Misinformation on fish diseases! Help debunk it!

M

martouf13

New member
I have read a lot about fish diseases and watched many Youtube videos regarding them over the last few days to learn as much as I can. One of the things I have found is the huge amount of misinformation that people put out. This is extremely high on Youtube especially regarding Ich. I have come across many videos where people state as fact that all tanks have Ich in them always and your fish only get it because they get stressed. This is so frustrating to see because there are a ton of people responding saying thanks for all the great info. Several I have come across are actually from people that are in the fish business as local pet stores advertising through these videos.

I encourage everyone to debunk any misinformation when they come across. This hobby is very fun but can be very frustrating especially when given the wrong information.
 
We try but it is a never ending story. People always are seeking a silver bullet. Worse, is that ich is the least lethal of the parasites.
 
Misinformation on fish diseases! Help debunk it!

Been fighting with those misconceptions on many forums and facebook groups relentlessly for years, it's frustraring to see that despite all the facts and information you can give, people generally likes to hear an easy fix over a more complicated but proven cures.

Sadly the same applies to human medicine and disease... People trying to cure cancer with homeopathy, antivaxers, tetha-healers etc...

As Carl Sagan said:

"We live in a society exquisitely dependent on science and technology, in which hardly anyone knows anything about science and technology."

My complete support to help debunk those myths and misinformation !!!
 
I was talking to a well-known industry author/speaker at MACNA this year and even he brought up the "ich is in every tank" myth. Needless to say, my respect for said author went out the window. :D
 
snorvich said:
We try but it is a never ending story. People always are seeking a silver bullet. Worse, is that ich is the least lethal of the parasites.
Click to expand...

The funny thing is there is a silver bullet. The silver bullet is the correct information and following the correct information. I just wish when I first started years ago I knew what I know now. I finally learned to use a QT and copper after losing a lot of fish and wasting a lot of money. Ich was always my biggest battle. I love Tangs and they basically ship with a free bottle of Ich to add to your tank...lol

Using a QT is the biggest problem that I have found for people and most LFS don't suggest using one. :(
 
martouf13 said:
Using a QT is the biggest problem that I have found for people and most LFS don't suggest using one. :(
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This is the biggest reason why crypto is so pervasive. There are many misconceptions around QT as well (it's stressful for the fish, it costs too much, it takes up too much room etc.), which is why people don't do it, sadly.
 
Deinonych said:
This is the biggest reason why crypto is so pervasive. There are many misconceptions around QT as well (it's stressful for the fish, it costs too much, it takes up too much room etc.), which is why people don't do it, sadly.
Click to expand...


I don't get the stressful part. As long as the water conditions are ideal the fish will be fine. Yes, they aren't in a big tank like they should be but it's a temporary thing and won't harm them. They aren't gonna live their entire lives there. Setting up a QT is a lot cheaper than losing a butt load of money on dead fish only to have a tank that is ready to kill more fish that you add to it. I bought my latest QT off Craigslist. Got a 20gal Eclipse tank with all the extras for $30. Added some PVC pipe fittings for hiding places and used filter pads from my display tank to cycle it that I cut up to fit the filter. Works like a charm and it cost me $30...lol It doesn't have to be pretty. Just has to do the job of a clean environment. Hell if you have to you can use a rubbermade storage container. I really wish I knew all this before I started. I am sure we all did.
 
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I think people anthropomorphize and think that fish need to be with their "friends." While I do think fish do better in a DT, being in a QT is far from stressful. It's a lot less stressful for a new fish to learn to eat prepared foods in solitude than have to compete with an established community. I think people forget that QT is more than just for disease prevention. Most of these fish came directly from the reefs and need to adapt to captive life.
 
Deinonych said:
I was talking to a well-known industry author/speaker at MACNA this year and even he brought up the "ich is in every tank" myth. Needless to say, my respect for said author went out the window. :D
Click to expand...

Like you, I don't agree with that myth but I can certainly understand his perception. Where I live, most of my fellow reefers think I'm crazy for QT'ing fish as thoroughly as I do. :eek1: To them, a couple weeks of observing and the fish is ready to go into the DT. I don't know anyone here (other than myself) that QTs corals/inverts. Ich is going to find a way in.
 
Just ask how much of a premium would your fellow reefers will be willing to pay for a guaranteed quarantined fish and the answer most of the times is 0...

They just don't get it... That myth that ich is everywhere makes people think those are worthless efforts.
 
acorral said:
Just ask how much of a premium would your fellow reefers will be willing to pay for a guaranteed quarantined fish and the answer most of the times is 0...
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The problem for fish providers (LFS and online) is the economic business model required to provided "guaranteed quarantined fish" means that their prices would be perceived as uncompetitive.
 
snorvich said:
The problem for fish providers (LFS and online) is the economic business model required to provided "guaranteed quarantined fish" means that their prices would be perceived as uncompetitive.
Click to expand...

It would be a waste of money for me. I would still QT, I trust only myself when it comes to this. just my 2 cents.
 
gone fishin said:
It would be a waste of money for me. I would still QT, I trust only myself when it comes to this. just my 2 cents.
Click to expand...

Amen to that. Likewise. I brought this up because people periodically muse about LFS that "quarantine" their fish and are still selling at competitive prices. It is just not going to happen.
 
I usually get a chuckle from some of the threads posted about LFS QT, the infamous ginger thread and many others. Unfortunately, I always wonder how much harm these threads cause to newer people.

Maybe I am just showing my age but, if it sounds to good to be true then in all probability it is false.
 
gone fishin said:
I usually get a chuckle from some of the threads posted about LFS QT, the infamous ginger thread and many others. Unfortunately, I always wonder how much harm these threads cause to newer people.

Maybe I am just showing my age but, if it sounds to good to be true then in all probability it is false.
Click to expand...

You think you are old? The reason I spend so much time in this forum (over the last ten years) is because I feel it is important to get correct information out to folks that may choose to use it. Since doing things right is not always the easiest path to follow, many choose to ignore the information provided in posts and the stickies. Diseases are probably the primary reason people get out of this hobby.
 
snorvich said:
The problem for fish providers (LFS and online) is the economic business model required to provided "guaranteed quarantined fish" means that their prices would be perceived as uncompetitive.
Click to expand...


Completely get it snorvich... And thats because this misinformation...

I personally would pay that premium right away, but I am the "weird one" that fully qt everything going into the tank...

It's also fault of everyone that when asked "what do i need to have a marine aquarium?" Respond with a long list of gadgets and stuff always excluding a qt setup and a book !
 
Somewhat OT but..... Someday I will own a LFS - and I will offer QT fish for sale. However, I will also provide regular, non QT fish. The two sections will be on complete opposite sides of the store, to take into account aerosol transmission (thanks to info I've learned on this forum).

Any customer who wants to see it, I will explain/show them my exact QT procedures in the back. They can then decide whether it's worth the higher price tag... or if they'd rather just stick with "regular" fish. I think this is only way to make it work.
 
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