Slime Coat - what's the deal?

[Chazbot]

Ok, this might be a stupid question but I honestly don't know for sure so - ask the experts! Or at least ask you guys - ha ha ha! :hmm3grin2orange:

Tell me about the slime coat on fishies. I have a sorrority tank - see my sig - and my Betta girls are SO SWEET! They love for me to put my hand in the tank, and when I do - just letting my fingers dangle in the water - they are all over me. If I make a "cage" with my fingers, they'll bump and shove each other taking turns to rest inside - sometimes even resting full on my fingers. They will move slooooooowly past my finger(s) and literally rub their sides against it - not flashing, it's like a kitty rubbing against your leg, you know? A couple of them even position themselves right at my fingertip practically begging to be stroked. Same with my hubby. His favorite chair is right beside their tank and when he comes in from work they all gather and that end of the tank and flit and furl to get his attention just waiting for his hand to come in for some love. The Mollies and Platys in my 29g do just about the same thing. First they'll nibble looking for yummies, but then it's weaving in and out of my fingers, rubbing against me, resting against my hand, whatever. The Gouramis and Angel in my qt tank give me little nibbles, but aren't quite so affectionate yet. The guys in my 45 are very sweet through the glass but we're treating that tank with meds right now so - no hands in the water.

Anyway, I know this guy who insists that this is just HORRIBLE. I'm killing my fish because every time I touch them I'm damaging their slime coat. ??????????????? Ok, here's my thing - if the fish are coming to ME and touching me, then don't they know if it's good or bad for them? One would think that if it does bother them they wouldn't do it, right? I treat with Stress Coat (which, btw, this guy ALSO says is bad for fish) with every w/c and my hands are always clean and well rinsed when they go in the water - I even wash between tanks.

So what's the deal? Am I really harming them or is this guy the nutjob I think he is?

The polls are open! What do you folks think?

[Algenco]

It provide a protective barrier that protects against fungus and disease.
Functions a lot like human skin

[Wild Turkey]

^^^^^


Its okay to interact with your fish in that way for very short periods with a good amount of time inbetween, the fish doesnt understand its hurting its slime coat by rubbing on you.

[Northernguy]

It does rub off on your fingers but they produce it steady.It is not recommended but they are your fish!
I used to pet an oscar I had as well.It did get sick a few times but that was more likely from feeders.
I enjoyed it too! lol

[Algenco]

Many years ago in Indiana there was a TV show about aquariums.
The host was talking about the mouth structure of Plecostamus.
To better show the audience he reached into the tank and caught a 12"+ common pleco and stuck it on the glass so the camera could show the mouth structure.
About 6 weeks later the pleco died, the guy decided to dry it and keep it on his desk, when the fish had dried the mans fingerprints were plainly visible on its head

[Danh_vu]

Please forgive me but this guy sounds like an idiot.
He must have felt like an *** when he saw his prints.

[Northernguy]

That must have been a hell of a grab!
He also could have gripped it too tightly.
He would have been charged these days!
Danh vu its dried out and on his desk,I think you may be right!

[Chazbot]

Ok, well I'm not grabbing my fish or anything like that - that sounds awful! - just VERY gentle touches and most of the time they touch me not the other way around, it's not a constant thing or anything but it is fairly often.

I thought I was applying the common sense rule - tell me if you disagree! - it occurs to me that it's no different than when they rub against one another and not as bad as scratching the occasional itch against a tank ornament. I didn't realize that they didn't KNOW it could harm them, but can't they feel it if something's off with their "skin?" I would think if it irritated them, they wouldn't do it, right?

[Chazbot]

Please forgive me but this guy sounds like an idiot.
He must have felt like an *** when he saw his prints.


REALLY! That's terrible!!

Truly, I do NOTHING like that. I just dangle my hand in and they come to me. When I "cage" my fingers its wide open and wouldn't touch them at all if they didn't deliberately bump me.

Why on EARTH would you want a dried dead fish on your desk? I'm sorry but that just sounds gross to me.

[bigbad-ratman]

i know that many serious anglers have a slime coat additive to their live wells. granted wild fish tend to be more resiliant, but if they use that to help fish recover from being hooked in the mouth, reeled in, taken out of the water and admired, then i guess the OCCASIONAL rub from you cant be too bad.

[Algenco]

Please forgive me but this guy sounds like an idiot.
He must have felt like an *** when he saw his prints.


actually the man was very knowledgeable and it appeared as though he lightly gripped the fish.
Learned a lot from the old guythumbs2:

He showed the pleco to warn people of the damage done by holding/touching fish.
I don't think his actions had anything to do with the death

[Chazbot]

By the way folks, this guy also says that Stress Coat is BAD for fish.

Why? Because it contains aloe - which is an irritant that causes them to produce the slime coat.

DUH!! Isn't that what we WANT????

I've never heard of aloe being an irritant before though.

[Algenco]

By the way folks, this guy also says that Stress Coat is BAD for fish.

Why? Because it contains aloe - which is an irritant that causes them to produce the slime coat.

DUH!! Isn't that what we WANT????

I've never heard of aloe being an irritant before though.

it depends on how its done, fish really don't need any stimulation of slime production except possibly after transport, excessive handling, etc.
Good water quality is enough

[Chazbot]

it depends on how its done, fish really don't need any stimulation of slime production except possibly after transport, excessive handling, etc.
Good water quality is enough


Really? I didn't know that! I've added some whenever I do a w/c - of course I also use it as a dechlorinator.

[Wild Turkey]

Really? I didn't know that! I've added some whenever I do a w/c - of course I also use it as a dechlorinator.

Nothing wrong with that imo. There is a different dosage for treating wounds and people report it works, but I have never used it in those doses.

I use stress coat, and it seems eliminate some problems that are related though. For example I never have any issues with wounds after curing ich, even on fish that ive taken from people that were already heavily infected. It may be a coincidence but it makes me think that the people that claim its harmful in normal doses havent used it much. Just my .02

Al, the guy sounded a lot worse before that last post lol

[Chazbot]

Nothing wrong with that imo. There is a different dosage for treating wounds and people report it works, but I have never used it in those doses.

I use stress coat, and it seems eliminate some problems that are related though. For example I never have any issues with wounds after curing ich, even on fish that ive taken from people that were already heavily infected. It may be a coincidence but it makes me think that the people that claim its harmful in normal doses havent used it much. Just my .02

Al, the guy sounded a lot worse before that last post lol


I used Stress Coat to help one of my Betta girls after I first got her. I tried keeping one male and two females together - did NOT work out well. One of the girls ended up with some badly nipped fins. After moving the male to his own tank I treated the girls with Stress Coat to repair the fins - worked like a dream and FAST too! I've also been through an ich treatment and had no problems with wounds or irritations after the treatment and I was using Stress Coat throughout.

Wild Turkey, I believe you're the one that told me to stick with the Stress Coat - you were right!!