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Kick-Ich and Ich-Attack

25 9:34:52

Question
QUESTION: Both of these are sold are reef safe and copper free. I have used them both with invertebrates in my tank and it did not hurt them.
Kordon does make one Ich treatment that is not reef safe but this is not it.

ANSWER: Hi Debbie,
Ok, the only risk then is toxicity of mixing meds. I'm not completely familiar with all meds(there are 1000's available). But I would look something that will handle all of your problems, and the only one I know that treats, fungal, parasitic, bacterial and viral infections is Paraguard. Just my 2 cents worth.

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QUESTION: So, if I use it should I stop the Metafix?
I went to the Seachem page, you are saying after a month I of water changes, I can add corals? Seachem doesn't really say if it is reef safe or what. I see that it has malacite green in it. Just want to make sure I am understanding you correctly.
Thanks for all your help. I appreciate it.

ANSWER: Hi Debbie,
Would I add this to my existing reef? Absolutely not. Paraguard does contain malachite green, extremely toxic,  but has no formaldehydes(not fomalin based), methanol or copper/copper sulfate or sulfides. So it has a better record with inverts. I ALWAYS recommend under dosing the tank. When figuring dosage, you have to know and dose REAL tank volume. Meaning you have to figure displacement by rock, substrate and equipment. For example one of my 55 gallon aquariums in my office only actually has 44 gallons of water in it due to the amount of rock and the deep substrate. You need to be very precise with any dose of any medication. And better to err on the side of underdosing the aquarium.
After dosing with this medication, giving the aquarium a good cleaning(vac the substrate, change filter media) and a weekly water change(25% or more) for a month to 6 weeks, yes, you can then start building your reef or adding corals.
And yes I would stop using the melafix if you are going to us Paraguard. Mixing treatments/meds can be extremely toxic. I simply recommend 1 med as opposed to mixing 2. Now dont get me wrong, if you have an ich treatment you have used and like by all means do so. I endorse no meds or companies, I only recommend what I know from experience worked for me and systems in my care. I take the holistic approach to all ailments first and foremost. Because there are NO effective "reef safe" or "invert safe" treatments for parasitic ailments such as ich. NONE. So let me know how it goes, or if you have any other questions. I would be glad to help if I can.

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QUESTION: You said you prefer the holistic approach, then what do you recommend?
I have had several people that have had good luck (including me) with the Kick-Ich and Ich-Attack. I started using them because our local specialized fish store recommended them because at that point I had invertebrates in the tank I wanted to add corals. They had had good luck with them and garlic. They recommended trying the garlic first. I have never had good luck with just garlic.

Answer
Hi Debbie,
Ok, this is the best way to rid your aquariums of ich... well, to get as close to being rid of it as possible. A hospital or qt, bare glass with just a pvc pipe or joint for cover, elevated temp(between 82 to 84 degrees). Place all infected fish in the tank, a little garlic soak for foods is enough of a garlic treatment and helps health in all aspects, not just with parasites. Leave the fish in the system for 4 to 8 weeks(depending on the number of infected, how high/bad the level of infection is) and leave their home tank fish free(leave only shrimps, crabs, inverts etc) for the same period of time. You will do 2 water changes in both tanks during this time. This disrupts the life cycle of cryptocaryon irritans/ich. Without fish to infect they die in the aquarium, in the hospital/qt, they die when they leave their fish host during the crystaline/trophont feeding stage(immune to any chemical treatments during this stage). They fall from the host to the substrate in the protomont stage, in order to reproduce at the tomont stage. This can last from 3 to 30 days(immune to any chemical treatments during this stage) when they enter the theront or tomite stage(usually after 3 to 7 days).  This freeswimming, tomite/theront stage is the stage where they are vulnerable to treatments, and only at this stage(this is why medicinal/chemical treatments are not very effective. It lasts from a few hours to a few days. The tomites must find a fish to adhere to or die. The elevated temperature will speed up the process a bit, the lack of substrate will also speed up the process and make for a leaner(if any) reproductive cycle. The water changes also greatly reduces the numbers of parasites you are dealing with and assists with removal. This is a time consuming treatment, but completely safe to ALL inhabitants.