Fish Bath or Dip for newly arrived fish

[Happy_Platies_88]

I have been getting (slowly) ready to start up a new 75 gallon planted tank and have been researching about fish baths/dips for fish that are newly acquired even before introduing them to a quarantine tank for a few weeks. Have any of you ever done this before? The site that I have found the most info on is linked below. It talks about using a couple different medications so that all bases are covered (Bacterial, Fungal, Parasitic, etc). Let me know what you all think! Thanks in advance.

http://www.aquarium-pond-answers.com...ish-baths.html

[SearunSimpson]

I feel uneasy about it. I feel the radical transition for the fish from one water parameter into another is too extreme and would cause more harm than good than to medicate it with reccommended dosages over an extended period of time.

[Happy_Platies_88]

yeah I agree, the added stress doesn't seem like it would good thats for sure, but maybe those few extra minutes in a bath is better than carrying something longer and them succombing to it later. Just a thought, I'm certainly not sold on the idea yet.

[lauraleellbp]

Those type of dips were developed for large, hardy pond fish- koi, especially.

I do think there's a place for dips and they can be extremely effective in some instances, but if you're acquiring new tropical fish I'd rely on treatment in the QT tank (if needed) rather than putting them through yet another level of stress. Just transport and acclimation are huge stressors for fish.

Unless you run across some issue where a dip might be the most effective treatment (ie, external parasites...)

[SearunSimpson]

Originally Posted by lauraleellbp

Those type of dips were developed for large, hardy pond fish- koi, especially.

I do think there's a place for dips and they can be extremely effective in some instances, but if you're acquiring new tropical fish I'd rely on treatment in the QT tank (if needed) rather than putting them through yet another level of stress. Just transport and acclimation are huge stressors for fish.

Unless you run across some issue where a dip might be the most effective treatment (ie, external parasites...)

Even with the external parasites, I feel safer with them in a QT tank, with proper dosing of a medication over time, combined with water changes.
Something about that whole dip thing, like I said early, just doesnt sit right with me, in regards to small tropical fish. Even with flagellate like parasites, I'd rather just treat in the QT tank. You don't see people dipping for ich, haha.


*note- I am not going against laraleellbp, I just don't know how to quote one line on this forum.

[lauraleellbp]

There's always more than one way to skin a cat.

And if you want to edit a quote, once you've clicked on "quote" and have it in your edit text box, you just delete the portion inside the quote codes that you don't want. Just be sure not to delete the [quot] bla bla bla [/quot] tags (I just misspelled "quote" so the tags willl show up)