Fresh Water Dips

[btkrausen]

I've always read how people do fresh water dips for their fish, but never really understood it.

How long do the fish stay in the fresh water? What can a fresh water dip really do for you?

 

[Electrobes]

I remember this from a while ago, but from what I can remember.. you freshwater dip fish anywhere from 10-15 minutes. It basically shocks and kills off parasites that may be on/in the fish. ICH, and many others do not tolerate freshwater well. It has worked for me a couple times when I worked in a LFS years ago... when some of the shipments came with iffy fish.

 

[btkrausen]

What would be benefit of a fresh water dip be if you are going to quarantine the fish? Nothing?

 

[barbianj]

Quarantine and observe, or quarantine and treat?

 

[btkrausen]

Treat. My quarantine tank will be used to apply medications to any and all fish that I get in. My current fish are in a 40B with PraziPro right now. They will eventually get Culpramine ones I get a few weeks without travel for work.

 

[Electrobes]

Well the thing with a fresh water dip is that it's more of a last ditch effort to save a fish. It's incredibly stressful to the fish, but people get desperate when nothing else works. Unfortunately it also has the stigma of people being either lazy in medicating, or cheap in medicating.

 

[bct15]

I've done a freshwater dip to save some black and white clowns that had clown fish disease coming on very fast. It seemed to about kill the fish, but it did clear up the problem very fast, either two or three freshwater dips coupled with the medication I was treating them with. I won't do it again (except in am emergency as was this), because it stressed me as much as the fish, as I thought I was going to kill my pride and joys. I do feel it is the only reason they are alive today.

 

[Buckaroo Banzai]

Go take a read of this Freshwater Dip for Marine Fishes

 

[btkrausen]

Thanks guys. I was unaware it was more of a last effort kinda deal. I always thought it was more preventative.

 

[Buckaroo Banzai]

As quoted from the article I posted above (only a little part of the read.)

"The matter isn't where the fish came from or how it was acquired. I don't care how reliable the source (a best friend who guarantees his tanks and fishes have no disease; an LFS who says he did the quarantine for you; etc.) or how healthy you think the fish is (you watched it for days at your LFS and could see nothing wrong with it), it needs to be quarantined and before that quarantine, a freshwater dip.

Fish are always stressed. But a proper quarantine process doesn't have to be extra stressful to the new fish. The quarantine process can be made to be less stressful, if it is done properly with forethought. But, this post is not about the quarantine process. It is about what to do before the fish gets into your quarantine tank.

IMHO
All fish need to have a freshwater dip/bath before getting into your quarantine tank. It is essential for all fishes. There are just too many flukes, external parasites, gill parasites and things on and in newly acquired marine fishes that (especially to the eye of the excited aquarist who just bought the fish) are not readily visible. It is the greatest prophylactic step the aquarist can take to further protect their investment and the health of the newly acquired fish."

 

[btkrausen]

But if you run meds for your fish during quarantine, than it shouldn't matter whether you dip or not, do you think that is safe to say?

 

[Buckaroo Banzai]

Go read the artical... Its a very good read. Lee knows what he is talking about.

 

[Buckaroo Banzai]

Lee Birch Bio

Bio - Lee (a.k.a. leebca)

 

[Eternal]

It is a very good article. The colander idea is a very good one. I think I will get one and try it with that next time I get some fish.

 

[Buckaroo Banzai]

Treat. My quarantine tank will be used to apply medications to any and all fish that I get in. My current fish are in a 40B with PraziPro right now. They will eventually get Culpramine ones I get a few weeks without travel for work.

Instead of using Culpramine try

A Hyposalinity Treatment Process

Anothers of Lee's

 

[btkrausen]

Instead of using Culpramine try

A Hyposalinity Treatment Process

Anothers of Lee's

Thanks. I've never been a fan of copper treatment, but I've heard a lot of good things about the SeaChem Culpramine, and that its a "gentle" treatment for the fish compared to old copper treatments.

 

[barbianj]

After the fish are comfortable, and eating, I always start a two dose Prazi treatment. On the second dose of Prazi, the Cupramine treatment is started for a length of 21 days. IME, both of these treatments in conjunction will cover more than a freshwater dip and hypo will.