Check 7 Benefits & Ways to Use Fish Salt Here!

There are many benefits of fish salt that can help fish grow. You may still not be too familiar with fish salt. Basically, fish salt has the same shape and taste as the table salt that you usually use every day.

The difference is the compounds in it. The compound contained in fish salt is only NaCl because if there are other compounds it is feared that it will have a bad effect on fish. Meanwhile, table salt contains micro minerals in the form of iodine. Because of this, many people call fish salt salt without iodine.

After knowing what fish salt is, let's continue reading this article to find out its benefits and how to use it!

Benefits of Fish Salt for Ponds 

Fish salt has undoubted benefits for helping fish grow. Fish salt can be used for ornamental fish in aquariums or consumption fish in large ponds. To find out the function of fish salt for aquariums and ponds, see below!

1. Normalizes the pH of the Water

Water that is too acidic will have a negative effect on the health and development of fish, especially during the rainy season. Rainwater that contains high acid will increase the acid level in the pool when rainwater enters the pond.

This can make fish restless, stressed, and even die. High levels of acid in ponds are indicated by changes in the behavior of fish which often jump above the surface of the water.

2. Inhibiting Moss Growth

Fish salt can inhibit the growth of algae both in ponds and in aquariums. Moss usually grows because of the sunlight shining on the pond. You can give 1 scoop of fish salt for a 5 x 3 m pond every 2 or 3 days.

With a note, you need to change the pool water regularly about once every 2 or 3 days. Do not oversalt the fish because it can disturb the water parameters.

3. Overcoming Parasite Attacks

Fish salt can eradicate various kinds of parasites in ponds. One of them is a parasite Dactylogyrus which usually attacks the gills of fish. The form of the parasite resembles a worm that usually attaches to the body of the fish.

The use of fish salt can help release parasites that have attached to the fish's body. If the parasites in the fish's body have not disappeared, you can repeat using fish salt several times. Even though salt can eradicate existing parasites, you are advised to keep separating fish that have had parasites attached to those that have not to prevent transmission.

4. Eradicate Saprolegnia Fungi

Saprolegnia fungus is a type of fungus that usually appears in fish ponds. This fungus usually causes saprolegniasis. This disease will attack fish eggs and chicks in the hatchery. The appearance of the saprolegnia fungus is marked by the presence of green fibers which at first glance look like cotton.

To eradicate this type of fungus, you can carry out routine maintenance using fish salt. Apart from curing saprolegnia, using fish salt can also prevent the growth of other fungi in the pond.

5. Prevents Bacteria from Growing

Fish salt is well known for its efficacy in preventing the growth of bacteria in ponds. The most common bacteria that appear in fish ponds are fexibactercolumnaris. If it has attacked the fish, this fungus will cause white spots to appear around the fish's mouth. 

Fish salt can be relied upon to kill these bacteria because of the NaCl in it. For that, you can sprinkle fish salt at least once a month into the fish pond. This is important so that the fish become healthier and protected from various attacks of disease-causing bacteria.

6. Treating Stressed Fish

Usually the process of moving fish from one pond to another will cause stress to the fish. Moreover, if the fish are moved using nets.

If this happens to fish, you can use fish salt to overcome it. The trick, flush the fish with water that has been mixed with salt after the transfer process.

7. Cleaning Dirt on the Gills

Because it is placed in an open area, fish ponds tend to get cloudy faster, especially during the rainy season. Turbid ponds contain a lot of impurities that can interfere with the circulation of water in the fish's gills during the breathing process. Fish salt can help remove dirty particles that usually stick to the walls of the gills and clean them.

Suggestions for Using Fish Salt

The dosage of fish salt that you can sprinkle into the fish pond varies, depending on its use. If you want to use fish salt as a prophylactic, you can use as much as 1-2 teaspoons of fish salt per 4 L of water. The trick is to place the salt in a container according to the measure and then pour the dissolved salt into the fish pond.

Then, if you want to use fish salt as a medicine for fungal and bacterial infections, the salt content of the fish is 1% of the total volume of water. Giving fish salt should be done little by little over 24-48 hours. So don't give 1% salt all at once. This is done to avoid osmotic shock or stress to the fish.

Meanwhile, if you use fish salt to treat parasite attacks, the level of fish salt you need to provide is 2.5% of the total volume of the pond water. Soaking salt at a dose of 2.5% can make the parasites escape from the fish's body. However, fish salt solution cannot kill the parasite.

Keep in mind, not all fresh water fish are resistant to this fish salt. Therefore, before giving fish salt, you must know the level of sensitivity of fish to fish salt. You also shouldn't add too much salt to the fish because it can mess up the water parameters and cause foam to form on the surface of the water.