texas cichlid ban!

sly fox · Oct 15, 2008

http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/pfk/pages/item.php?news=1843

ofblong · Oct 15, 2008

LOL thats just stupid. I guess peta was probably behind it as well. Hell my clownfish clean my hands when I stick them in the tank for whatever reason so should they be banned from my fish tank???

GMaquarium · Oct 15, 2008

They are not cichlids. A texas cichlids is very different fish. On another note I think that they may be on to something. These fish eat dead skin and there may be a chance they could pass skin diseases from people to people. I am not a doctor. But I did at one time looked into opening up a fish treatment spa. Using the Garra rufa fish. Its very popular in the East and is catching on here now. But didn't do it because of some health and hygiene risks involved.

Mr.Firemouth · Oct 15, 2008

GMaquarium said:
They are not cichlids. A texas cichlids is very different fish. On another note I think that they may be on to something. These fish eat dead skin and there may be a chance they could pass skin diseases from people to people. I am not a doctor. But I did at one time looked into opening up a fish treatment spa. Using the Garra rufa fish. Its very popular in the East and is catching on here now. But didn't do it because of some health and hygiene risks involved.

Sorry bro, they are cichlids as many of these spas are using Tilapia Marie fry rather than Garra rufa. Texas is the 5th state to outlaw these spas for sanitary reasons. Also, these fish go from container to container. This can not be healthy for these fish. The stress, sterile(no Bacteria in treatment containers), and then going back to overcrowded storage containers is terrible for these fish.

It is a good thing they are becoming illegal to operate. Also, many of the spas have no one on site trained in aquarium care/husbandry.

GMaquarium · Oct 15, 2008

I have not seen or read about Tilapia being used for this, just the garra rufa. But you are right about the problems this causes. Thats why I didn't want to get into it.

Mr.Firemouth · Oct 16, 2008

The Garra rufa are what is is used overseas. It is the intended fish for the procedure.
Here in the USA the Garra rufa cost more and are much harder to import so Talapia Marie are substituted.

GMaquarium · Oct 16, 2008

I have imported garra ruffa in the past. They do come in large numbers. Did not know tilapia will do the same

joefish · Oct 16, 2008

couldnt a large UV be used kill off bacteria and pathogens? I know of a couple places in florida that use UV to treat large guest swimming pools stocked with fish. The Sundy House in south florida is one.

ofblong · Oct 16, 2008

joefish said:
couldnt a large UV be used kill off bacteria and pathogens? I know of a couple places in florida that use UV to treat large guest swimming pools stocked with fish. The Sundy House in south florida is one.

yes you could. however uv only kills 99.9% of bacteria so you know thats just not pure enough.