freshwater dip

[ocellaris06]

I have read "New-first Time on RC-Look Here for Answers" about ich. Is it practical to freshwater dip fish before putting them into the display tank? How many of you did/never did that before?

Today I am going to buy 2 ocellaris for my 4-month new tank (the tank has 2 turbo snails only) and I have no spare tank to keep them for 30 days. How long should I dip them? Any guys have experience on doing that?

Please help! Thanks!

[Purple Penguins]

I do not dip my fish, it stresses them out more, more stress helps lower immune system to make the fish more vulnerable to illness, some swear by it, I do not

[kevin2000]

FW dips are largely ineffective when it comes to ich - while it may help remove some ich inevitably some of the trophonts will be buried deep within the fish where the FW will have no impact. Those trophonts will naturally fall off the fish at a later date to eventually produce more ich.

Further ... FW dips are not a substitue for quarantine. If you want a ich free/disease free tank then you should QT each and every fish.

[Osmotic Shock]

I FW dip and quarantine all new fish. As stated above it is not a substitute for quarantine but here is the procedure.
Take RO/DI water and buffer to 8.3. Heat and aerate for 24 hours. Add methylene blue until the wate is a nice deep blue color. Add fish. Watch fish for signs of distress. Remove and place in QT after 5-10 minutes or if it seems stressed.

[WaterKeeper]

I've always found just placing the fish in proper quarantine without the dip is fine. Some professionals swear by it however and practice it routinely. As Kevin points out it is highly unlikely it will prevent or cure ich, or for that matter, velvet.

Why did I guess that Osmotic Shock would be in favor of dipping?

:D

[Osmotic Shock]

:)