1.) what is the longest amount of time a .3% salt solution can be used?

2.) When removing the .3% salt solution after fish have healed, is it best to just drop it immediatly back to a .1% solution-- or to do it more gradually, as in dropping it to a .2% and then finally a .1%. and 3.) Is so, what time frame should this adjustment occur in?

When I have purchased fish from international breeders, they have always come with instructions to keep them in a .3% salt solution for 2 weeks. Rick's of Goldfish Connection also advocates this.

There are a few times when you would not want to, but in general, that should be OK.

As far as when reducing the salt (or pH or anything like that), I always recommend doing things slowly and in stages. You would never add all the salt in one dose - that would shock the fish. In this same light, you should never reduce all the salt at one time, either. I like to reduce the salt during each normal water change - taking it to .2% and finally .1%.

Thanks alot! boy, you've helped me a bunch in here Daryl! I appreciate it.