This is an excerpt from an email correspondence that I had a few months ago with a well known coral vendor on this site when I was asked the same question. Please understand I am coming at this subject from a very different perspective than most. It has also been my experience in dealing with the public in regards to pesticide use ("I bought this at the garden center and ...") that very few read the ENTIRE label, just the directions.
First and foremost, when it comes to pesticide use, the first thing that is drilled into my new employees heads is that "The label is the law". Every pesticide label includes the statement "It is a violation of Federal law to use this product in a manner inconsistent with its labeling". I can assure you that the EPA, State and local regulatory agencies takes this VERY SERIOUSLY!!! Can't stress this enough. Product use inconsistent with its labeling, puts my company at risk of fines and potential loss of business and pesticide license. From reading the boards about this subject, I have even read comments on threads from people who claim to be in the pest control business advocating using Bayer for frag dips which blows my mind if they are truly in the pest control industry. From a business liability standpoint, if something were to happen to someone from using this product and it came back to the business/person that recommended its use in "...violation of Federal law..." ...(redacted)... I know this may sound anal, but it is Federal law, and I have 20 employees handling and applying chemicals in the public arena. As a business owner in my line of work I always ask myself "How could this put me at risk for a lawsuit today?".
The active ingredient imidacloprid is highly toxic to invertebrates, and the active ingredient cyfluthrin is highly toxic to fish. The label for this product states "This product is highly toxic to aquatic invertebrates and fish"
Please don't take this response in the wrong way. It is not my intention to sound harsh, but this is a subject that has been of concern to me. I'm just passing along my thoughts on the subject from the perspective of a 27 year veteran in the pest control industry and a owner of a pest control company for the last 20 years in the state of Florida where pest control is a annual multi-billion dollar industry. Needless to say we are HIGHLY regulated here.
As far as proper safe handling, I must defer you to the label ;)
So, that being said, I would hope that if someone were to choose to use this product, even though there are products available for the specific use of dipping corals, that they would read the entire label and follow all safety precautions.
