Methods to treat ICKs

CaptNemo · 01/25/2008, 10:13 AM

Morning Everyone,
Copper and Hypo are the two most effective methods to treat ick?
If I were to go with the Hypo method, what is the correct salinity level should I aim for?
Should I put liverock in the Hospital tank? or just leave it bare like that?

Thanks

tydtran · 01/25/2008, 10:50 AM

Copper and hypo are the only real choices when you want to treat ich. I would leave tank bare. 1.009 is the desired SG. Just put some PVC in the hospital tank so your fish will feel comfortable. Remember to leave you main tank fishless for at least 6 weeks. Good luck!

goldmaniac · 01/25/2008, 11:37 AM

Agreed, copper and hypo (and emptying the tank) are the only ways to remove ich. But for treating ich, I have a different opinion.

I'm of the opinion that it's always going to be hard and a crapshoot to keep a tank ich-free... one mistake with timing or QT and the whole tank has ich again.

But when i say "the whole tank has ich again", i mean that the ich organism is simply in the tank, in the water column, not that the fish are succumbing to the parasite.

I'm sure I'll get all sort of contradictions on this, there should be Ich Police designation, but this only my opinion.

I prefer to keep the fish healthy and if any breakouts occur, I feed crushed raw garlic in with my food, daily, and within 4-5 days the fish are not showing any symptoms again and are fine.

I use no UV sterilizer in my tank, only use garlic, and have not had a breakout for over 2 years, now, i believe. used to happen sometimes when adding new fish, espeically the first couple of years, when my tank wasn't fully established nor balanced.

my idea is that trying to keep ich out is more futile than treating the occasional outbreak. ich is almost a non-issue with my system, as we always have and use fresh garlic in the house.

i use 2 raw cloves of crushed garlic in my 170 gallon system, once a day for 4-5 days, and then every other day, if I ever see something. has always worked. You can smell the garlic in the tank the day after dosing, but that seems to be the only side-effect.

just my opinion, and simply sharing my experience. Not telling anyone what to do.

CaptNemo · 01/25/2008, 12:29 PM

Ok, I see some white spot on my fish's fin but not an out break yet.
So I should just get some Raw garlic from groceries store and break it up and put it in with the food and feed it to my tank?

Thanks,
Will try that tonight.
Does it have any effect on the skimmer?

goldmaniac · 01/25/2008, 12:57 PM

yeah, spend the extra $4.95 and get a garlic press, that really breaks it up nicely.

Don't worry if you don't see a change, or even if it's a LITTLE worse tomorrow, usually takes either one night or two nights to kick in.

I just crush garlic into a glass or a bowl and dip and pour it in separately, if they eat some, that's even better. Sometimes they eat it.

Skimmer may act differently, don't know if it will be more or less, you could always turn it off. I would; I don't use a skimmer myself but maybe it would pull the garlic out of the water.

good luck, sounds like you're catching it early, sometimes I use Mela-Fix, as well, another herbal supplement. I swear it's the garlic, though.

saltybuckeye · 01/25/2008, 01:20 PM

I too have used garlic,but I went to GNC and bought garlic pills(the gel kind) cut them open and squeesed the garlic out(it is in an oil form) in a cup and soaked the food in it for a few hours before feeding it to them.It really does stink up the tank and the oil stops my skimmer for a bit but it worked for me both times I have tried it.You have to keep feeding it to them for a few days after they have dissapered or it will come back.I also do a little bit bigger of a water change to try and rid the tank them and get rid of the garlic smell.

goldmaniac · 01/26/2008, 10:41 AM

GNC gel garlic pills - sounds like they are a great choice, too.

atvdave · 01/26/2008, 11:21 AM

goldmaniac is the store bought garlic better than something like Garlic Guard? or other garlic stuff at a LFS, or is it just cheaper way of using it?

Also is it safe to use Melafix in reef tanks? Dr. F&S book doesn't say.

Thanks

goldmaniac · 01/26/2008, 06:23 PM

I've found, from my experience of over about 5-6 years since discovering this, that fresh crushed garlic is far more successful for treating ich than anything else that I've found, including Garlic Xtreme. I have not used Garlic Guard.

Being cheaper, always available, and never having to ration the last bit that's left are side benefits, in my opinion, but not the main reason to use fresh garlic. Additional reasons, yes, but not my main reason.

goldmaniac · 01/26/2008, 06:26 PM

yes, Melafix is safe for reefs. I do not have SPS or clams, but supposedly its safe for them. I have zoas, softies, and a LPS or two and i've never seen any detrimental effects.

Melafix's main ingredient is tree tea oil, which is safe. (tea tree oil? i forget which it is -tea tree or tree tea.

I think tree tea oil. anyway, it claims to be safe, and thats what I've experienced.

