Lower Salinity in QT Tank

[kmasonbx]

I was on another board and one of the mods was talking about how he never uses chemicals to treat his QT tank and has never had a parasite problem because he keeps his QT tank at 1.016 SG for the first two weeks he has fish in there and over the next 2 weeks he slowly raises it to the level of his main tank. He says in his experience this kills off any potentially existing parasite while doing no harm to the fish.

Does this sound like something that is a sound alternative to putting the fish at regular SG levels and waiting to see if they infected in any way?

[jeff@zina.com]

Not to me, but it's a valid method.

Jeff


Text mangled by iPhone spell check...

[kmasonbx]

Any other thoughts on this?

[geaux xman]

if 1.016 would kill off existing parasites, people wouldnt have to bother doing 1.009 hypo or treat copper. if a mod was suggesting that, i would stay off that board.

[Sk8r]

The 1.009 is effective, but a shade rough as a general qt: save it for treating a parasite you know about---and not (by having your qt at hypo) cutting off your options to treat for brook, or a bacterial infection, which require different treatments and cannot be combined with hypo. I'd advise you look at the fish under the salinity you will REALLY have in your tank, and see if any disease breaks out under those circumstances. Then see WHICH treatment you need and apply it as appropriate.

[Palting]

1.016 is a half-baked attempt at treatment. It won't kill Ich if there is any. Useless, IMO.

I do 1.009 SG for 4 weeks whenever I do QT. I treat any new fish with hyposalinty regardless of appearance.

[James404]

+1 Palting, same thing here.