ICh

[GreenSpottedPuffer]

Originally Posted by RD

Hey Tim, sorry to hear about your ich outbreak. Some good advice given in this thread, hopefully you'll be successful in saving your fish.

Regarding garlic, garlic has indeed been proven to have anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-parasitic, and antiviral properties (Bartelme, 2003 and Cortes-Jorge, 2001). Over the past decade there has been a number of studies involving garlic and fish food and the anecdotal evidence with regards to feeding fish allicin complex (the active ingredient in garlic) to rid them of parasites appeared to be quite strong. The following is a link to a more recent study that confirms what some people have been saying all along.
http://www.scielo.br/pdf/jvatitd/v12n2/v12n2a03.pdf

A. M. Shalaby et al. EFFECTS OF GARLIC (Allium sativum) AND CHLORAMPHENICOL ON GROWTH PERFORMANCE, PHYSIOLOGICAL PARAMETERS AND SURVIVAL OF NILE TILAPIA (Oreochromis niloticus). J. Venom. Anim. Toxins incl. Trop. Dis., 2006, 12, 2, p.196


In this particular study the inclusion of garlic powder at a rate of 3% was shown to increase the overall digestibilty of protein, carbohydrates, and fat, as well as to lower the total bacteria count within the intestine, muscles, as well as the tank water itself.

Garlic is a great preventative solution to keeping your fish (and water) free from outbreaks of various disease causing pathogens, and while on its own it certainly won't cure a case of ich, it's no snake oil either.

Where did snake oil even come into this???

Great information there. I think this is actually what my brother based a lot of his research on, as well as his own experiments.

[Salmon King]

Rudy lost his fish.Garlic didnt work.How come they took treatment for parasites off the label.I guess they didnt want to get sued for peoples fish dying

[GreenSpottedPuffer]

Originally Posted by Salmon King

Rudy lost his fish.Garlic didnt work.How come they took treatment for parasites off the label.I guess they didnt want to get sued for peoples fish dying

If this is directed at my post, read it again...maybe slower. I never said it cures ich. It helps fish fight ich by boosting their immune system. You can't be sued for peoples fish dying even if you do claim it is a medication for ich. As for the label, I have never seen a label on garlic. My grocery just sells it in bulk.

I have no problem if your saying you have had bad luck with trying garlic, or even dont recommend it but unless you have scientific proof to discredit the scientific proof given above, do not tell people its useless. On its own, it will not rid your tank of ich, I do not think anyone is claiming that. But it can help and certainly does not hurt anything. My fish are fed food soaked in garlic everytime they eat.

What exactly have Marine Biologists told you? Who were they?

[RD]

As you know garlic was sold as a treatment for parasites at the beginning but is not now.They took that off there label.I told people of garlic 10 years ago before it was sold as a remedy.It was said it was fed to cows and horses to keep ticks and masquitos from biting them that as how somebody ran with the idea as a treatment for parasites for fish in a reef tank.It/s a wise tale.I wish I had sold it and made a million but I wouldnt have felt good misleading people.Maybe its a good food supplement but marine bioligists I have talked to disagree with that even.I dont mean to step on anybodys toes but when people say its a parasite treatment and people believe it and lose fish when the only proven treatment is copper based medications.

Talk to any pet shop owner and grill them into what works on ich.They always say copperbased medications are the only thing that really works not these snake oil medications or food addtives

The food that I use (and cough-cough, sell) contains garlic, and has for the past 10 yrs, yes, even back when you were telling people about garlic, and the inventor of this particular brand of food has been keeping (and at one time importing on a large commercial scale) marine fish for the past 40 yrs.

As Green Spotted Puffer just stated, no one is saying that garlic will cure ich.

[Salmon King]

All I am pointing out is people thinking garlic will save there fish from parasites as the fellow that started this link.Think of all the fish that died from using garlic as a cure.I have saved many fish for other hobbyists with copper based medications as long as you treat quickly and correctly

[GreenSpottedPuffer]

And I agree, if your fish already have ich bad enough, garlic will not cure them. It will help their immune system though and along with copper, is great. If your fish do not have ich, feeding garlic, as PROVEN by my brothers and a few other biologists experiments, will help prevent ich and other parasites from being able to host on your fish. The ich will still be in the tank but if your fish is not stressed and has a strong immune system, it will not kill them.

Copper will rid fish of ich. BUT its really taking a chance with any scaleless fishes, including puffers and boxfish. There are also long term affects that as I said, may not show up right away.

[Skimmer Juice]

Thats what is good about cuprimine it is not full blown copper, and I have treated my cowfish 2 times with it. I also learned a valuble lesson about haveing a qt tank, treat every fish you buy even if it does not look sick. It is well worth it in the long run, that is if you care about your fish.

[Aquattro]

Originally Posted by Salmon King

All I am pointing out is people thinking garlic will save there fish from parasites as the fellow that started this link.Think of all the fish that died from using garlic as a cure.I have saved many fish for other hobbyists with copper based medications as long as you treat quickly and correctly

Rob, both times I ever had ich in my tank, I started feeding food soaked in freshly pressed garlic oil, and within 2 days all ich was gone. I never lost a fish and treated only after ich was apparent. Maybe I got lucky, but more likely garlic does assist fish in fighting ich themselves. So not snake oil (they get all ****ed when you squeeze them) but garlic oil. Maybe you've been using the wrong oil?

[Salmon King]

I cant understand why they took treats parasites off there label if it works.Could somebody explain this

[Doug]

For some reason, I have always had good success helping sick fish. A few that were even looking beyond help, that others brought over. I remember a baby regal Mike brought me, was so covered in ich and sick, we thought of putting it out of its misery.

I treated it in a small tank I had at the time and today he,s the king of a 180g, huge & fat, and 6 yrs. later. Just use most of whats posted here but like I said, "most all", together. I always drop the salinity a bit. I did use a copper based treatment and fed spirolina soaked in garlic and either selcon or vita-chem.

I have not used UV since the 80,s so cant really comment on them but know several lfs that use them for general treatment.

Still think the best advice is to buy healthy fish and give them a healthy home and ich seems to be a non thing.