Kick-Ick users???

[jim]

I do not have any sort of ick problem right now, but I saw this in a store and it looked interesting.

Invert safe on the label, cures ick.

Does this stuff work?? How effective is it?

Is it truly reef safe?

I have a FO tank with some cleaner shrimp, but would like to add some LR and inverts, but am nervous because of the likelihood of an ick outbread at some point.

Jim

[grafxguy]

I have used it before in a reef with no ill affects on anything. The only thing is plan on using twice as much to cure. One bottle just didn't cut it in my 75G. It works but slowly. fwiw eric

[jim]

So would you say this stuff is less effective than, say, copper?

I know copper has numerous side effects ans is not reef safe, but I have had great success with it in the past, and under dire circumstances, it may be worth using.

Jim

[grafxguy]

Yeah I know that copper can be very hard on the fish. But it is probably the fastest method. Kick Ich is good if you can wait or if your fish don't die before the disease is gone. I prefer Q tank with hyposalinity but you may not have that option. Hyposalinity works great. Have you thought of adding a Cleaner Wrasse they do a much better job than cleaner shrimp. I do have both. eric

[jim]

BTW, thanks for the reply.

My main tank is 500 gal, so catching the fish is an issue. Actually its impossible.

I have never tried hypo, but my issue with it is the length of time and effort it takes compared with copper or kick-ick type treatment.

With Hypo you have to slowly lower the salinity, let it stay low and monitor it for 6 weeks then slowly raise it.

If it the salinity goes too low it kills the fish, if it stays too high it doesn't work.

Copper, you just dump it in.

I have 3 cleaner shrimp and 2 neon gobies. I have not bought any cleaner wrasses becaus they die so quickly in tanks.

Jim

[ol'reefer]

Jim,

For fish in a large reef tank, I feel that using a garlic based additive in the food has proven itself invaluable to me. At the first sign of Ich, I use garlic powder, water and then add food to it. The treatment works within 72 hours. There has been no notable side effects on the fish or corals. I have been using garlic for close to two years now. The only unpleasant effect is that your tank smells like a ceaser salad for a day or two...


Rich

[grafxguy]

500G WOW! That puts a whole new spin on things. Yes, you won't be able to catch the fish. Are those the only fish in the whole system? Do you have corals in the tank? If those are the only fish in the system your best bet is to let nature take it's coarse. You'll be spending more money onKick-Ich because you'll have to buy so much. If there are no corals hyposalinity will work you just have to monitor it. Ich really can't live in I believe anything under 1.018. My LFS keeps their tanks at 1.014. Yeah it takes longer to acclimate but they are not bringing any diseases to the tank. One other thing, if those are the only two fish how could they possibly get ich in a 500G system. DO you feed them frozen foods? eric

[jim]

I have only 3 cleaner shrimp and about 30 fish so far and am still adding more:

2 yellow tangs
1 naso tang
1 powder blue tang
1 flame angel
1 personifer angel
1 fire dartfish
2 neon cleaner gobies
5 blue-green chromis
9 bangaii cardinals

I do currently use garlick in the food twice a week and more often if stress or sickness seems to appear.

I had a minor outbreak of ick before and used garlic and let the fish fight it off and it worked.

I'm just trying to be prepared in case I have a major outbreak.

I can get most supplies at wholesale prices, so if you buy copper and kick-ick by the gallon at wholesale it isn't that expensive. I would rather spend the money to have the medication just in case of a major problem than possibly loose the time and money ti took to acumulate these fish.

BTW, I read on other threads that during hyposalinity treatments that the salinity had to be at 1.009. and that Ick can survive at anything over 1.011.

I feed all my fish all of the Formula Frozen Foods, Brine shrimp, Nori.

Thanks

Jim

[Terry B]

Jim is correct. Cryptocaryon irritans (ich) will continue to reproduce in a specific gravity of 1.011. More accurately, salinity is a better way to messure it. The salinity must be maintained at 16ppt or less during therapy. Anyone that thinks 1.014 will work must be using an inaccurate hydrometer.
You should not just dump copper in a tank and forget about it. This is dangerous. The copper level should be tested twice a day and adjusted as needed.
Terry B

[jim]

Terry,

I was over-simplifying on the copper treatment.

In the past when i used Copper Power (a few years ago), I tested every few days and once at the right level, it was very stable and consistent.

Any other opinions on Kick-ick? I sounds like it has the benefit of being ree safe, but is not quite as strong.



Jim

[SoundsFishy]

Hello all;
About a year ago I had an Ich outbreak in my 90gsl tank and started treating it well before it got to epidemic levels. I also had heard about Kick Ich and decided to get some to have on hand for jsut such an occasion. I called the makers of this product and talked with him for quite awhile about my tank and the effectiveness of his product.
The bottom line is the product DID NOT WORK even after a second treatment with double the dose as reccomended by the manufacturer.
I ended up spending more money for the Kick-Ich than I had in the fish stock I lost.
I eventually let the Ich run its course and have not had a breakout in the past year.
IMO save your money.
Dan.

[grafxguy]

I agree, yes it did work for me but after alot of money was put into buying the product. For all I know the fish could have just cured themselves. Maybe Dr. Ron could do a test on the Ruby Reef products. eric

[acshanks]

Why does the garlic trick work so well for me? I have a cubefish who might have hiv for all I know but he comes down with ich every few weeks and its gone with 72 hours of my garlic dosing procedure... it works better than days when we stained our tanks with copper...

so if it has worked 10 out of 10 times and its cheaper than buying them flake food? can someone tell me if I am the exception????....

is it our sick need to spend money at the fish store or what? ...

[jim]

I have also usedthe garlic successfully. I was more interesed in the case of a serious outbreak where i could not catch the fish (and had to treat them in my display tank).

It sound like Kick-Ick is not very effective, as I thought likely.

Jim

[gas4544]

I used kick-ich when my Royal Gramma came down with Ich. Yes, the medication cost allot more than he did, but I wanted to protect my other fish, too. I used a whole big bottle in my 75 gallon tank and followed the directions. Nothing visibly suffered in my tank, and for whatever reason, the Ich was cured. Unfortunately, that same Royal Gramma recently jumped out of my tank.
You knock yourself out trying to care for your critters, then they go and jump out of the tank. Sigh.

[gas4544]

Jim, do you have any problems between the nine Banggai Cardinals in the same tank? Do you have any mated pairs?

[jim]

I have not had any real problems with the 9 cardinals in the same tank.

i don't know if it is because the tank is large (500 gal.

I have not seen any of the fish mate, so i don't think i have any mated pairs, bu who knows.

They do chase each other around a bit, but no vicious attacks and no deaths. I started with 9 and they are all still alive.

I did add them all at the same time, so that may have helped.

Jim