MisticX
Aquarium Advice Freak
have no ideea how to post a poll but i will try
reminder: votes are PUBLIC
1 vote per poll
reminder: votes are PUBLIC
1 vote per poll
Have not lost ANY fish to disease in my tank's present location. (10 yrs in August)
I still have some Neon Tetras (3) left from when I bought in 2001 - 7 yrs for a Neon!
Big thing is: pick your fish carefully - make sure there is no disease in lfs tank. Then Q them for at least 3 weeks before adding to main tank.
i think that, without owning a microscope, you cannot call yourself a doctor.
I don't think owning a microscope has anyhting to do with diagnosing fish disease. One could have one, know how to use it, and be awful at disease diagnosis. I think it takes experience and hopefully one doesn't have the experience needed to be an expert at diagnosing fish disease.
I'm ok at it, but I'm fine with that. It means that I haven't had fish diseases in my tank so I haven't had to research different disease subjects.
I'm sure the OP did not intend to have aquarist's misrepresent themselves as doctors and was only attempting to discover how successful folks have been in treating fish over their individual experiences.
That being said, I'm not such as bad "doctor". I've treated parasites very successfully over the years.
To be blunt, I think the major factor in disease ignorance is the lack of personal research and the desire for a quick cure for any and all maladies. Fish health/disease guides are readily available in virtually step by step instructions, yet not utilized other than in professional fields (excluding lfs). Assertive quarantine procedures would be another means in aiding long-term health; however, it seems many are content with a "wait and see" approach allowing immune systems to be compromised.