Temp, salt and oxygen (Urgent-ish)

[idris]

Having lost 3 Dwarf Rainbows in 2 days I've been reading up on medicating.
One of the rmaining Rainbows seems to be breathing heavily but is active enough most of the time.

I'm reluctant to use proprietary medications so I'm leaning towards putting an air stone in, increasing the temp by a couple of dec C and possibly adding some salt.

From reading one tablespoon of aquarium salt should be added to 1gal (US) of water. So in my 220L tank that's about 10 tablespoons (I think) if I've got my maths right. But that seems a lot. And I've read catfish may not like salt, and I'm not sure how my Ottos will fair?

Temp is currently at about 22c. How high should I go and how quickly?

I can't see that O2 can do any harm, except to the plants ... which is a minor consideration, but any thoughts on this?

And can I make all these changes at the same time?

 

[Themuleous]

That does sound like a lot of salt to me as well, check a couple of websites to be sure you've got the dosing right.

The salt will pose more of a risk to the plants than the air stone, but plants can be replaced if needs be.

Its a while since Ive kept dwarf rainbows but I always found them to be quite tricky, we kept loosing them, until I finaly gave up and moved to other fish. Might just be the way they are or a bad batch.

Sam

 

[hinch]

temp seems a little low I keep my tanks with rainbows in at 25-27 depends alot on the temperature outside now we're in winter it drops down to 25 ish at night / early mornings etc but in afternoon / evenings it sits at 27
never lost a single rainbow but I also don't really check my water conditions in that tank I just do a water change once a week and leave it at that.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

I'm reluctant to use proprietary medications so I'm leaning towards putting an air stone in, increasing the temp by a couple of dec C and possibly adding some salt.

They would be better a bit warmer, but as the temperature increases gas solubility goes down, so I'd put the air stone in first and then raise the temperature to 25 - 27oC. I don't see any use for "Aquarium salt", I think its use is a left over from the fish keeping "dark ages" and I definitely wouldn't use it.

I can't see that O2 can do any harm, except to the plants

It won't hurt the plants, you don't add CO2, so you won't out gas any more. In non-CO2 addition tanks a larger gas exchange surface helps when the plants are photosynthesising actively by reducing CO2 depletion and when they aren't photosynthesis by exchanging more CO2 out and O2 in along the diffusion gradients.

From the "fish death" thread, I think this is likely to be a chloramine issue, and the only real way of improving things is a large water change with a non-tap supply.

cheers Darrel