There is no harm in using Epsom salt in a guppy tank as long as you use the right dosage. This is not just true about Epsom salt but anything that you put in the tank even water for that matter.
Any kind of powder, solutions or foreign objects you add in the fish tank will likely alter water chemistry and can be dangerous for delicate fish.
Why is Epsom salt used in tanks?
Normally Epsom salt is used in “quarantine tanks” to cure certain types of disease in the right amount to get amazing results. Epsom salt is a commonly used name for a salt which is “Magnesium Sulphate”
Many people think that aquarium salt is same as Epsom salt, but that is not true. There are certain diseases where “aquarium salt” is commonly used but is some special diseases, Epsom salt is frequently used for fast results.
The most common disease when Epsom salt is used is called the “swim bladder disease”. In this disease fish swim upside down or sideways because of a disorder in an internal organ called as a “swim bladder”
To cure this disease the infected fish is separated in a quarantine tank and a bath of Epsom salt is given to him to see amazing results really fast. Using the right kind of prescribed dosage will cure the swim bladder disease faster than any other method.
What is the ideal dosage of Epsom salt for guppies?
The ideal dosage of Epsom salt for a guppy fish tank is 1 tspn per 3-5 gallons of water. Never treat guppy fish (if he is sick) in your main tank though. If you find your guppy is suffering from the swim bladder disease then the ideal way is to first separate him or her in a quarantine tank and then try some primary treatments.
If you don’t find any substantial improvement in his health conditions, you can try giving him a bath of the Epsom salt using the dosage mentioned above and get the desired results.
Which diseases can be cured in guppies using Epsom salt?
Epsom salt is one of the best cures for several fish diseases if used with the correct dosage. Many times Epsom salt is used in form of a “bath” for the fish. This bath may last for 8-10 minutes in a quarantine tank and once it’s done the fish is again released in the main tank.
Some of the disease that can be cured using the Epsom salt bath could be
- Dropsy / Bloating – As a symptom of dropsy fish gets a really big swollen belly which could be because of several reasons. One of the reasons could be constipation and an Epsom salt bath can definitely cure this. Some other symptoms of dropsy could be bulging eyes, clamped fins, lethargic movements etc.
- Constipation – Overfeeding a fish can lead to constipation. All digestive disorders could also be because of stress in fish depending upon how immune the particular fish is to the surrounding ecosystem and habitat.
- Swim bladder disease – This is caused primarily because of constipation in fish. In this disease fish lose control over an internal organ called as swim bladder. While treating this disease the sick fish is separated in a quarantine tank and a bath of Epsom salt is given to see fast results
- Sunken belly – Starvation can lead to sunken belly or even because of some kind of internal parasites. You can safely use a bath of Epsom salt to cure this disorder. In some fish you can see sunken belly symptom because of tuberculosis.
What’s the difference in aquarium salt and Epsom salt?
- Chemical formula of aquarium salt is NaCL
- Chemical formula of Epsom salt is Magnesium Sulphate
One important aspect of using salt of any kind in aquariums is that aquarium salt (MaCL) is not safe for some aquatic plants and fish species. That is why while using salt you must study in detail the kind of disease you want to treat and whether the salt is safe for the guppies or not.
Aquarium salt and Epsom salt is used to in a fish tank to treat different types of diseases. Both these salts are used in the form of a bath for fish. A table spoon of salt per gallon of water is used to treat fish for 10 minutes and once the bath is over the fish is put again in the main tank.
Aquarium salt is used to treat
- Fin rot disease
- Healing wounds
- Reduce ammonia in water
Epsom salt is used to treat
- Constipation in fish
- Swim bladder disease
- o change pH value of water
When to avoid using aquarium salt?
In general if you have a planted aquarium then it is better to avoid using salt to treat fish in your aquarium. The best practice in such cases is to move the sick fish to a quarantine tank and treat him there.
In most cases the hospital or quarantine tanks don’t have many decorations, plants and all other stuff (except equipment) like your main tank. You can treat the sick fish there and see improvements fast.
Can too much Epsom salt kill guppies?
Not just Epsom salt, but too much of anything can kill fish. Guppies are tiny fish that are sensitive to any major changes in their habitat. Too much of salt will definitely alter water chemistry in the tank and this can alter pH of water which can be harmful. Ideal pH value for guppy fish in a fish tank is 6.8 to 7 and any levels above or below of this can harm fish skin.
Benefits of Epsom salt for aquarium fish
The best use of Epsom salt is when the fish is sick with internal parasite of any kind. When fish is sick with internal parasites it survives of the same food that the fish eat and this makes the fish really weak in immunity and it quickly catches other diseases making him sick further.
When the internal parasite matures you’ll sometimes see it hanging out from the bottom of the guppy fish like poop, but it is mostly white in color.
To treat this condition Epsom salt will definitely help and get results fast. The best part about Epsom salt is that you don’t have to use it when the fish is sick. You can even use it as a “tonic” for fish once in a month so that their stomach remains clean of parasites and other impurities and digestive disorders.
The best way to use Epsom salt as a tonic is to avoid feeding your fish for a day and introduce Epsom salt in the tank the next day. When you put Epsom salt in the tank, avoid feeding your fish so that it acts wonderfully thoroughly cleaning digestive system of all fish in the tank. Just like humans an efficient digestive system will keep your fish healthy and fit all the time.
Procedure to use Epsom salt in fish tanks
- Take a bowl filled with the same aquarium water in small quantity.
- Mix the prescribed quantity of Epsom salt to this small quantity in the water bowl.
- Stir this mix with a stainless steel or plastic spoon.
- Add this concentrated mix in the fish tank in smaller quantities.
- Sometimes all the Epsom salt crystals do not get dissolved in the bowl water and fish eat the smaller crystals also, which is not an issue at all.
- If you don’t want to use the concentrated mix, then you can even directly put the Epsom salt crystals in the fish tank water. Fish will consume it thinking it’s fish food.
- If you see that the Epsom salt grains are bigger in size then it is better to prepare a concentrated mix where the larger salt cubes will be disintegrated and then fish will be able to consume them easily.
- This simple process will keep fish stomach clean of parasites and viruses.
- From the next day you can start feeding the guppies their normal food.
Are there alternatives to Epsom salt for aquariums?
There are no other options available in case Epsom salt for aquariums is not available. You can use boiled green peas by removing their cover and feed them to sick fish in a hospital tank. This is the most natural method and doesn’t have any side effects also,
Many times you’ll get Epsom salt for plants and trees with a combination of 9-9.5% magnesium and 12-12.5% sulphur. But it is strongly recommended to avoid using it in aquariums.
However some fish keepers have used “Seachem garlic guard” if aquarium Epsom salt is not available in your area. Please read carefully the required dosage in which type of water conditions you must use it.
Are water changes necessary after Epsom salt treatment?
You need not replace 100% water in this case. In fact you must never change 100% water in a tank because it has beneficial bacteria that convert harmful gases into less harmful ones. If you replace the entire water, these beneficial bacterial will get vanished and the tank will be need to cycle once gain which takes time. You can only go for 15 to 20% water change.
Precautions white treating guppies with Epsom salt
- Never use Epsom salt win a planted tank
- Move sick fish to a quarantine tank and treat him there.
- Always read the prescribe quantity on the Epsom salt bottle or packet. Don’t use your own judgment in this. Guppies and other fish are extremely sensitive to any sudden changes. An overdose of anything can kill them.
- If you don’t have a planted tank then you can use Epsom salt bath in the main tank as well. In this case never replace 100% water the next day. You can only make 15-20% water change to preserve beneficial bacteria in the tank water.