Korda Propolis Carp Care All In One

Contents & Coverage

There's one bottle in the box, a 30ml bottle of Propolis, and it's a liquid treatment for the whole fish.

Its anti-bacterial and antifungal agents work on cuts, sores, abrasions and hook holds wherever they are, so the same liquid goes on a split lip as on a lifted scale or a damaged fin, and you don't need separate mouth and body treatments.

The key feature is how it stays put. The concentrate is made to adhere to the fish and form a waterproof seal over the wound, and it can remain on the fish for up to five days, which is exactly what you want from a treatment that's going straight back into the water.

Why only 8.0 for coverage, then? It's a single treatment, so there's no separate antiseptic cleaner like the Ulcer Swab in the Korda Carp Care Kit, and no swabs or extras like a full kit. For one small bottle, though, I think it covers a lot of ground.

Ease of Use

One liquid for the whole fish makes life simple. There's no deciding between a mouth treatment and a body treatment, so once the fish is unhooked on a wet mat, you apply Propolis to the hook hold or damaged area and slip the fish back without delay.

The easy-twist cap is a sensible touch, as it helps prevent spills when you're juggling a fish, a wet mat and an unhooking tool.

It takes a moment longer to open than a flip lid, though, so it's worth loosening it before the fish comes out of the net, and keeping the fish wet while you treat it.

For me, a single bottle that treats mouth and body alike is about as straightforward as fish care gets. I think it's a smart choice for anyone who finds a two-step clean-and-seal routine fiddly, and it's hard to get wrong even on your first fish.

Portability

A single 30ml bottle is about as portable as fish care can be. It'll sit in a rucksack pocket, a bait bag or a rig box, and the twist cap should keep it from leaking over the rest of your kit. Is there anything easier to carry?

Only a pack of swabs comes close, and they're a different kind of treatment altogether.

The 10-year shelf life helps as well. You can leave a bottle in each bag, or one in the car, without worrying that it'll go off before you need it, so there's always treatment to hand when a fish needs it.

That's why it takes a 9.0 for portability. It's hard to make fish care any more compact than one small bottle that covers every part of the fish, and it weighs next to nothing in a bag, so there's no reason to leave it at home.

Is it good value for money?

It's one of the cheaper treatments around, and a single bottle replaces separate mouth and body liquids. With such a long shelf life, you're also unlikely to bin a half-used bottle because it's out of date, which is an easy way to waste money on fish care.

If you want a cleaner as well as a sealant, the Korda Carp Care Kit pairs a bottle of Propolis with Ulcer Swab in a zipped pouch. For a quick spray instead of a liquid, the Gardner Intensive Care Carp Spray is the alternative, with a pump cap for fast cover.

Overall, I'd recommend the Propolis Carp Care All In One to carp and coarse anglers who want one small bottle that treats every part of the fish, and to anyone who'd rather keep a single treatment in each bag than carry a full kit.