Would there be any harm in maintaining a concentration of 2 tablespoons epsom salt per 10 gallons of water in a Tanganyikan tank on a regular basis? The elipsifer eel is again becoming very bloated with eggs, vent is extremely prominent, can't be comfortable. She seems to do better with epsom salts in the water, but when they are removed with water changes, she seems to become eggbound. Our water is naturally about 8.0 out of the tap, and very hard.

Poohbear as far as I know Epsom salt does not affect the water chemistry of a tank. I have to keep epsom salt in whatever tank I have my Blue diamond in, she has a record of becoming very constipated and sometimes she looks very uncomfortable. You should be okay with that but I would wait until a tang expert can answer that for sure.

Thank you. That's what I'm going to do then. Just keep up the concentration of epsom salts with water changes. With just one day of epsom salt, she looked better again. The other fish don't seem to mind the espom.

I think epsom salt is used to raise the GH of water, isn't it? Tangs require hard water, so I would think they'd be okay -- not sure if it can be too hard.

The poor eel. I wonder if she becomes eggbound because there isn't a male to spawn with or if she would be having this problem anyway. Hmmmm

I'd get her a male if I could find one, but elipsifers are not common out here. I am also wondering if I were to use something like a commercial Tanganyikan salt/buffer product if it would help her? My Ph is 8, but maybe she would benefit from a pH more like 9? I hate messing with water parameters if not absolutely necessary.

I did a water change yesterday and estimated the amount of water I replaced, then redosed with epsom for that amount. The tretocephalus was dark colored that day, I'll have to check his color this morning though. He darkens when he's not thrilled with something. Maybe I need to add a tad less epsom? Everyone else seems fine.