FAQs on (Aquarium, Epsom...) Salts/Use in Freshwater for Bloat Treatment Related Articles: Salts (Marine, Table/NaCl, Epsom): Use in Freshwater Aquariums & Ponds by Neale Monks, Choose Your Weapon: Freshwater Fish Disease Treatment Options by Neale Monks, FW Disease Troubleshooting, Freshwater Diseases, Nutritional Disease, Ich/White Spot Disease,  Related FAQs: Using Salts in Freshwater 1, FW Salt Use 2, FAQs on: Salt Use for Treating Ich, Salt for Treating PopEye, by type of salt: Table/NaCl, Epsom/MgSO4, Seawater, Rift Valley Salt Mix, & Freshwater Medications, Aquarium Maintenance, Ich/White Spot Disease,  African Cichlid Disease 1, Cichlid Disease,

Magnesium sulfate duration   12/23/10
Hello Crew,
I am really sorry to bother you again but may I know for how long do I have to keep my Gourami in Epsom salt solution.
Thanks in advance.
<If treating constipation, a couple weeks should do the trick. If pop-eye, until the swelling goes down. In either case, Epsom salt will only help if the causes of constipation or pop-eye were fixed. Cheers, Neale.>

Prob1... A dingo ate my... Actually a Red Devil ate a polyethylene plant    10/15/10 Hello there! Attached is a picture that shows my friend's fish's problem pretty clearly. :-) Can you give us any suggestions? This is a mature, male red devil of approximately 13" in length that has eaten part of a plastic plant decoration. Will this just pass? I assume she should remove all such decorations so this won't happen again? Thank you! Barbara P.S. You can stop laughing now! ;-) <Wow, I'd laugh, but it looks REAL painful. Anyway, yes, it should pass out the anus in time. The use of Epsom salt at 1 tablespoon per 5 gallons will help a good deal by loosening the muscles and acting like a laxative. So that's a cheap and easy way to help. Other than that, don't pull, because you'd likely tear something delicate inside the fish. If it doesn't pass out within a day, then there's a very real risk of faeces compacting within the rectum, and that will soon be fatal. So if things are still looking bad tomorrow morning, call a vet. Cheers, Neale.>

Re: Prob1   10/15/10 Thanks Neale! You guys are always great! I did try searching the site first, but didn't find anything specific to this problem. Take care! <Glad to help. Would be very interested to know how things go. Good luck, Neale.> Re: FW: Prob1   10/15/10 I'll be happy to let you know. She's a really nice lady who started out as a customer of mine, and has become a friend, but she sure gets into some weird situations with her fish! LOL <Doesn't get much weirder. Cheers, Neale.> Re: FW: Prob1   10/16/10 The comments below are for Neale. Thanks again! You're a hero! "That is very nice!!! I have awesome news!!! I put the Epsom salt in and within 10 min the blockage was gone!!!! Whew!!!!!! Please thank him for me as well! What a relief!!" <Oh, what a great result! I'm very pleased. Often it's all doom-and-gloom by the time people write to us, so happy endings are always welcome. In the meantime, do recommend floating Indian Fern as greenery for cichlid tanks. Because it floats, it can't be uprooted; and because it's edible and rich in fibre and vitamins, it's a great supplement to their diet. Cheers, Neale.> Re: FW: Prob1  10/18/10 I know how you feel, good news is rare, especially these days! I work Customer Service for a large aquatics manufacturer, and most of my customers have fish in dire straits when they need my help. Luckily, she called immediately, LOL. Take care! <I plan on doing so! Thanks for your message. Cheers, Neale.>

Dropsy? Epsom salt and mystery snails?   4/9/06 Hi, <Ki> I have been reading your website on a fairly regular basis for about three months now (from the time we discussed purchasing an aquarium & since then--especially before purchasing any new species). Currently we have a 10 gallon tank with 4 platies, 4 Cory catfish, 3 snails (gold mystery, black mystery, and blue mystery), and 2 glass shrimp. The platies have been with us about 6 weeks. The Cory cats about 2 weeks. The golden snail-6 weeks, the black one-4 weeks, the blue one-about 2 weeks. The ph is 7, the ammonia is 0, nitrite 0, nitrate 20. <Take care to keep those nitrates no higher> We do not plan to increase the community, though I am aware that the platies might make that decision for us, in which case we will get another tank. First, while this did not seem overcrowded to me based upon what I have read, I am starting to have doubts. Namely, do we have too many snails? <Not yet... and these are not "bisexual" species listed... so, easier to monitor...> Also, until tonight we had 5 platies, but I found one of them dead this evening. She ate fine in the morning, but then died at some point in the afternoon/early evening. Her abdomen looked somewhat swollen, but not at all "pinecone-like." Her scales were still flat against the body and only the underside of the abdomen was swollen. Still, because of the swelling, I am wondering if it is some form of dropsy. If so, are the other fish in danger? <Not likely> I have read that many dropsy conditions are not contagious, but I am still worried. Now I am paranoid that the other platies look swollen, though my husband says I am imagining it. Also, would it be safe to do a treatment with Epsom salt to be sure? And would the Epsom salt kill the snails & shrimp? <Too likely so> I have seen a reference to the safety of Epsom salt with invertebrates, but the ones listed in that person's question were all saltwater creatures, not freshwater ones. I just want to be sure before I do anything. I apologize if these questions are all answered in obvious places on the website that I missed. Thanks, Ki <No worries. I would be conservative here re adding anything... Likely the system, fish being "very new" and this being a "first batch" of young, some have died more easily. Bob Fenner>

Question Regarding Epsom Salt  1/16/06 Hi WWM,    <Robert>   I recently added about a 1/4 tsp of Epsom salt to my Betta's (Fernando) 1 gallon tank to relieve what appeared to be constipation.  Within a day or two, the Epsom salt worked its wonders, and now the swelling in Fernando's belly has almost completely disappeared.  My question is: Should I change the water now [My last water change was about 2 days before the swelling occurred (in total about 4 days ago)], or is it ok to keep him in there with the Epsom salt for a few weeks, until it's time to change his water according to my regular water changing schedule?      <Is okay to leave in... though not continuously... that is, a week or so is all-right, but not adding every time>   I hope this question has not already been addressed on the site.  I looked around for a while and although I found a great deal regarding Epsom salts, and Epsom salt baths, I was under the impression that this small amount of salt did not constitute a bath; so I decided I better be safe, and ask.  Thank you for your time and help with this matter.  Take care.      Sincerely,   Robbie Ellis <Am sure others will benefit from your asking re. Bob Fenner>

Will the Epsom salt treatment mean we have to remove our Pleco?    - 1/6/06 <No.> We have a severely swollen Oscar and assume it is a blockage of sorts.  We thought the swelling was eggs, but are following your suggestions for others who have Oscars with what appears to be the same problem.   Thanks!!  Sharon <The Plec can remain in the tank during treatment with Epsom salt.  All the best to you,  -Sabrina>