Methods for Using Vidalife

Transport

When transporting fish Vidalife should be added directly to the transport water to enhance water quality and help protect the fish's vital mucous layer. Vidalife binds to heavy metals and harmful chemicals to reduce their toxicity thereby enhancing water quality. When transporting fish, add  1ml of Vidalife per 15 liters of transport water, mix thoroughly and maintain adequate aeration. When moving fish from one tank to another, Vidalife may be placed in both the source and destination tanks at a concentration of 1ml Vidalife per 15 liters of tank water. Vidalife can be used for the entire duration of the transport with no deleterious effects.

Handling

When handling fish, all materials that come in contact with fish should be wetted with Vidalife. Nets used should be knotless and dipped into a concentrated Vidalife solution before being used to catch or crowd fish. A concentrated solution may be prepared by dissolving at least 1 part Vidalife per 1000 parts of water. This concentration can be made in a handling tote by using 10 ml of Vidalife in 10 liters of water. After disinfecting, nets or containers that will be used to capture or hold fish should be dipped or rinsed in the Vidalife solution before use. Vidalife helps reduce  potential damage caused by handling devices and thereby helpsto reduce typical handling injury and stress.

Handling surfaces

Vidalife is very useful when fish must be handled out of water for vaccination, spawning, surgery, tagging, observation or any other procedure. If fish are to be placed on any surface for handling the surface should be wet and sprayed liberally with undiluted Vidalife. For this purpose Vidalife may be transferred to a spray bottle or a spray head may be directly attached to a bottle of Vidalife. Liberally spray Vidalife on any surface the fish will contact. Repeat application as often as necessary to maintain the slick feeling to the table and handling equipment.

Fish with obvious abrasions, lesions or other disruptions of the skin will not gain extraordinary benefit from using Vidalife. Vidalife is not a surface disinfectant and will not cure skin ailments.

Anesthetic totes

Use Vidalife directly in anesthetic totes to help protect the fish during handling intensive events such as vaccination or grading. Mix Vidalife at 1ml per 15L of water. This small amount will help remove any toxic metals is the anesthetic solution that may form as a result of using the anesthetic with the tote or other equipment. Vidalife is typically innocuous but when using it for the first time with an anesthetic  try it on a small group of fish to ensure there are no deleterious effects between Vidalife and the anesthetic and your conditions or fish.

General Principle

Vidalife works by forming a protective layer between surfaces and on the fish. This protective layer reduces the impact of stressful events on the fish and helps protect the fish mucus layer, a vital first line of defense for the fish. When using Vidalife try to use it at the start of any handling event and ensure Vidalife is present on all surfaces until the fish is back it its tank. Contact time can vary with the length of a handling event. In recovery tanks, one application will help ensure final protection of the mucous layer. Simply ensure that proper concentration is achieved and that there is a minimum of 15 minutes contact time.