquely sensitive, or maybe I should have gradually introduced the salt to the bath water, rather than adding the full dose all at once.

In light of this, I'd like to suggest an alternative approach - adding the salt to a separate container of aquarium water, then gradually introducing it to the bath water in stages, allowing your fish to acclimate to the change. This might help minimize the risk of adverse reactions and ensure a safer, more effective treatment.

On a related note, I came across an excellent article on Ick treatment while researching salt baths, and I thought it would be worth sharing with the community. The article provides a comprehensive overview of the disease, its causes, symptoms, and treatment options, and I found it to be an invaluable resource in my own research. You can find the article here: http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/ich.php.

[embera]

For a salt bath, I'd say go with 1 tablespoon per gallon of water - that way, you can leave Seth in for as long as needed. Now, if you want to do a salt dip, it's a different story - 4 tablespoons per gallon, but only for up to 30 minutes, and keep a super close eye on him, if he starts to struggle, goes still and flips over, get him out and back into non-salted water, he should come round.

Oh no, please be super careful, I'd hate for anything to happen to your little guy. I think there might be some confusion, 4 tablespoons is way too much, that's like 16 teaspoons, it's a huge difference. I'm pretty sure you meant 4 teaspoons, right?

Just to clarify, I'd recommend 1 teaspoon per gallon, and only for 15 minutes max, or it might stress your betta out too much. I personally do half a teaspoon per gallon, and it seems to work just fine. You'll get a feel for what works best for your fish, but please, please don't use 4 tablespoons, it's just too much.