Aquaricles

Doctor fish, Spa fish, Garra – What

 

REALLY is the correct fish?

The recent boom for alternative health and beauty treatments in Malaysia has sparked a new interest in this so called “Doctor fish”. Native to Turkey, this fish is purportedly to help alleviate Psoriasis and other skin ailments. This interest has given rise to the use of this fish in so called “Fish spas”, manicure & pedicure centres, and health

& beauty salons.

 

* picture of a man with back affected by Psoriasis*

 

In Turkey, “Doctor fish” which live in thermal hot springs, are encouraged to feed off the psoriatic skin of people with psoriasis. The fish only consume the affected areas of the skin. The outdoor location at the spas and high selenium levels of the thermal hotspring water may also have a beneficial effect in treating this condition. This treatment can provide temporary relief of symptoms.

 

Best known is the spa “Kangal Thermal Springs”, near the Turkish village of Kavak. This alternative treatment has been used in this region for hundreds of years. According to the testimony of numerous psoriasis patients, the fish spa treatment leads to a significant relief in symptoms. Treatment in this hot spring has been examined recently in two small clinical trials, with positive results.1,2

 

So, which is the “Doctor fish”?

 

Garra rufa has been known for over four hundred years as “Doctor fish”. In its natural habitat this fish feeds on small organisms that live within these thermal springs. However, in these hot springs, few organisms thrive and food for this fish is scarce. They have thus evolved to be curious creatures that would nibble on anything foreign introduced into the water in the hope of food. While nibbling, the fish exude a unique enzyme called dithranol (anthralin) which prevents fast development of cells from the skin, thereby alleviating Psoriasis.

 

Garra rufa is legally protected from commercial exploitation in Turkey due to concerns of over harvesting for export. As such this fish is not often seen in the aquarium trade.

 

 

 

 

Scientific name: Garra rufa (Heckel, 1843)
Family: Cyprinidae (Carps)
Size: Up to 15cm/5", according to museum records, but usually around 10cm/4".
Origin: A non-migratory freshwater fish found in rivers through much of Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Turkey and Syria. There are also unconfirmed reports of the species in Oman and Saudi Arabia, but these aren't considered compatible with the distributional range of the species.
Habitat: According to Krupp and Schneider, most Garra rufa are found in small muddy streams, rivers and lakes. However, the fish is also found in hot pools and locals bathe there in an attempt to get the fish to remove scales from their skin caused by a range of dermatological conditions.
Water: Temperatures in the natural habitat are said to range from 15-28C. In hot pools, the fish is said to live at a temperature around the 37C mark.

 

 

The other look-alikes

 

Below are some similar looking fish to the Garra rufa, some of which have purportedly been used as substitutes in Malaysia at “Fish Spa” treatments.

 

 

Garra annandalei (Hora, 1921), Origin: India, eastern Nepal and Bangladesh

 

 

 

 

Garra cambodgiensis, (Tirant, 1883) Origin: Mekong and Chao Phraya basins. Malay Peninsula

 

Garra ceylonensis (Bleeker, 1863)   Origin: Endemic to Sri Lanka.

 

 

Garra congoensis (Poll, 1959) Origin: Lower Congo River, Africa

 

Garra flavatra (Kullander & Fang, 2004) Origin: Myanmar

 

 

Garra fuliginosa (Fowler, 1934) Origin: Chao Phrya and Mekong, Thailand

Garra gotyla (Gray, 1830) Origin: Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and upper Myanmar

 

 

Garra mullya (Sykes, 1839) Origin: throughout India except Assam and the Himalaya

 

Garra imberba (Garman, 1912) Origin: China

 

 

Gyrinocheilus aymonieri ((Tirant, 1883) Origin: Mekong, Chao Phraya and Meklong basins; northern Malay Peninsula

 

Garra bicornuta (Narayan Rao, 1920 )

Origin: Thunga river system in Karnataka and Kolhapur in Maharashtra. India

*This Garra is the most often used look-alike doctor fish in fish spa's in Malaysia*

 

The unscrupulous.

Recently, the healing properties of Garra rufa has been abused by unscrupulous businesses looking to deceive the public and cash-in on the hype. A quick search on the internet will show up a number of online hits claiming to be suppliers of “Garra rufa” especially from China. However, upon close observation, these fish end up being nothing like the real Garra rufa itself!

Most of what is on offer, seems to be juvenile Oreochromis niloticus (or hybrids of). Oreochromis niloticus is commonly known as common Tilapia in Malaysia! As hungry juvenile tilapia, this fish would swim in large numbers and would be bold enough to nibble on the arms and feet of people. However, no healing properties have ever been recorded from this species of fish nibbling on skin.

Tilapia originates from Africa. This fish had been introduced into our country as food fish around 1943-1945 by the Japanese. They are now very common in our drainages and rivers and has caused much ecological damage to our native fish.
http://www.fao.org/docrep/007/y5728e/y5728e04.htm

In all the marketing hype of the moment, New Straits Times (Malaysia) published a feature on the 20/10/2007 showing the picture below.

http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Saturday/National/20071020075142/Article

 

Again, the story carries the healing properties of the Turkish fish, but the fish shown in the picture is clearly the incorrect one.

 

Here is another close up picture of what these purported “Spa fish” from China look like.

http://hnwqy.58.com.cn/photoView-3-76980

 

Here's more pictures taken by Malaysian Blogger Ivy Wong on her blog site of these Tilapia fish and what they did to her husband's leg.

(Pictures from : http://preciouspea.blogspot.com/2008/04/testing-testing.html)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And finally, this is Oreochronis niloticus at full adult size. Big enough to EAT!

 

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Deep-Fried Sweet and Sour Fish

  Recipe by Amy Beh

 

Ingredients

·  1 1/2kg whole tilapia, cleaned

·  1 egg, beaten

·  1/2 tsp salt

·  1/4 tsp pepper

·  1/2 cup tapioca flour or corn flour

·  2-3 tbsp oil

·  1 tsp chopped garlic

·  1 onion, diced

·  1/2 red capsicum, cut into wedges

·  1/2 green capsicum, cut into wedges

·  1 tomato, diced

Sauce (combine):

·  1 tbsp sugar or to taste

·  3 tbsp water

·  2 tbsp lemon juice

·  1 tsp white vinegar

·  4 tbsp tomato sauce

·  2 tbsp plum sauce

·  1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

·  1/4 cup water

·  1/2 tsp corn flour, mixed with 1 tbsp water for thickening

Garnishing:

·  Spring onion curls

·  Coriander leaves

Method
Clean fish. Make two or three diagonal slashes across both sides of the fish. Season with salt and pepper. Leave aside for 10 minutes.

Rub fish with beaten egg and coat with tapioca flour. Deep-fry in hot oil till cooked and crispy. Remove and place on a serving plate.

Heat up oil, saute garlic and onions until fragrant. Add red and green capsicums and tomato. Stir-fry briskly. Pour in sauce ingredients and bring to a boil. Add thickening, then pour over fish. Garnish and serve immediately.

 

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