How to Add Salt to Minnow Tanks

Minnows are normally considered to be a species of freshwater fish. They make up a particularly large group of fishes that includes the carp family. Minnows are small fish that feed principally on aquatic vegetation. Although minnows are often used as a bait fish, they are also kept as aquarium fish. Ill minnows can be treated with therapeutic doses of salt. Once the fish are healed, a percentage of the treated aquarium water is replaced with fresh water, to dilute the salt content.

• 1

  Measure the length, width and height of the rectangular aquarium. Multiply these three numbers together and then multiply that by 0.00433 to compute the volume of the aquarium.

• 2

  Drain 5 gallons of old aquarium water into a bucket, using a piece of 3-foot long transparent plastic tubing.

• 3

  Place one end of the pipe into the aquarium and hold it in place, just above the gravel. Place the opposite end in your mouth and suck powerfully until you see the water moving up the pipe. Quickly remove the pipe from your mouth and place the end into the bucket.

• 4

  Fill the second 5-gallon bucket with tap water and add 1.5 fl. oz. of chlorine remover to the water.

• 5

  Stir the water thoroughly and let it stand for half an hour.

• 6

  Add two large cups of aquarium salt to the bucket and stir thoroughly to dissolve the salt.

• 7

  Place a small submersible impeller pump into the bucket and plug it into a wall power source. Allow the impeller pump to mix the water for an hour.

• 8

  Remove the impeller pump from the bucket and gently pour the 5 gallons of water into the aquarium.

• 9

  Observe the minnows for any signs of discomfort. The salt has been added in therapeutic amounts to aid in healing of ill fish. The salt contains electrolytes, which reduce osmotic stress to the gills and assists the minnow with osmoregulation by increasing the mineral levels within its blood.

• 10

  Switch off the aquarium light and leave the fish to acclimatize to the salt without additional disturbances.

• 11

  Monitor the minnows until they have healed. Change 10 gallons of aquarium water to dilute the salt levels, once the minnows have completely healed.

• 12

  Fill a 10-gallon bucket with tap water and add 3 fl. oz. of chlorine remover to the water. Stir well. Remove 10 gallons of aquarium water containing the salt, exactly as you did previously. Discard this water and replace with the 10 gallons of freshly treated water.