What is formalin and where to get it?

[acroporas]

I see all over the place "formalin" being used as a treatment. But I've never seen an aquarium product labled formalin. Is there a commercial formailn product that is appropriate for treating clowns/marine fish or are you using something else.

Also, is this the same thing as the formaldehyde used to preserve specimens?

Any good links to more information as formalin as a treatment?

[rbdesigns]

You can buy formalin here:
Aquarium Fish Medications: Formalin

I personally have no experience with formalin.

[acroporas]

Thanks for the link rbdesigns.

[mp9]

formalin is composed of 37% formaldehyde gas in a water/methanol solution

when i've needed it i got it from my local pharmacy .

i use 1ml.(20 drops)/gallon of salt water

it's rec. to aerate the mixture for 24 hours before the bath to allow most of the methanol to go out of solution .

fish should stay in the bath for a max. of 30 minutes or shorter if it begins to stress and hyperventilate .

it can also be added in a lower dose in conjunction with copper citrate to the treatment tank .

one thing of note would be to check if a white sediment paraformaldehyde which is toxic to fish has developed in the bottle of formalin . if it has discard in a responsible manner , formaldehyde is a carcinogen .

[vaporize]

Originally Posted by mp9

one thing of note would be to check if a white sediment paraformaldehyde which is toxic to fish has developed in the bottle of formalin . if it has discard in a responsible manner , formaldehyde is a carcinogen .

I just got a bottle with white sediment at the bottom, the chemical place told me to just filter it out and the liquid formalin is still good. What's your take on this?

[Corrie]

Quote:
Originally Posted by vaporize
I just got a bottle with white sediment at the bottom, the chemical place told me to just filter it out and the liquid formalin is still good. What's your take on this?

Originally Posted by mp9

one thing of note would be to check if a white sediment paraformaldehyde which is toxic to fish has developed in the bottle of formalin . if it has discard in a responsible manner , formaldehyde is a carcinogen .

Either it is old, was stored in a un-heated warehouse and got too cold, was shipped air and got too cold, or all of the above.

Throw it out or return it.

[vaporize]

these stupid thing 500mL cost me $50

[Corrie]

Originally Posted by rbdesigns

You can buy formalin here:
Aquarium Fish Medications: Formalin .

16oz $11

[vaporize]

my gosh, aquarium stuff so much cheaper than those chemical places.... learnt my lesson

[Spud]

You can also buy formalin in Quick Cure and the Drs. Foster and Smith website sells it in big bottles. Both ways are really cheap