Garlic :)

[Chin_Lee]

Mr. Salmon King,
I've read two threads (well one started off as power outage killing ick) regarding garlic use. Many people have posted their personal experiences on the use of garlic which worked for them. Please just take their word for it that it did work for them. As to why garlic is not used on fish farms or what not, that is a separate issue and should be asked to the Department of Fisheries and Oceans who (i believe) oversees the fish farms' procedures.
An individual posted medicinal properties of garlic that may contribute to the success observed by different aquarists. But I don't believe anybody have observed ick cysts or parasite falling off their fish and seeing these parasites writhing on the floor of their aquarium and subsequently dying after using garlic. Most people have just observed that their previously icky fish were no longer icky after they used some sort of garlic intervention.
If a power outage can get rid of ick, then (as previously mentioned by Howdy) we would never see any ick on our fish after a 16-30 hour ride in a plastic bag without power. Your experience on getting rid of ick your angel is incredible and further details may provide an insight on how it occurred.
What other livestock did you have in your tank?
Which corals died off?
I am not suggesting anything but maybe one of the corals that died released something into the water that caused the ick to disappear which is something that you should look into further.
I have no doubt that your angels are ick free and what you experienced was something great. However I don't believe that losing power is the direct cause of it. I also have no doubt that garlic has also worked for many people as it had also worked for me in the past.

[albert_dao]

Allicine (2-propene-1-sulfinothioic acid S-2-propenyl ester)
this is a chemical in garlic that when you cut it up
an enzyme in the garlic alliinase cleaves allicine into a new product
alliin this is a powerful antimicrobial and anti fungal agent

Some reading:

http://www.health-reports.com/allicin.html

Also note that allicin, when generated from fresh Garlic, is unstable, and quickly turns into other sulphur containing compounds. Due to Allicin's instability it is difficult for garlic based products to contain and maintain an Allicin content. I'm sure we can put two and two together on this one.

[findingnemo1]

I don't understand why everyone gets worked up over this. It is a matter of opinion and an opinion only of another person of something that worked for them. If it works for one great If it doesn't for another so be it.

I believe garlic keeps my family healthy. They have a tablet everyday and we rarely get a cold or anything else for that matter. Is it the garlic? Or just because they eat we'll and wash there hands( i hope the kids do...lol) Who knows. But again it is a belief and i will give the tablet everyday for if it is the garlic i do not want 3 sick kids.

The same goes with our fish. We give them garlic in there food with the thought that it keeps them healthy and ick free. If it shows to work why would you take that chance to stop it to find out that you now have a tank full of ick infested fish.

Let other people make there own decisions and not get criticized for that. What one believes in 9 times out of 10 is not what others believe in.

[midgetwaiter]

Originally Posted by albert_dao

Some reading:

http://www.health-reports.com/allicin.html

Also note that allicin, when generated from fresh Garlic, is unstable, and quickly turns into other sulphur containing compounds. Due to Allicin's instability it is difficult for garlic based products to contain and maintain an Allicin content. I'm sure we can put two and two together on this one.

Everybody go read Albert's link, twice. This should give you a better understanding of why this is a difficult question to answer.

Crushed garlic (delivering allin) has been used for thousands of years to dress wounds and it does help prevent infection, no question. It can not have anything to do with destroying ich through feeding, it would have to be applied topically. I believe Allin is too reactive and breaks down too fast to be delivered through the gut. It's not a good systemic medication, discard this idea completely.

Fresh garlic and a variety of garlic extracts have been shown to have some effect on the immune system. At present nobody has a full understanding of the mechanics. It is this idea that supports the idea of garlic being an effective treatment for ich. Immune boosters, anti oxidants etc. Think things like echinacia and Cold FX.

I don't know how sold I am on the idea that this works, I don't recommend it to people but I don't think it hurts anything either. A healthy fish that isn't being stressed in some way or exposed to an infected tankmate isn't going to have issues with ich. Even notorious ich "magnets" like powder tangs don't start showing symptoms for no reason. If you start seeing it, first fix the problem then fix the ich.

I don't use garlic because I have a variety of other methods at my quick disposal. IME nothing works on ich like hyposalinity.

One other thing I should note. It is possible that either fresh garlic or some extract products have an effect on certain internal (gut) parasitic conditions. There is some evidence to support the idea and I've found it to be somewhat effective with fresh garlic (allin). Some foods and garlic preparations also could be effective, others have had success.