Albino BN Plecos and 0.3% Salt

Jared

New Member
May 2, 2015
4
0
1
Chciago, IL
Hello,

I'm new here and have a question about Albino BN Plecos salt tolerance for treatment of ectoparasites. I am a fancy goldfish keeper primarily, but I have 3 Albino BN Plecos.

I generally treat my new and/or sick goldfish for ectoparasites with a 0.3% salt (1 Tablespoon per gallon) bath for about 2 weeks to rid them of ciliated protozoans such as Ich and use Prazi for Flukes. My question is whether Plecos can handle a 0.3% salt bath for 2 weeks as well as Prazi. I have read several contradictory responses to this question online. Some people say they have done it with success while others say it has harmed their Plecos.

Thanks!
 

Bigjohnnofish

Global Moderators
Staff member
Apr 15, 2010
1,399
2
36
Perth, Western Australia
have no idea to be honest....

catfish as a general rule donot like salt treatments and can be effected by some other chemical treatments also...

i wouldnt do it... but i err on the side of caution....

if you decide to go ahead post up your results...
 

Jared

New Member
May 2, 2015
4
0
1
Chciago, IL
have no idea to be honest....

catfish as a general rule donot like salt treatments and can be effected by some other chemical treatments also...

i wouldnt do it... but i err on the side of caution....

if you decide to go ahead post up your results...
Thanks for your reply.

I actually just finished a 14-day 0.3% salt and Prazi treatment in my Betta tank and 3 Goldfish tanks due to an unknown parasitic infestation. The Plecos were clearly stressed and became fairly inactive during the treatment. One of the 3 died. The other 2 are returning to normal behavior now that the treatment is done.

In my research prior to the treatment, I read where people had treated their Plecos with 0.3% without incident. Others had done so with salt at 0.1 or 0.2%. I also looked into Malachite Green, Formalin, etc., but these seemed to present as much or more danger than salt. Some sources suggested half doses of meds or salt, but I find this to be a flawed method as it may not kill the parasite or may promote resistance to the meds. One medicine that came up as a possible alternative was Acriflavine. Any thoughts?
 

Brengun

Global Moderators
Staff member
Apr 22, 2009
5,041
4
38
61
Burrum Heads, Queensland, Australia
For fungal infections I prefer Waterlifes Protozin. For bacterial problems I use Waterlifes Myaxazin.

For parasites I use Kusuri plus for normal worming but for the harder to shift things like flatworms or wood mites in the tank I use Prazi over 5 days with water changes each day. I do the entire tank and will even do water change tubes and buckets and nets on occasion.

As with any medications high aeration of the tank is vitally important.

I never use salt although if nothing else is available for an ich infection you can add salt to the tank in small doses over several hours. If you have corydoras, watch them for indications of stress. If they change their normal behaviour then back off on the salt doses and do a water change to restore a more diluted dose.
 

Jared

New Member
May 2, 2015
4
0
1
Chciago, IL
For fungal infections I prefer Waterlifes Protozin. For bacterial problems I use Waterlifes Myaxazin.

For parasites I use Kusuri plus for normal worming but for the harder to shift things like flatworms or wood mites in the tank I use Prazi over 5 days with water changes each day. I do the entire tank and will even do water change tubes and buckets and nets on occasion.

As with any medications high aeration of the tank is vitally important.

I never use salt although if nothing else is available for an ich infection you can add salt to the tank in small doses over several hours. If you have corydoras, watch them for indications of stress. If they change their normal behaviour then back off on the salt doses and do a water change to restore a more diluted dose.
Protozin is a Formalin/Malachite Green combination, correct? We have comparable products here in the United States such as Quick Cure, etc. Do you use the full dose or a half dose? If and when you use the 1/2 dose, does it require a longer treatment period to kill the parasite? Any concern that this may promote pathogenic resistance to the medicine?

0.3% salt works very well for protozoan ectoparasites on Goldfish, but I would like to find a safe alternative for my Plecos. I have also been looking at Seachem Paraguard.
 
Last edited:

Jared

New Member
May 2, 2015
4
0
1
Chciago, IL
I don't keep goldfish with plecos as plecos require much warmer water temps than goldfish do. Most of my tanks are 26 to 28C.
Fancy Goldfish can thrive in a wide range of temperatures and do well in the mid to upper 70s. I keep the tanks around 75-76 F as compromise for both species and they all seem quite happy :)