Dipping fish in fres water?

jcsurfn

jcsurfn

Member
My lfs is telling everyone to dip there saltwater fish in fres water for 5 sec. before they put them in there tank. They say it will get rid of stuff like ich and stuff. This seems like a quick way to not do the q tank. I was just woundering if andone does this? or has done this?
Also would you recommended doing this if you do not plan to put them in a q tank before putting then in your main tank?
I just wanted to get soem opinions. It seems pretty scary to me. :D
 
S

sinner's girl

Guest
If you don't know what you are doing I don't recomend it. It's better to do q-tank.
 
gregzbobo

gregzbobo

Member
I've seen it done, good way to watch a new fish quiver around on its side for 5 seconds. Its alot easier and MUCH less stressful on the fish to quarantine it and hyposalinate it to make sure its ich-free. Stress btw can trigger an ich outbreak. So if you put that recently dipped fish in the tank, it COULD develop ich even if it did not have it in the first place.
 
jcsurfn

jcsurfn

Member
This also seemed ot me to be stressful on the fish. That is why I am questioning it. It would be nice to find a good way to do it with out have to have you fish in a q tank for a month.
 
fshhub

fshhub

Active Member
dips are risky, and stressful, and stillnot 100%
go with the q tank, they are very inexpensive ot set up and worth many times their cost, IMO.
example: a 29 gallon with skimmer lightin and rock will cost you 4 or 500 before done, is $50 not a well worhtwhile investment for DARNED good insurance? And not remebering your tank size, I used a 29 since it is a common smaller tank, if it is a larger tank, you could wind up with alot more.
REMEMBER, it only takes ONE sick fish to ruin the whole set up, esp if you do not handle it properly.
 
jcsurfn

jcsurfn

Member
I totally agree. I plan to make a q tank. I was kind of laughing at my lfs when they said this even though I had herd it somewhere before. I just wanted to see if anyone has been told or has done this.
I have a 10 gal tank that I was going to set up for a q tank. My main t ank is 55 gal. tank. I have a heater and a hang on fiter, not sure what kind it is, that uses a cartrige type of filter media and a power head. Will this be good for the q tank? I dont have a refractor meter. Has nayone done this with there regular hydrometer?
 
fshhub

fshhub

Active Member
refractometer si much more accurate, and should be used, only b/c the salinity has to be perfect or lower(cannot be close)
 
jcsurfn

jcsurfn

Member
Ok thats what I though. :D I did not think you could just get close to it. :D
How long is needed at the low salinity level? 2 weeks? or longer?
 
jcsurfn

jcsurfn

Member
You want your fish in the q tank at 1.009 for a month? or do you want to go from say 1.023 to 1.009 and back to 1.023 in a month?
 
S

simm

Guest
You want to acclimate him from 1.023 - 1.009 over Id say a 48 hour period. Leave the fish in the hypo state for about a month then acclimate slowly back to 1.023 in another 48 hour time frame. Also go to the disease and treatment forum and up at the top check out Beths sticky on Basic FAQ and it will explain the hypo and QT process. HTH
 
S

simm

Guest
Its all opinion. I do 48 hours and I believe thats what Beth recommends as well.
 
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