the doctor fish

October 22, 2007 10:21 AM

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.

posted by nickyskye (27 comments total)

Bonus link: killifish, the hermaphrodite fish that spends several months of the year living in trees.
posted by nickyskye at 10:24 AM on October 22, 2007

Weird, and kinda cool. There's also a whole thing with using maggots for wound debridement that I find fascinating.
posted by OmieWise at 10:31 AM on October 22, 2007

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.
posted by nickyskye at 10:41 AM on October 22, 2007

*linkage
posted by nickyskye at 10:49 AM on October 22, 2007

There's a similar weight loss treatment involving piranhas.
posted by Reggie Digest at 10:56 AM on October 22, 2007 [2 favorites]

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.
posted by Mr_Zero at 11:00 AM on October 22, 2007

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

Ha ha!
posted by cowbellemoo at 11:00 AM on October 22, 2007

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.
posted by acetonic at 11:05 AM on October 22, 2007

THOSE FISH ARE CRAZY!
posted by exlotuseater at 11:10 AM on October 22, 2007

o shi. Sorry, capslock was still on.
posted by exlotuseater at 11:11 AM on October 22, 2007

THOSE FISH ARE CRAZY!

Your looking for the apartment 8 doors down.
posted by 517 at 11:18 AM on October 22, 2007

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.
posted by wsg at 11:21 AM on October 22, 2007 [1 favorite]

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.
posted by maryh at 11:28 AM on October 22, 2007

Leeches are cool.

Fish nibble you in freshwater lakes, too. Bream tickles! nom nom nom
posted by BitterOldPunk at 11:33 AM on October 22, 2007

If I was Troy McClure I’d be so turned on right now.
posted by Smedleyman at 12:10 PM on October 22, 2007 [2 favorites]

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 !
posted by elpapacito at 12:20 PM on October 22, 2007

What do the fish eat when there is nobody there for nibbling?
posted by Cranberry at 12:30 PM on October 22, 2007

EFFECT, for God's sake.
posted by digaman at 12:35 PM on October 22, 2007

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

Zing! Fascinating article.
posted by spiderskull at 12:57 PM on October 22, 2007

They're so cute. They could nibble me if they wanted.
posted by hojoki at 1:07 PM on October 22, 2007

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).
posted by amro at 1:42 PM on October 22, 2007

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.
posted by illiad at 3:53 PM on October 22, 2007

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.
posted by troubles at 5:09 PM on October 22, 2007

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.
posted by tkchrist at 5:58 PM on October 22, 2007

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".
posted by nickyskye at 7:39 PM on October 22, 2007

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).
posted by Goofyy at 3:52 AM on October 23, 2007

I like those little guys.
posted by rmmcclay at 6:53 AM on October 23, 2007