Freshwater dip

protege · 02-02-2008, 03:15 PM

I have read a lot about using a freshwater dip for fish before introducing them to the main tank. Also, I have heard it is good to clear up parasitic infections. Does/Has anyone done/do this? I have not done it yet, but wondering what time limit to leave fish in the FW.

racerw · 02-02-2008, 03:49 PM

I have done it when I bought a fish that had flukes. Some people say it stresses the fish out more, & other people say if a fish is healthy a fw dip will not harm them.

If you are going to do a fw dip you have to make sure the temp, ph and alk are the same as the display tank. I think (if I remember correctly) I read where it says a 5 minute dip would work. If you have the fish in fw & the fish is acting like it is stressed out, by not swimming, laying on its side & breathing hard, I would get him out of the fw asap.

I would qt a fish before I would fw dip again, unless I knew the fish had a parasite. If the fish had a parasite I would only fw dip if I knew fw would kill the parasite or release from the host.

Robwsup · 02-02-2008, 07:27 PM

The only thing a freshwater dip will help is flukes, external worms, and to a limited extent Brooklynella. It will not be effective against ich or marine velvet.

Make sure you match pH and temperature. Alkalinity is not a concern here. An easy was to match pH would be to add one cup tank water to a half gallon freshwater.

racerw · 02-02-2008, 07:59 PM

Huh... From my understanding and reading a fw dip is "Unlike most other treatments, a freshwater dip actually kills parasites that are currently on the fish, rather than waiting for them to go through a whole reproduction cycle." Of course once you put the fish back into the tank that has ick, the fish can get ick again.....Again in the hobby you will alway get different answers & opinions

You are correct alk does not have to match. I suppose I should of wrote a simple way to raise ph is to add superbuff.....simple & easy.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robwsup

The only thing a freshwater dip will help is flukes, external worms, and to a limited extent Brooklynella. It will not be effective against ich or marine velvet.

Make sure you match pH and temperature. Alkalinity is not a concern here. An easy was to match pH would be to add one cup tank water to a half gallon freshwater.

protege · 02-02-2008, 08:07 PM

Great, thanks for the info... So do you recommend a FW dip for hardy fish prior to introducing them into the main tank? Or is it not necessary if everything is ok....

racerw · 02-02-2008, 10:15 PM

It is completely up to you. If I know I will be getting a fish I will set up a qt to put the new fish in so I can observe them.
I have in the past and will still treat my newly acquired fish with prazipro due to the increase of flukes & for internal parasites. If the fish seems fine I do not hypo or use any other medication. So far this has worked great for me.

tellycoleman · 02-02-2008, 10:37 PM

I am not a fan of Freshwater dip. Do a search on my experience with it. "freshwater dip gone wrong"
I tried to use it to treat ICH on my powder blue tang and it caused him to go blind.
BUt people have used it successfully.
I would much rather set up a quarantine tank and treat it with hyposalinity and/ or Meds

tanknymph · 02-02-2008, 10:58 PM

I don't know, I have done a FD on tangs before that had ick. I put them in for 5 min. and they weren't stressed but neither did it help with the ick. QT has never seemed to work for me, in my case they become too stressed and die. There's alot of opinions on the dip subject though.