Australia's Science Forum

Clove oil? Really?
Whats the properties of the clove oil?
Does it just do a similar thing to the Stress Coat? or is it an anasthetic/antiseptic/ sedative?
I need to know!

It's a mild & natural anasthetic. Settles fish to the point where they can be shipped live worldwide with few if any losses. They are less active than normal but still swimming around - just not freaking out. Only a drop or two is needed.

"Essential oil of clove has anesthetic and antimicrobial qualities, and is sometimes used to ameliorate the pain of a bad tooth. It, or its main component eugenol, is used by dentists to anesthetize the gum before injecting Novocaine or similar anesthetics, and is the characteristic odor of a dentist's office."

Dr Bach's Rescue Remedy will do the same thing but is flower based and you need more of it to work - we use it to settle our madder labradors. My vet recommended it and the NSW guide Dog assoc. use it. It's meant for humans and I've been trying to get it put into the bubblers here at school but kids don't drink water these days!

We use a drop of clove oil in a moccona jar to anaethetise fish, usually mosquito fish. Then we wrap their little heads and gills in moist cotton wool, and put them on a petri dish under a dissecting microscope. You can see the red blood cells racing around their tails. When the blood flow begins to slow, we immediately put them in a jar of clean water. They sink to the bottom, and the girls all shriek "Oh Miss you killed them!" etc. However the fishies all recover and are fine. It can be funny on the road to recovery, as they sometimes swim a little sideways, looking like the morning after the night before! It's a really good prac to see real circulation happening.

Ah!
Slarty & Smiley
Thats amazing. Thats one of my new pieces of new knowledge for the day.
We dont do that fish capillary prac here, thats why I havent heard of it, I suppose.

Thanks for that..

Great folks, never stop learning, thats the way to go. Do'nt dump the Oil of Clover, what works on teachers???????????

Depends! What effect would you be trying to achieve? If you spot a bit of eucalyptus oil, or peppermint oil around, especially during an exam, it helps the darlings focus (the little cherubs that is).

Well it looks like my little fishies didn't die for nothing! They have contributed to knowledge..

ALSO - the locksmiths are in today - they are putting locks on all the doors into my prep rooms - it's only taken 7 years and 8 dead fish!

Have you ever wished you had never got out of bed?
Well, I am wishing that I had stayed there since Tuesday - the week has gone downhill from ther.. I feel like that rock rolling down the hill and accelerating all the time... I reckon Teachers should be drowned at birth!

Anyone got some good ideas of flavouring to put into the Ethanol???
Rock on Friday!

Hang in there Mushroom.

You could always add a drip of Phenolphthalein to the teacher's milk. Then the effect they are having on you could be reciprocated. Mind you, the ethics committee might not think it was justified!

Hi Mushroom,
Raspberry cordial the flavour of the month. Years ago (80's) the non-indigenous longgrassers round here used it to disguise the purple colour of store bought metho. Personally a strong cuppa is a good fix. Hang in there it's almost Saturday.
Lyn.

Hey Lyn,

Do Southerners even know what long-grassers are?

Cheers, K

Dont give up hope Mushroom

My suggestion for the ethanol flavour is cherry cordial.
But then a coconut and pineapple ....Pina colada ..hmm.. which?
At least now you have locks.

Hi All
The lab was to see what happened when the gold fish were subjected to cooling the water they were in (with ice cubes) and then warming it (small amount hot water). HT said they would be stessed (!) and may not survive but I think the students were more careful and all survived. 5 of the 6 went to homes yesterday. 1 is still swimming nicely. 3 more will be tested tomorrow and hopefully go to homes or into the small aquarium I have set up for the weekend.
Sue G

Hey Smiley,
Probably not. It was a bit of an eyeopener though when I first arrived up here. Fascinating social and cultural structures just beyond the fenceline. Big learning curve into a part of Darwin lifestyle.
Lyn.

Good to hear that all have survived so far Susan. Sudden temp changed do stress marine life, but goldfish like yabbies are quite tollerant of a wide range of temps. I do slow water changes (over 2 hours) to avoid stressing. Slow tap hose in and small syphon hose out.

It's funny, the hot water outlets from the big coal fired power stations into the lakes here on the Central Coast are a big no go for swimming because blue ringed octopus absolutely love it and thrive in the conditions!

Have you ever gone swimming in Myuna Bay in Lake Macquarie in summer?
Myuna Bay is reasonably shallow for a fair way out and used to be a lovely sandy area safe for kids to swim.
The outlet from thepower station a few kms away makes the water warm in winter - but in summer, I have been there when the water is so hot swimming is uncomfortable - not quite sauna temperature but hot enough to be totally unrefreshing

The Blue Ringers find it very refreshing! Great spot on the lake at Myuna Bay, we used to hold our Italian Bike show there anually but I didn't swim. Sailed it many times though!

Speaking of sailing we won the Gosford Sailing Club twillight race Wednesday OUTRIGHT and in our class on handicap by miles (12 minutes which is miles in sailing terms). I had to tell someone, they aren't interested here as they have no social lives. Got a bottle of plonk out of it and a hat.

Racing again tonight but we can use spinnakers this time. Wish us luck!

P.S. There is a lot of science in sailing if your wondering - like the amount of beer/white wine you can consume compared to your bodyweight per nautical mile sailed for instance, oh and a lot physics stuff.

I hope the winds are fair for your sailing adventure and the water gods are kind. Good luck hope you can bring home the wine again.
Narelle

Congrats on the sailing achievements Richard. Good luck with the next races.

Yes well done Richard, and hope all goes well tonight. Good luck.

May the wind be at your back and the wine especially good!
Lou.