Dipping Fish

SigPiPup

SigPiPup

AC Members
May 1, 2007
307
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Michigan
Along with QT Articles, I also read articles about dipping fish on WWM (by Bob Fenner BTW).

If I were to set-up a poll on this I'm sure the results would be just as varied as the poll about QTs, so I won't bother. I'll just ask your opinions.

The article said that prophylactic dipping before placing into the QT is recommended and that All public aquariums practice this. So why wouldn't the average aquarist want the same for their fish? Sounds reasonable to me, albeit just another step. So I searched on here to see what people had to say about that and I found mostly FW threads, or threads on treatment after an outbreak.

I understand the reasoning behind it, and the benefits are great, but it seems like alot for a fish to go through. First the fish is caught, then transported, then purchased and hauled, then dipped in freshwater (or Methylene Blue), then it is stuck in a QT, then finally it's new home. The whole point is to stress the fish as little as possible, but It seems like the fish is more stressed.

So many people, so many opinions.:confused: But it is what drives us to love this hobby. :headbang2:
 
A FW dip is done to get rid of any parasites that may be on the fish ... if a fish has them he'll be stressed ... the 3 week trip a fish takes from his natural habitat then stuffed into bags by a 12 year old asian kid (example) who gives them to a middle aged man, for almost nothing, who then sells them to someone else, who puts them on a boat to ship to some port for distributors to pick them up and repackage them to look halfway presentable, then sends them to another distributor who inturn sells them to your LFS all while not being fed is far more stress than a 5 min FW dip to remove the tiny bugs that are eating his body, so that when he gets in his new tank he can swim freely without infecting the rest of your fish. Just my opinion though ... that is what you were asking for right?
 
From what I've read on other forums I'm on, the people who don't usually do it are because...they don't know about it, they think it'll be too stressful for the fish, they think the QT will be enough and it's just not "necessary" or they've had a bad experience in the past with it (usually seemed like they didn't match the pH or temp or some other important thing). Oh yeah, or they just don't agree with it even if their reasons are unjustified.
 
NapoliNewJersey said:
A FW dip is done to get rid of any parasites that may be on the fish ... if a fish has them he'll be stressed ... the 3 week trip a fish takes from his natural habitat then stuffed into bags by a 12 year old asian kid (example) who gives them to a middle aged man, for almost nothing, who then sells them to someone else, who puts them on a boat to ship to some port for distributors to pick them up and repackage them to look halfway presentable, then sends them to another distributor who inturn sells them to your LFS all while not being fed is far more stress than a 5 min FW dip to remove the tiny bugs that are eating his body, so that when he gets in his new tank he can swim freely without infecting the rest of your fish. Just my opinion though ... that is what you were asking for right?
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Opinions are exactly what I was asking for. Thanks. I like your account of what a fish goes through. Much more detailed than mine. :) You also make sense. The 5 min dip would be much less stressful.

I've been doing a 4-5 minute FW dip with methelyne blue for all my new additions with good success.
Click to expand...

That's what I was thinking about using as well as it was mention in the article I read. Is that available at the LFS? I tried to find it on Drs. F&S and all I could find was Malachite Green.

Thanks for all the info.

Mario
 
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