Ick Questions?

[DEADFISH1]

try garlic extract mixed with their food, it worked for me.

 

[naesco]

I agree with deadfish. Food soaked in pure garlic oil a fed for a couple of weeks should do the job.

 

[Terry B]

Garlic is the best bet, but it doesn't always work. Hyposalinity or copper work consistently, but can't be used in a reef.
Terry B

 

[reefworm]

If you go the garlic route - it's controversial, but has worked in some cases, with no apparent long term affects - use garlic juice. It's water soluable and won't leave a film on things like the oil. McCormick's at the grocery store works fine. Feed with decreasing frequency over a period of 6-8 weeks to interrupt the free-swimming phase of the irritans parasite.

Good luck!

 

[ging]

How much garlic should you put in the food ??
ging

 

[Anonymous]

I purchased a Flame angel last week that died 2 days latermust have had ICK. My purple dottyback that I have had for over 3 months now has it. The green chromis and diamond back goby are not showing any signs of it.

Is there a way to remove ICK from my reef tank without removing the fish?

Or any treatment that will not affect my corals?
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[Mouse]

Garlic would be good for controlling nosferatu in your aquarium, but if you really want to kick ICK in the ass. U.V. that little B£$&£*D into submission. and that will work, i garuntee.

 

[reefworm]

Depends on how much food. If memory serves [fortunately it's been a long time

] I used 4-5 drops from the bottle's dropper per 1/2 cube of frozen food and let it sit for around 45 minutes. Dosed 2X per day for the first two weeks, and then tapered off over the next 4-5, from 1X per day, to 3X per week and so on.


p.s. be sure to test your water permaters and check for any other sources of stress that would explain the ick outbreak. It may well be that the introduction of the new fish accounted for it - esp. if it was already affected. Good argument for a quarantine tank for new introductions.

[ June 29, 2001: Message edited by: reefworm ]

 

[ging]

I dont have ick, just wanting to know for future use. Could you use garlic as a maint type thing ??

 

[reefworm]

I think some do, but I don't. There's been no long-term research on the effects of garlic in fish or a reef system, so I'm a bit leery of keeping it in the system. In fact, it's possible that my fish getting over the ick and the introduction of the garlic may have been coincidental. Never did locate a source of stress, but it's not come back. Good water and no stress is your best prevention.

 

[ging]

Thanks for the info reefworm

ging

 

[scavdog]

Ive been dosing with GNC's "Kyolic" (aged garlic extract)every couple of feedings. It doesnt seem to have any adverse effects. And no ick.

 

[naesco]

You are right I stand corrected. It is not garlic oil, it is garlic extract.
The brand I use is leopin which is made by Wakunaga, Mission Viejo CA. It has B vitamins in it.

 

[reefworm]

Here's some good reading on the topic for a broader perspective:
http://www.reefs.org/library/article/h_cortes-jorge.html

Happy reading

 

[Anonymous]

My purple dottyback died last night. I dont get it. The chromis and the diamondback (both purchased for under $10 each) live fine. Anything fish I buy over $10 dies in a couple of days. I have done weekly water changes and all other water tests are good.
Is it time to start over????
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[camel shrimp]

I feel your pain. I have had a bad case of ick turn into velvet and nearly lost everything. This was my first case of ick in nearly 2 years. I have 3 fish out of six left. I have since installed a uv sterilizer and treated them in a quarantine tank with copper. The only real way to control ick consistenly is a UV sterilizer. I don't think I will run a tank without one now. HTH

 

[Anonymous]

Is there a way to run a UV sterilizer without a sump?
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[Eboman]

Yes....there are hang-on sterilizers available.

Eboman

 

[Terry B]

UV units do not cure ich effectively within a single aquarium. There has been at least one study reported in the sceintific journals about it. All the parasites do NOT pass through the UV before they find a host. Many of the parasites attach to a host just before daylight when they are easy targets staying near the bottom and not moving around. A UV can help or even control the infection, but it cannot eliminate the parasite from the aquarium.
Terry B