Product to reduce stress, panic, and aggression?

[Rachel]

Biospheres Stress Therapy from Mardel claims to reduce stress, panic, and aggression as well as repair a fish's slime coat.


From Petsmart.com:
"Revolutionary new microsphere treatment reduces stress and aggressive behavior and restores damaged skin and slime coating. Safe for use in fresh and salt water."
Click here for the full product description

What do you think of the product?

[amanichen]

Oof...they're going to have a very hard time convincing me of this.

Reduces stress...there are such chemicals that tranquilize fish. A mild dose could calm one down, but if the cause of the stress is a temperature shock, pH shock, high ammonia, etc. then it won't get rid of the source. It'll just prevent the fish from freaking out and reduce some of the physical exertion, but again, it doesn't repair tissue damage, reverse chemical poisoning, or replace electrolytes.

Repairs slime coat...maybe, maybe not. Lots of companies put polymers into their water conditioners saying it bonds with a fish's slime coat...maybe it does, maybe it doesn't. It's very difficult to measure something like that.

Reduces aggressive behavior...well, if you tranquilize a fish then ALL of its behavior will be subdued, not just the aggressive part.

Final thoughts...this would be best used on new specimens and during transport. Regular additions to a tank are probably not a good idea unless you want to keep your fish drugged all the time. Using it won't make fish suddenly compatible with each other but it would help when introducing new specimens.

Obligatory disclaimer: no, I haven't used this stuff. This post is only based on what is plausible, given current knowledge of chemistry and fish anatomy.