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Erns: Salt at 0.6% for a couple of weeks does well in eliminating Ich. It will set back some other parasites, but will not eliminate them. Sudden immersion in salted water can cause a shock to the parasites sufficient to cause them to drop off the host, and the sudden change can kill parasites that would acclimate to salt applied more gradually. Many people believe the koi should be gradually acclimated to salt lels as high as 0.6%. My experience has been that the koi do fine as long as the concentration does not exceed that level. You may have read or seen the technique of placing a koi in water that is extremely saline for about 10 seconds, just enough time for the koi to begin to 'faint' from the high salinity, and then immediately move the fish to salt-free water. It clears many parasites quickly, but is dangerous to the fish unless done by experienced hands.
Being in Florida, with imports coming into the country elsewhere, I would always want the dealer to rest and quarantine the fish. I'm working and not able to focus on the fish during the day. The dealers I know are very busy, but always taking time to walk by their tanks and quick to observe anything out of the ordinary. I would not want to ever take direct possession of an import. QT upon delivery to me is a different subject.
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