Beginner, Need help with fish--Is Daughter's b-day gift compatible? update (pt2)?

Question

Ok so I've taken out 4 goldfish, 1 regular catfish and 2 snails and unfortunately walmart won't take them back unless they're dead :( so I have them in a separate tank until I find a new owner. I'll look around for a good home and hopefully they'll be ok. So now all I have are 3 lyrefish and 2 upside down catfish in a 10 gallon tank and everyone has survived for three days. I added a friend's old mature filter to the tank so speed up the nitrogen cycle. Now i have another problem...dun-dun dunnn!

TAILROT

I've read that lyrefish will do ok in brakish or somewhat salty water. What about catfish? Should I put 2 tblsp. of salt?

Answer 1

If by lyrefish you mean lyre-tailed guppies or mollies, either does quite well in salt up to full marine strength. Unfortunately, most catfish don't. They will tolerate some amount of salt IF you increase the level gradually. Two tablespoons is a good level to shoot for (I've kept cories and other cats at a teaspoon per gallon for periods of treatment), but add it at one teaspoon at a time. And mix with water before you add it to the tank. I use a clean soda bottle with water taken from the tank, and mixt the sale in it, then poke a pinhole in the bottom and let the water drizzle into the tank or filter - it give the fish a lot more time to adjust to the change in conditions, and you can do something else while the salt is being added.

I'd also advise a 25-50% water change before you add the salt. This not only improves the water quality for them right away, you won't have to worry about doing a change for a week after you added the salt. You might also want to check the pH and ammonia levels as these can cause fin problems (if you don't have a test kit, take a sample to a pet store and they can test the water for you). If the salt doesn't seem to help and you pH isn't extreme (below 6 or above 8.5) and you don't have high ammonia (above 0.5ppm, which can be lowerd just by doing water changes), you may need to treat with an antibiotic: http://www.fish-disease.net/diseases.htm Don't let store employees talk you into raising or lowering your pH unless it's outside the levels shown. If it is outside this rage, and doesn't respond to another water change, see this link: http://www.firsttankguide.net/ph.php

Answer 2

Hi Zeal, regarding finding your excess fish new homes, how about advertising them on your local Freecycle Group &/or Craig's List. Wait until you have several replies & choose the best looking ones. The reason not to offer them to the first person to reply is some people will be wanting a cheap meal for their carnivorous pets but these are usually easy to spot by the spelling mistakes, poor grammar & minimal text. Caring people often send much more coherent emails!

Answer 3

Catfish cannot tolerate salt! So no salt! Also, mots local fish stores (not big corporations.) will take fish, you prolly wont get anything for the fish but at least they will be somewhere getting proper care.

Answer 4

the catfish I have had in the past are very sturdy and have done fine with a little salt