DIY ick medicine

Dear friends!

I've been struggling with a nightmare of every newbie aquarist: Cryptocaryon irritans (the most common cause of ick disease). Since I work at university I've decided to share this problem with my colleges from marine biology department. I was strongly recommended to prepare medication myself. It worked fine, it maybe known to you already, however I decided to share this very simple recipe. It requires 3 components and it's 99% invertebrate/coraline algae safe.

The components:

40mg citric acid
(can be purchased from local grocery store or supermarket, it's commonly used as an additive in fruit jelly, ice ream, lemon-based juice etc...)

4g dimethylglikol (should be possible to buy it in medical store/pharmacy store. It will have oily consistency)

400ml of RO/DI water

Mix all components by inversion, do not shake!

This mixture should be stored at 4C (in your fridge). Application:

10ml for approx. 26.5gal. of water on 1,3,5,7 day of treatment (in other words skip every second day!).

Additionally one should prepare food enhancer:
I was also wisely advised by mattgezer and omrad to use vit.C/garlic enhancers for my food! Chaps! You are more than right! It was the first suggestion from my colleges from marine biology! This mix simply stimulates the immune system of our beloved fish!

Total cost:
citrate 0.5 euro
dimethylglikol 4 euro
RO/DI H[SUB]2[/SUB]O - guess ;D

One more thing is important. None of the components introduces phosphates or ammonia! This is significant since You don't want to add additional stress to your tank! Disease is enough!

P.S.

Matt , Scott! Thanks for suggestion to use vit. C. I read it in your numerous posts ... It works, and my beloved Percula Clown, owes You one

Enjoy the beauty of science/and the wisdom of 3reef community!

 

Patent this --- you will make fortune! ;D

(Ummm, add a little garlic extract in mix?)

 

It may already be patented! Nonetheless credit goes to the chaps from marine department!

I think it's better to stick to the "original recepie" : food+vit.C+garlic

 

Just turn the heater up to 80 or 81 for a week it will cycle out..Ich will not kill a fish no more then fleas can kill a dog or cat.. Its the infection that they can create when the hosts immune system is weakened by them feeding from the animal.

 

Hmmm... Very good suggestion though you still will be left with parasite in the tank. As far as I've red Cryptocaryon irritans is a tough bug... This is why I've applied in my case definitely more aggressive therapy. Since my tank is quite young I could afford it. However, I can imagine people with many precious fish/inverts will consider your strategy Tangster...!

Cheers!

 

Isnt this the same thing as furan-2 pretty much? If it is, Its more for antibacterial then killing ich.

Vitamin is for boosting immune system, Dimethyl glycol (Dimethyl Furan) is an antiseptic.

 

I would also be causous adding anything with the name methyl in it. Methylene is not invert safe. Theres not much of a difference between methylene and dimethyl glycol.

 

Please don't feel offended, BUT:

Could you be more specific and/or give me (please send me PM) SCIENTIFIC reference ?!

I'm sorry to say that but this is just pseudo-scientific ! Please be more specific or just do not post without justification...! Just to keep this discussion on really high level! I think this is in general interest of all forum users. Some newbie will read this post, read the leaflet of the anti-parasite antibiotic, find the name -methylene and throw the stuff away

No. Furan is a heterocyclic compund(which means it contains not only carbon and protons in the aromatic ring but also oxygen/or other elements) (click here) that is broken down to highly toxic superoxides. The compound that is used by us is oxidized and yields carboxylic acids.

Just a quote from my REFERENCE:
(WO/2007/025694) USE OF OXAZOLE DERIVATIVES FOR CONTROLLING FISH PARASITES

Enjoy!

 

Hey...sounds good to me.

Send me a bottle of it, and I will test out for you.

 

Hey chap! Any time! Just PM me your address