Cyanide Fish in Stores.......

Im a little ticked about the ignorant, uninformed comments that float around this board...

one that recently comes to mind was along the lines of " I saw cyanide caught fish in the stores tanks"....

May I ask why you make such a statement? Did you perform a cyanide labratory test with a $3000 photo meter? Did you perform an autopsy and discover organ degeneration and tissue collapse, and then determine it was a result of cyanide and not disease????

If you know a way to look into a tank and accurately verify that a fish was caught using cyanide by way of visual inspection, please let all the industry leaders know so they can stop wasting hundreds of thousands of dollars on fancy tests and man power trying to curb this now small industry problem.... if you cant, please keep poor accusations to yourself

sorry for my rant but Im sick of the "voice your opinion, even when you know nothing about it" attitdue.....

"Props to Kyle and the crew at Coast Mt for running a tight operation!"

[Aquattro]

Thanks Kyle for your comments. Before this goes anywhere, any finger pointing or accusations made against any party without proof (cyanide test will do) will result in immediate deletion.

[Beverly]

Originally Posted by UnderWorldAquatics

f you know a way to look into a tank and accurately verify that a fish was caught using cyanide by way of visual inspection, please let all the industry leaders know so they can stop wasting hundreds of thousands of dollars on fancy tests and man power trying to curb this now small industry problem....

I have never walked into a lfs and noticed cyanide caught fish, mostly because I understand that fish don't necessarily display symptoms of cyanide poisoning over the short term. Plus, I haven't a clue what to look for

Now, over the longer term, say a month or so after a fish goes into my tank, what are the symptoms to look for so I don't waste my time, money and emotional energy trying to save a fish that is ultimately doomed?

[DEAD_BY_DAWN]

i thought that fish caught useing cyanide had white sticky feces that stuck to there body,a sign that the damage that was done to its intestins ,i could be wrong but without performing the lab tests this was a good sign that the fish in question was caught with cyanide ?.

[Aquattro]

Originally Posted by DEAD_BY_DAWN

i thought that fish caught useing cyanide had white sticky feces that stuck to there body,a sign that the damage that was done to its intestins ,i could be wrong but without performing the lab tests this was a good sign that the fish in question was caught with cyanide ?.

No, many internal paraistes will cause these symptoms. Cyanide victims are seldom recognizable by any standard visual queue.

[DEAD_BY_DAWN]

thanks for the correction the book i read didnt mention other causes that would produce the sticky feces.

[Beverly]

Originally Posted by reef_raf

Cyanide victims are seldom recognizable by any standard visual queue.

If a fish was cyanide caught, as Kyle mentioned above, there would be "organ degeneration and tissue collapse". If this is the case, there would have to be some kind of outward sign(s) of the degeneration, wouldn't there? Or would the fish appear in relatively good health one day, then just drop dead the next?

Sorry for the rephrased question. I'm not trying to be argumentative. I'm trying to better understand the situation.

[Aquattro]

Beverly, your question is valid and in no way argumentative. My understanding of CN poisoning is that the symptoms depend on the degree of exposure, Heavy exposure could result in almost immediate death, whereas light exposure could result in only a shortened lifespan. The latter would never be recognized as a problem. In between, there are varying degrees of symptoms.
Perhaps someone can elaborate on this for you (and me!).

I have recived fish before that I tested for cyanide with positive test results, the fish in question(small adult blueface,majestic angels) appeared healthy and vibrantly coloured, they ate eagerly a few hours after acclimation, after a couple weeks they started loosing colours and generally looking like crap, finns rotting, scales flaking off, very odd behaviour, death ensued shortly, upon inspection the meat of the fish was mushy and gellied, when touching various organs they would mush as though they were made of jelly,(the tissue was like jelly only minutes after death) tests confirmed cyanide and info on my find was passed on to a very major importer who quickly ceased dealings with the responsible collector... You cant visually diagnose cyanide poisining, so please dont make claims to have special powers in the future. All fish are worth thrying to save, dont give up, if you are desperate about a fish in poor health I can reccommend a good force feeding diet that has worked great for me, some on this list think of it as barbaric but if it saves your fish and no one is hurt, I dont see an issue....

[AJ_77]

Originally Posted by UnderWorldAquatics

All fish are worth thrying to save, dont give up, if you are desperate about a fish in poor health I can reccommend a good force feeding diet that has worked great for me, some on this list think of it as barbaric but if it saves your fish and no one is hurt, I dont see an issue....

That thread did freak me out a bit, but I'd like to see it archived - just in case I ever have to try it...