Does Stresscoat work for helping newly moved fish?

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
I used it for years as my water change water conditioner, pretty standard back in the day, so I didn't think much about it except that it apparently did what it was supposed to do. Both of my residences since 1995 have had well water so there was no longer a need for water conditioner and at some point I started using Melafix in the occasional case where I might have formerly used Stress Coat therapeutically.

I don't think you'll find independent testing of Stress Coat the product (unless it's fairly new) but there is literature/testing on aloe vera formulations (an ingredient in Stress Coat) out there supporting claims of beneficial effects for fish, including wound healing, fish transport, immune system benefits, etc.

Some years ago I did some fairly thorough reading on it and the only suggested downside I found was: Aloe vera is an organic product, overdosing can negatively affect water quality.

Imo it's one of those old school type products, like methylene blue, that some have forgotten or moved on from but they did work.

Edit: I also recall that one of the papers I'd read said something about aloe vera needing a preservative to keep it from losing effectiveness.
 
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...Another addition-- At least ime, simply allowing a new fish some time to settle in a suitable tank with good water, and without an additional stressor like an established fish harassing them, is usually as much as they need.
 
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I posted a link to a study on Melafix, several yrs ago.

 
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I used to use the API stuff but it seemed to me (just my belief) that it sort of "slimed" the filter media.
I use the seachem product. It contains methylene blue which is purported to aid in treating fungus and some parasites. As well as poisoning from nitrites. It also contains gluturaldehyde. This chemical is used to sterilize medical instruments! Apparently it will not harm the bacteria in the tank or harm the fish. Inverts are a different matter. This chemical antiseptic is also used in API CO2 booster. I actually did a thread once because I feared it had caused my tank to crash. (Actually I believe it was something else that cause this mini-crash).

An interesting tidbit- I was reading a marijuana forum when gathering info on this. The grower had good results when they used this. Be careful what you smoke!

Google searches will lead to info pro and con for using this chemical in aquaria.
Example - https://www.jbl.de/en/blog/detail/133/the-story-of-liquid-co2-fertilisation-the-reliability

I use the seachem product at times and it seems to help healing and the plants. However you would not want to eat my fish!
 
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