01/25/2008, 10:13 AM	#1
CaptNemo Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 195	Methods to treat ICKs Morning Everyone, Copper and Hypo are the two most effective methods to treat ick? If I were to go with the Hypo method, what is the correct salinity level should I aim for? Should I put liverock in the Hospital tank? or just leave it bare like that? Thanks

01/25/2008, 10:50 AM	#2
tydtran Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: New Jersey Posts: 853	Copper and hypo are the only real choices when you want to treat ich. I would leave tank bare. 1.009 is the desired SG. Just put some PVC in the hospital tank so your fish will feel comfortable. Remember to leave you main tank fishless for at least 6 weeks. Good luck!

01/25/2008, 11:37 AM	#3
goldmaniac Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Yardley, PA Posts: 1,567	Agreed, copper and hypo (and emptying the tank) are the only ways to remove ich. But for treating ich, I have a different opinion. I'm of the opinion that it's always going to be hard and a crapshoot to keep a tank ich-free... one mistake with timing or QT and the whole tank has ich again. But when i say "the whole tank has ich again", i mean that the ich organism is simply in the tank, in the water column, not that the fish are succumbing to the parasite. I'm sure I'll get all sort of contradictions on this, there should be Ich Police designation, but this only my opinion. I prefer to keep the fish healthy and if any breakouts occur, I feed crushed raw garlic in with my food, daily, and within 4-5 days the fish are not showing any symptoms again and are fine. I use no UV sterilizer in my tank, only use garlic, and have not had a breakout for over 2 years, now, i believe. used to happen sometimes when adding new fish, espeically the first couple of years, when my tank wasn't fully established nor balanced. my idea is that trying to keep ich out is more futile than treating the occasional outbreak. ich is almost a non-issue with my system, as we always have and use fresh garlic in the house. i use 2 raw cloves of crushed garlic in my 170 gallon system, once a day for 4-5 days, and then every other day, if I ever see something. has always worked. You can smell the garlic in the tank the day after dosing, but that seems to be the only side-effect. just my opinion, and simply sharing my experience. Not telling anyone what to do.

01/25/2008, 12:29 PM	#4
CaptNemo Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 195	Ok, I see some white spot on my fish's fin but not an out break yet. So I should just get some Raw garlic from groceries store and break it up and put it in with the food and feed it to my tank? Thanks, Will try that tonight. Does it have any effect on the skimmer?

01/25/2008, 12:57 PM	#5
goldmaniac Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Yardley, PA Posts: 1,567	yeah, spend the extra $4.95 and get a garlic press, that really breaks it up nicely. Don't worry if you don't see a change, or even if it's a LITTLE worse tomorrow, usually takes either one night or two nights to kick in. I just crush garlic into a glass or a bowl and dip and pour it in separately, if they eat some, that's even better. Sometimes they eat it. Skimmer may act differently, don't know if it will be more or less, you could always turn it off. I would; I don't use a skimmer myself but maybe it would pull the garlic out of the water. good luck, sounds like you're catching it early, sometimes I use Mela-Fix, as well, another herbal supplement. I swear it's the garlic, though.

01/25/2008, 01:20 PM	#6
saltybuckeye Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: brookville ,Oh Posts: 53	I too have used garlic,but I went to GNC and bought garlic pills(the gel kind) cut them open and squeesed the garlic out(it is in an oil form) in a cup and soaked the food in it for a few hours before feeding it to them.It really does stink up the tank and the oil stops my skimmer for a bit but it worked for me both times I have tried it.You have to keep feeding it to them for a few days after they have dissapered or it will come back.I also do a little bit bigger of a water change to try and rid the tank them and get rid of the garlic smell.

01/26/2008, 10:41 AM	#7
goldmaniac Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Yardley, PA Posts: 1,567	GNC gel garlic pills - sounds like they are a great choice, too.

01/26/2008, 11:21 AM	#8
atvdave Premium Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Newburgh, IN Posts: 1,763	goldmaniac is the store bought garlic better than something like Garlic Guard? or other garlic stuff at a LFS, or is it just cheaper way of using it? Also is it safe to use Melafix in reef tanks? Dr. F&S book doesn't say. Thanks

01/26/2008, 06:23 PM	#9
goldmaniac Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Yardley, PA Posts: 1,567	I've found, from my experience of over about 5-6 years since discovering this, that fresh crushed garlic is far more successful for treating ich than anything else that I've found, including Garlic Xtreme. I have not used Garlic Guard. Being cheaper, always available, and never having to ration the last bit that's left are side benefits, in my opinion, but not the main reason to use fresh garlic. Additional reasons, yes, but not my main reason.

01/26/2008, 06:26 PM	#10
goldmaniac Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Yardley, PA Posts: 1,567	yes, Melafix is safe for reefs. I do not have SPS or clams, but supposedly its safe for them. I have zoas, softies, and a LPS or two and i've never seen any detrimental effects. Melafix's main ingredient is tree tea oil, which is safe. (tea tree oil? i forget which it is -tea tree or tree tea. I think tree tea oil. anyway, it claims to be safe, and thats what I've experienced.