Dipping fish and corals

Myka · #1 03-05-2009, 07:54 AM

After reading poor my2rotties thread about the flukes, I think it's a great time to start a thread about dipping. If you dip, what products do YOU use, in what concentration, and for what length of time on your corals and on your fish? What parasites or diseases do you believe your product is effective against?

I dip fish in PraziPro. I use the recommended amount as per the label, and dip for 15-20 minutes. I don't have the bottle in front of me, but it works out to be very little in a litre of water...like a 1/4 of a drop or something ridiculous like that. I would like to think this rids my fish of external parasites, but I honestly don't think the concentration is high enough to do anything. I would like to find something that rids of internal parasites, but I think a full treatment in a QT would be required for effectiveness, and I don't QT because my tank is small and there are few fish. I'm interested to try out the medicated fish foods though.

I used to dip my fish in freshwater for 12-15 mins with matched pH, but found it very stressful for fish, so I quit doing that.

I don't do anything to my corals. I used to dip in a mild iodine solution (as per bottle instructions on Lugol's Solution), but I lost too many corals. So now I don't dip corals I just inspect them very closely.

Leah · #2 03-05-2009, 01:03 PM

I am not sure I am following you on this. Do I have this right you acclimate for the hour,
and then you use fresh water from your system, add prazipro to it and leave fish in there
for an extra 15 mins.? Is this how you did it ?

banditpowdercoat · #3 03-05-2009, 01:22 PM

Ya, I have allways wondered in which order you dip/acclimate? One would think you should acclimate to the Dip first then acclimate to tank water??? I can see where this may become more stressful to the creatures..

my2rotties · #4 03-05-2009, 03:54 PM

Tagging along, thanks for posting this question since I just don't know what to do anymore...

I am going to be trying medicated food today at this point since I cannot get the Prazipro until tomorrow since the store that has it in stock is closed today.The product I can get today is praziquantel and I was told I can soak the fish food in it for feeding. I will now FOR SURE always dip my fish in Prazipro prior to putting them into my display. Fresh water dips scare the heck out of me and until I actually watch it get done, I am not comfortable in trying this. My lack of experience has already killed, and I don't want to do before the fish gets into my tank due to stress. I wish I knew about flukes in the first place...

Whatigot · #5 03-05-2009, 03:58 PM

totally speaking from perceived logic here and not experience, but if you dip second, whats the point acclimating first?
you're just acclimating them to one set of water params, throwing them in another and then back into the first again...

I would dip first, acclimate second.
but I don't dip or acclimate corals, Im just careful and lucky.
haven't lost one yet, nor have I had any run ins with unwanteds.

fragNplug · #6 03-05-2009, 04:23 PM

i do not do this for fish, but i do for corals.
I drip for an hour, just before i am ready to put them into the tank.
I add a premixed solution of medication and tank water to the water they are already acclimated to wait 15 minutes then rinse in tank water in separate bucket and drop into the tank.

This means that you only acclimate them one time and ensures you do not get any medication added to your tank, should work exactly the same for fish.

digital-audiophile · #7 03-05-2009, 04:27 PM

I'll use an iodine dip on hard corals but I never acclimate them. Just dip for a few seconds in freshwater/lugols solution and then into the tank.

my2rotties · #8 03-05-2009, 04:30 PM

I will be borrowing a 90g for a QT tank. Will the prazipro damage the silicone or cause issues like copper does to a tank? I promised never to use copper on his tank but want to make sure that I can return the tank all cleaned up and have no worries of anything seeping out into the water later.

Leah · #9 03-05-2009, 07:31 PM

I believe it is not copperbased if you are in question. Prazipro has imformation on it
I think you just type in Prazipro and it should come up. Good-luck

Jason McK · #10 03-05-2009, 07:47 PM

My Current fish Acclimation proceedure

Float bag to acclimate temperate
Open bag.
Cup hand in bag
slowly bring fish out of bag with my hand.
Release in tank

My Current acclimation of Coral (know source)
float bag
Open bag
Mount coral

My Current acclimation of Coral (unknow source)
Float bag
Pour contents in to container
Use Tropicmarin Procure in container
Wait 15minutes
Mount in tank