I have caught many wild saltwater fish and inverts for my tanks in the past. With the fish I would soak them in a freshwater bath with a little copper to kill parasites using the idea of osmosis and diffusion. That if there is a parasite from a saline concentrate environment put into a environment of no salt the concentrations in the parasite and surrounding environment will try to equilize causing the parasite to pop. With this method I have had not parasite or diseases. Now I am mainly doing freshwater and want to catch wild fish and inverts. Theoretically it should work the same way with a saltwater bath and freshwater parasites. Does anyone know of a good and easy sterilization process for freshwater fish?
Wild fish and parasites
- Thread starter justin
- Start date
not realy but i do know that my self and alot of member but aquarium salt in our tanks to get rid and stop that stuff, ever since i have been doing that i have never had a prob
You can immerse healthy wild caught fish in a strong aerated solution of 3 tbs.salt/gallon for 10-30 minutes (watching for signs of stress) and then keep them in water containing 2 tsp. salt/gallon for about 2 weeks and that will get rid of most external parasites, not all as some leeches and fish lice are salt tolerant. It will not get rid of internal parasites but dosing the tank or feeding with medicated (antiparasite) food will take care of most of the more common parasites (flat and round worms). Use metronidazole and praziquantel either combined or sequentially and it will get rid of most protozoals, flukes, tape worms, pin worms, and thread worms.