merlberg
Valuable Member
Just as the topic says because I thought maybe I would do this but only if I get positive feedback frm you guys. So does anyone freshwater dip new fish before you qt them? Why/why not? Thanks 
Does anyone fresh water dip new fish?
- Thread starter merlberg
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oscarinw
Active Member
I have used it. While in theory it could be useful, there are well documented cases of fish coming down with ich even after a fresh water dip so I don't use it actively anymore. The one useful way in which I might try to use it is in transferring a healthy, active, non-stressed fish from quarantine to display. I wouldn't use it on online order, newly arrived fish. I'd rather do appropriate quarantining and medication even if just prophylactic, then make sure they are doing really well in qt.
Why not? The only benefit would be to use on external parasites such as cryptocharion but it's not a fault-proof method, so I don't see the value. Furthermore it clearly stresses the fish.
Why not? The only benefit would be to use on external parasites such as cryptocharion but it's not a fault-proof method, so I don't see the value. Furthermore it clearly stresses the fish.
Some people do and some poeple do not. I did this with a few of my fish, I had a angelfish that i noticed had flukes on it so I decided to freshwater bathe it and a lot of flukes fell off of it. The awesome thing is that the fresh water makes the flukes turn a pale white and they fall off so you can see them. I also dosed my display with prazipro which is reef safe. i believe it also helps with brook in clownfish... not sure but as long as you match the water temp and ph, i think a freshwater bath is a good thing on certain fish. being some fish tolerate it better than others.
I don't do it prophylactically, but a FW dip can be very useful to help determine whether flukes or a parasite is afflicting a fish's gills when only behavioral symptoms exist. Flukes turn white once exposed to FW and should start falling out of the fish at around the 3-4 minute mark. If no flukes are present, you can assume it is a parasite inside the gills instead and treat accordingly. A FW dip is also useful to provide emergency, albeit temporary, relief of both velvet & Brooklynella; however it's effectiveness against ich is highly dubious being the trophonts burrow so deeply.
melypr1985
totally addicted
You can put prazi in the DT, but it's a risk for some of your inverts and corals. It's best to keep that to your QT since you have one and use it.
Flukes are almost always in the gills. If you don't see any come out of the gills then you are to assume it is a different parasite such as ich, velvet or brook in the gills and treat accordingly. If the flukes are bad enough you can see them in the eyes of the fish. My purple tang had flukes in the eyes and they were visible just by looking at him. I would say flukes are pretty common, but not that every fish has them.
I don't know if I would say the majority, but it does seem to be as common as, say, ich. Certain species, such as angels & wrasses, do seem to be more susceptible for some reason.
melypr1985
totally addicted
Wow im really learning alot the more I ask n post random things lol. Thnks
Great! Keep asking questions!
I noticed some spots on his fins and I said to heck with it. I freshwater dipped him for temporarily relief and then when I added him to the display I dosed prazipro. I have a mized reef with sps, lps, and softies. The only ill effects that I have noticed is the soft corals like mushrooms and leathers tend to retract and get small for a few hours and the zoanthids/palys tend to open the mouths. i have never lost a coral while dosing prazipro in my system. I don't have a quarantine tank so that was out of the question for me. If you have a QT tank, by all means treat the fish in there but I didn't so I decided to dose the prazi into my display and I researched it before I did, found out it can be dosed with no problems. Low and be hold I had no issues with anything. Never lost an invert or coral.
