Hi again, Ingrid,

So it sounds like the malachite green product, which the pond place
recommended, was totally inappropriate, given that the product
controls fungus, and mouth rot (columnaris) is a bacteria.

Of additional interest is the fact that the second fish died with a
lesion on its side (which I thought was fungal in nature?), and this
was after the malachite green treatment.

Fish husbandry (or is that fish spousery?) is a heck of a lot tougher
than I was led to believe!

Arrrrgh.

D



wrote in message ...
it is too bad that your local pond outfit doesnt use the scientific names for various
infections. mouth rot is usually columnaris which is caused by a bacteria. salt is
not a treatment for this.
malachite green is useful against fungus. it is inactivated by sunlight.
plants have no problem with salt up to 0.1% or 0.9lbs per 100 gallons. in gardens
that level of salt isnt going to do anything, nor will it be a problem in the sewer.
actually... you need to check your natural salt level before adding salt to your
pond. in your neck of the woods you got high levels of salt in your water.
Ingrid