Comments on: the doctor fish

the doctor fish

nickyskye — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 10:21:58 -0800

Garra Rufa treatment, video, before and after pics. Fish that will eat you alive and make you healthy, "when you get over the ick factor, the nibbling can have a calming affect".

Previously At This Tokyo Spa, the Fish Food Is You A little about the Garra rufa and a close up photograph.

By: nickyskye

nickyskye — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 10:24:22 -0800

Bonus link: killifish, the hermaphrodite fish that spends several months of the year living in trees.

By: OmieWise

OmieWise — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 10:31:02 -0800

Weird, and kinda cool. There's also a whole thing with using maggots for wound debridement that I find fascinating.

By: nickyskye

nickyskye — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 10:41:38 -0800

Yeah, OmieWise, there's some wonderfully gory YouTube linakge on that topic, although after the zit post, I don't know if MeFites' tummies at Monday lunch hour are ready for that quite yet.

By: nickyskye

nickyskye — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 10:49:50 -0800

*linkage

By: Reggie Digest

Reggie Digest — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 10:56:01 -0800

There's a similar weight loss treatment involving piranhas.

By: Mr_Zero

Mr_Zero — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 11:00:00 -0800

Weird, and kinda cool. There's also a whole thing with using maggots for wound debridement that I find fascinating. I wounder if the maggots could out pace Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. That would be super cool.

By: cowbellemoo

cowbellemoo — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 11:00:38 -0800

Lets hope the fish don't have to get over the ich factor, too! Ha ha!

By: acetonic

acetonic — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 11:05:51 -0800

For me the "ick factor" was that guy in the speedo who seems to have my mom's perm from the 80's. Very Borat.

By: exlotuseater

exlotuseater — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 11:10:42 -0800

THOSE FISH ARE CRAZY!

By: exlotuseater

exlotuseater — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 11:11:03 -0800

o shi. Sorry, capslock was still on.

By: 517

517 — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 11:18:01 -0800

THOSE FISH ARE CRAZY! Your looking for the apartment 8 doors down.

By: fandango_matt

fandango_matt — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 11:19:42 -0800

Next up: the soothing effects of leeches!

By: wsg

wsg — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 11:21:23 -0800

Fish do this in the Gulf of Mexico, too. I have a friend who has psoriasis and moved here from Missouri because the best treatment he's found is regular swims in the Gulf. I wonder if the fish nibbling could be a factor, also. I have sent him this thread and I'm gonna tell him to let the fish nibble all they want.

By: maryh

maryh — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 11:28:33 -0800

I think I love the killifish. Dr Scott Taylor of the Brevard County Environmentally Endangered Lands Programme in Florida admitted the creatures were a little odd. "They really don't meet standard behavioural criteria for fish," he told New Scientist magazine. No, sir. No, they do not.

By: BitterOldPunk

BitterOldPunk — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 11:33:58 -0800

Leeches are cool. Fish nibble you in freshwater lakes, too. Bream tickles! nom nom nom

By: Smedleyman

Smedleyman — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 12:10:31 -0800

If I was Troy McClure I'd be so turned on right now.

By: elpapacito

elpapacito — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 12:20:13 -0800

Everybody loves a PROFIT plan ! 1. kill all the lil fishes, xcept some 2. breed the remaining in your private spa 3. patent their DNA 4. trademark their scientific name 5. sell their services at lucrative prices 6. blame commies/terrorist/environmentalist/boyscouts for killing all the fishes 7. claim that similar fishes bite private parts ! 7. ? 8. PROFIT !

By: Cranberry

Cranberry — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 12:30:24 -0800

What do the fish eat when there is nobody there for nibbling?

By: digaman

digaman — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 12:35:57 -0800

EFFECT, for God's sake.

By: spiderskull

spiderskull — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 12:57:40 -0800

Lets hope the fish don't have to get over the ich factor, too! Zing! Fascinating article.

By: hojoki

hojoki — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 13:07:02 -0800

They're so cute. They could nibble me if they wanted.

By: amro

amro — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 13:42:43 -0800

I can't get over the ick factor, so I'm avoiding your primary links, but the killifish link is neat. I've been looking online for a photo of one that is actually in a tree, but can't find any (the fish in the article looks to be underwater).

By: illiad

illiad — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 15:53:13 -0800

Unbelievably nifty. The idea of little fish working on inflamed, diseased tissue to cleanse them and make them healthy again is just awesome. I'm weird that way. I also liked the zit popping site.

By: troubles

troubles — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 17:09:37 -0800

I've had my feet nibbled in a few lakes and streams by tiny fish. If the sensation is the same as with these fish, there is really no ick factor. I often don't feel anything, just the slightest touch or tickle. Anyways, its enjoyable... Its rare to be able to interact with a wild creature in some kind of mutually beneficial way.

By: tkchrist

tkchrist — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 17:58:38 -0800

Its rare to be able to interact with a wild creature in some kind of mutually beneficial way... There is a dirty joke in there about gravy and badgers... but I am too sophisticated a person to make it.

By: nickyskye

nickyskye — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 19:39:17 -0800

Yes, digaman, I should have put a [sic] after "the calming affect". Quoted it as written, should read, "when you get over the ick factor, the nibbling can have a calming effect".

By: Goofyy

Goofyy — Tue, 23 Oct 2007 03:52:03 -0800

Nice fish. In a small secluded lake where I used to swim, in Wisconsin (way up at the top), I used to stand still awhile as I was getting in, and swat horse flies as they tried to bight. The flies were seldom dead, but landed in the water. The fish would come eat the flies. They learned to expect them. Also, floating very quietly, the fish used to come and try to eat the hair on my legs. It tickled. It was extremely relaxing to stay so still, floating partly on an air mattress. Not for the prudes: Once I was having some afternoon delight, somewhere in a woods in Louisiana. We were standing in a stream and shot into the water. Little fish chased after the ribbons of white, and ate them. (I was all of 16 at the time).

By: rmmcclay

rmmcclay — Tue, 23 Oct 2007 06:53:59 -0800

I like those little guys.