Congo red is primarily used as a negative stain, as it binds to the polysaccharides in the cell wall of certain bacteria, resulting in a red appearance against a blue background. Crystal violet, on the other hand, is commonly used for positive staining; it is the primary stain in the Gram staining procedure, where it stains the peptidoglycan layer of Gram-positive bacteria, turning them purple. Thus, Congo red is not suitable for positive staining, while crystal violet is not typically used for negative staining.
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