Garlic, serious discussion

[Beverly]

Originally Posted by albert_dao

To me, it seemed that the fish were actually detered by the ordor of garlic.

I would tend to agree with this statement. Fish new to very small amounts of garlic in their food in my tanks don't usually eat the food very readily at first. It has usually taken a day or two for them to eat it without spitting it back out. Once they get the hang of eating garlic soaked food, though, they are pretty gung ho about it thereafter.

[danny zubot]

I've used garlic suppliment to aid in the recovery of my old Clarki's injuries. He had "pop eye" after jabing it with something. He did make a full recovery after a couple of weeks but i'm not sure if it was the garlic or just the natural healing process.

[Aquattro]

First time I used garlic was when my brown tang got ich. He was covered in dots. I soaked nori in fresh squeezed garlic an fed normally. Both tangs went at it like it was there last meal. Ich fully vanished in 24 hours. I stopped feeding garlic. Ich came back. Added garlic, ich went away less than 24 hours. I continued to feed garlic for 10 days further, never saw ich again to this day.
I can't prove garlic does anything, but my fish think it works, and that's good enough for me.

[AJ_77]

Originally Posted by reef_raf

I can't prove garlic does anything, but my fish think it works, and that's good enough for me.

AND that about wraps it up!

[trilinearmipmap]

IMO the best use of "alternative" remedies in fish or in humans, is that it gives time for the infection to go away on its own, without introducing any toxic medications or chemicals. There is no plausible biologic mechanism for garlic to work, there are no controlled trials to say it works, and there is ample evidence that fish can fight off infections with good supportive care and proper diet. Just like the common cold, it will go away in 7 days with no treatment, or in a week if you take a cold remedy.

[Bob I]

Originally Posted by EmilyB

Without a doubt, garlic is an appetite stimulant.

When your fish are well nourished and plump, ich isn't a problem any more.

IME.

I think that is the crux of the matter.

[Ryan7]

I believe Garlic helps build up the immune system, and therefore helps fight off ich and other parasites.

[DiscusZ]

Ever since i got hooked on keeping an aquarium(about 10 years or so now) I learned from a Discus breeder friend of mine in New Jersey that he used Garlic (fresh) in all his homemade food preparations. I was given his recipe for Discus , Angels (pretty much any FW Fish) and I never ever had ICK in my FW tanks. I was breeding FW Angel fish they were all fed homemade good that include a good dose of Fresh crushed Garlic.

Recently I had my 1st ever ICK case. I ended up getting Mike's Blue tank when he moved back to the States. The outbreak occured almost a month after getting the fish/i decided to try soemthing.. I took a peice of Nori, crushed up a clove, smeared the paste on the Nori, let it sit for a while to soak in, I put it in the tank on a small piece of PVC. within a few days Ick went away and has not returned. Coincidence? Maybe, but how many people do you know who have only had 1 ICK outbreak in 10 years? Maybe there is alot I dont know

I also know garlic is definately a appitite stimulant. ifYou can get a fish to eat a little they generally get better. 9I have done this when I was keeping Discus, they can be the most finiky of fish going off their food, and garlix brought them back 9 times out of 10. Hell I even once force fed a $120 discus with a small tube on syringe filled with a food mixed with Garlic as the fish stopped eatting (Ya I am nutz) I did this a couple of times and the fish started to eat on its own... (I was not the only one who has ever done this, a few people I know have tried this method, thats how I got the idea


Garlic definate has some "magical" propertiies


Bob, the Tang was also well Nourished, it was fat and plump when I got it from Mike, it even took over being the 1st one to eat the night I feed em

[Nemain]

Garlic has been used by humans for centuries for a zillion ailments. It is believed to be a non specific antibiotic, antioxidant, and an antifungal.

It may not be a *cure*, but niether is penecillin

[robbyville]

Without proper controls, I would still tend to agree with the "Garlick is good segment". When we first got into this hobby we had a mild outbreak and immediately tried garlic. The outbreak was gone within 24 hours. I have heard that this is fairly normal but is not a cure for heavy problems.

I would definitely say however that garlic improved the appetities of our little friends as well as enhanced their colours, we believe that we really noticed that specifically. Just like a good HVAC system, fishies can use some preventative maintenance, I think that's what garlic is good for and use it at least every third feeding.

Rob