Depressing

Recently there was another conversation regarding the use of salt in freshwater tanks.

I have used it for the last 12-15 months in my tanks. I reduced it from 1 tea spoon/10 litres to 2 tea spoons/30 litres about 6 months ago. I further reduced it to 1 tea spoon/30 litres around a month ago.

The conversation took place a week or two ago.

Since then, I thought I'd give it a shot at going back to no added salt...late last week, I had one female develop dropsy and keel over. A few days later, a prize male showed some lethargy, which developed into dropsy within 12 hours and he was gone. Yesterday a female lined up for a F2 spawn went the same way even quicker.

My tanks are far from salt free just yet, as I'm using the non-salted water for the water changes - so my fish are being slowly adapted back to no salt. I don't think it's the salt that caused the issue, nor do I think it is the lack of salt in the new water. It's Murphy's law - you talk about something and defend your stance and...bang...something kicks you in the softest of places to remind you of your limited understanding of things.

Then my largest fry from my DTHMPK spawn keels over...

Every now and then, the Fishroom is the last place I want to be...

But it doesn't matter how long you've been doing this, or how much you know and take care of your piscatorial charges...something, somewhere, sometime, will jump up and bite you.

Be supportive of others, and don't think your way is the only way to do things. What works for you, works for you...until it doesn't.

Good luck with your spawns :)