synodontis and epsom salt

[sofront]

Hi,

Well, my first post in the African Cichlids section.

Any of you know the epsom salt tolerance of Synodontis? I know most scaleless fish do not tolerate high concentration of salts in general. I have Giberrosas with float problems in the 220 g. and presently treating with Epsom. But I'm concerned about my 2 cats that are in there. Water parameters are all fine if you should wonder (ammonia: 0, pH: 7.8, nitrItes: 0; nitrAtes: 15) and I'm using Epsom in my homemade buffer. Also, this is an established tank (almost 4 years). I'm presently treating with Epsom at the concentration of 1 TBS per 5 gallon but may have to raise this concentration as the float is still there.

I've read on another website (sorry don't have the source on hand) that Epsom Salts is not like regular aquarium salts. Aquarium salts contain Sodium Chloride, that is dangerous in high concentration for scale-less, as Epsom salt is made of Magnesium Sulfate.

If someone has experience with treating tanks with Epsom salt and synos, I sure would like your help.

thanks.

Sophie

[bitterman]

I treat my tanks occasionally with 1 cup per 100 gallons or water for maintenance issues (cleans out the fish) and my 6 syno mutlis have no issues with it. Highest I have gone is 1 1/2 cups per 100 gallons (about what you have already) so I'm unsure of higher levels.

-I'd stop feeding the tank for 2-3 days
-Turn the lights off (decrease stress)

What food are you feeding your fronts? That along with stress can be a common cause of float in frontosa.

How often and much you feed you fronts? I fast/don't feed my fronts at at least 2-3 days per week.

If you add the epson salts slowly over a day or so will give the synos time to adjust to it and it will cause less issues, but a hospital tank might be more helpful.

Bruce

[sofront]

Hi Bruce,

To answer your questions:

What food are you feeding your fronts?

NLS, Lg. Fish formula, every other day along with frozen cooked shrimps (thawed) once a week. I use NLS because they sink right at the bottom (so no air gulping). I do keep it frozen though, you think this may have an incidence (ie: maybe moisture from the freezer)?  Some front keepers do freeze food when having large quantities though, so I guess the freezing is not the problem. Note that I fast them when treating for float. I also turn off lights and cover the tank.

As you've mentionned, stress is also a main factor, which is I think is my main issue now. Although this is not my first case of float that I've had to face so far (and this is the main reason I've decided to split the colony), recently those guys were vented, + some of them where moved to the new 180 g., so I guess this didn't help.

[bitterman]

A tip that might help is per-soak you nls for about 15-30 second in tank water before you feed it. you will notice it contains ALOT of air comes out of it when it hits water... all pellet food does this. It could contribute to the issue.

Try skipping feeding at least 2-3 days in a row every week (I normally skip weekends), this helps the fish clear there digestive track and helps to decrease possible issues. Adult fronts only need food about 3 times a week. Overfeeding can contribute to float also.

Bruce

[kennyman]

Epsom salt is one half of the total hardness. It is the magnesium half. The other half is calcium. Understanding the relationship between them, free H+ and OH- is a pretty groovy area of this hobby. You are playing around with it a bit to make life hard for a pathogen I suppose but keep monitoring your parameters to gauge the effect on hardness and alkalinity.