I was at my lfs and i was told to dip my salt fish in fresh water for two-three mins. and it will kill parasites and even fin rot. comments welcome
Fresh water dip for Salt water, True or False
- Thread starter lawnman
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I know this a true for white spot. About 3 minutes or earlier if the fish shows signs of stress. However, if the fish is re-introduced to a tank containing parasites in the larval stage then the fish may be re-infected. Not sure about fungal conditions though, hope someone else can help.
Yes, freshwater dips do kill many parasites within a couple of minutes. This works because they cannot stand the osmotic pressure they endure in FW. If a human drinks 8 oz of saltwater, he must then consume at least 16 oz of freshwater to replace it, because the SW actually dehydrates him. Same principle for the parasites, but they fall off the fish and die within a few minutes.
Fish are able to hold up for a minute or two, but after that they can suffer consequences. White spot and black spot in particular are treatable with FW dips. Kit is right, though, that any free swimming parasites in your tank can (and will) reinfest the fish.
A lot of LFSs recommend FW dips because they know that their tanks have been exposed to Ich, Velvet, and other parasites in the past, and they can't gaurantee that the fish you are buying hasn't been exposed.
Fish are able to hold up for a minute or two, but after that they can suffer consequences. White spot and black spot in particular are treatable with FW dips. Kit is right, though, that any free swimming parasites in your tank can (and will) reinfest the fish.
A lot of LFSs recommend FW dips because they know that their tanks have been exposed to Ich, Velvet, and other parasites in the past, and they can't gaurantee that the fish you are buying hasn't been exposed.
It will do nothing for finrot, which is a bacterial type infection. Treat it with an antibiotic based medication. Prevention is your best defense...get a quarantine/hospital tank, if you don't already have one.
That wouldn't be dehydration.
That would be over-hydration due to osmotic differential.--The FW will actually cause parasites to expand to the point where they may or may not burst from swelling.
Childawg,
That is what I was trying to say, only I think I garbled my point a little. A human needs FW, so drinking SW dehydrates him. On the flipside, a creature needing SW (the parasites) will over-absorb water when placed in FW, and die. The principle is the same. I think I got ahead of myself and failed to finish my explanation.
That is what I was trying to say, only I think I garbled my point a little. A human needs FW, so drinking SW dehydrates him. On the flipside, a creature needing SW (the parasites) will over-absorb water when placed in FW, and die. The principle is the same. I think I got ahead of myself and failed to finish my explanation.
Sorry for correcting you on that then...I figured that you understood what you meant to say, but I wasn't sure if everyone would get that.
BTW (off-topic), for which Academy Award have you been nominated?
BTW (off-topic), for which Academy Award have you been nominated?
Oh lord, that is just a big joke with friend of mine. After I saw "Saving Private Ryan", I remarked to him that Tom Hanks should play an anti-hero in a role since he is always such a hero (Forrest Gump, Philadelphia, The Burbs, Big, Saving Private Ryan, etc.) We played with the idea, and eventually I came up with Tom Hanks as a Gangster. Well, last year "Road to Perdition" come out, and gets nominated for an Academy Award. The way we see, it, I had the idea for it first, so that nomination is mine.
Thanks for all the response, I do 20% water changes every other week. Will it be better if I did 10% weekly?
Since I found this my wife has told me, "Go head honey the tank look very good". Childawg, how is it going?
Since I found this my wife has told me, "Go head honey the tank look very good". Childawg, how is it going?
I'm not sure what the water change ritual is for SW off the top of my head, but I'm doing all right. How are you doing, lawnman?