Purdue University Background Salt is one of the most commonly used drugs in aquaculture. In fact, it is sometimes referred to as the aspirin of aquaculture. Many forms of salt are used, including table, meat-curing, pickling and rock salt. Of these, the most commonly used and least expensive form is the meat-curing variety. When used properly, salt can treat many external parasites including Costia, Epistylis, Trichodina, Chilodonella, and the flukes Dactylogyrus and Gyrodactylus.
Salt is used to relieve stress during handling and transport.
Know the volume of your ponds, airways, tanks, etc., beforehand. It is advisable to have those values in a convenient location for immediate use. Perform a test treatment on a few fish before attempting a large-scale treatment. Salt, like other chemicals, reacts differently among different species and water qualities. Prepare to remove fish or flush out salt baths with fresh water when fish show initial signs of stress.