Chloraquine phosphate treatment

[Mrs. Music]

I just wanted to share my experience so far in treating white spots, suspected ich. I'll start by saying many years ago I had ich related to a newly introduced yellow tang. Each time I treated it and placed it back into my DT it got spots again, so I decided to give up on a yellow tang. Few years go by and a new tang start the whole process up again. I treated the desjardini in copper and she pulled thru. All the other fish cleared up too. No treatment, just good water quality. This was several years ago and these fish are still with me. I have only had fish in a 180 all this time. This long winter inspired us to add more fish. The flame hawk addition went well. Three weeks after the addition of a longnose butterfly white spots, flashing and twitching started in a couple fish. So I pulled out the Queen Angel, she was an easy catch, and started a copper treatment in a hospital tank. After 10 days ammonia was uncontrollable, and the angel was struggling, so I decided to try chloraquine phosphate as per The Marine Fish Health & Feeding Handbook instructions. My veterinarian called in the script and it was filled thru my pharmacy. I am on day 4. The ammonia reads zero still. The fish look great, are eating and are behaving normally. Except the longnose butterfly. He has a weird swollen area all along his back at his dorsal fins and his caudal fin, and he is hiding. It was recommended per Bob Fenner to watch this fish closely and remove from CP treatment if he does not improve, as butterflyfish are sensitive to CP. I removed him to a 15 gallon tank with a mature bio filter. I will update in a day or two.

 

[Reefahholic]

Keep us updated!

 

[Mrs. Music]

just a quick update. The butterfly is showing signs of improvement already. The weird swelling has already reduced by about half and she is still eating. Thanks.

 

[HumbleFish]

Although I've yet to experience this myself, some believe CP makes a fish more susceptible to infection. Possibly by lowering the fish's natural immune system. This may be what's going on with your butterfly.

 

[Mrs. Music]

Today is day 7 of CP for all the fish (except the longnose butterfly) and ammonia is still 0. All the fish are eating and doing well. Three more days to go untill I begin water changes. In the nonmedicated tank the longnose butterfly is doing well - has no more swelling. It is getting thinner though. That is worrisome as we have many weeks to go in this bare tank.

 

[HumbleFish]

Today is day 7 of CP for all the fish (except the longnose butterfly) and ammonia is still 0. All the fish are eating and doing well. Three more days to go untill I begin water changes.

Confused as to why you would begin WCs after only 10 days of treatment? CP requires 30 days of continuous treatment, same as copper.

 

[Mrs. Music]

The longnose butterfly did not make it. It was looking very thin, ammonia level was 0, and it seemed fine the night before. I know they are less tolerant to treatments than most fish, but it still stinks. I think if I try again in the future I will leave it in a QT with life rock longer and maybe feed it up more.
HumbleFish, I am following the recommendations of The Marine Health & Feeding Handbook by Bob Goemans and Lance Ichinotsubo.

 

[Deinonych]

HumbleFish, I am following the recommendations of The Marine Health & Feeding Handbook by Bob Goemans and Lance Ichinotsubo.

I own the same book and suggest you re-read the section on CP. Goemans et al recommend a minimum treatment length of 21 days for cryptocaryon (pp 146-7). The 10 day period referred to an observation relating to an amyloodinium (velvet) infection.

 

[SammyL]

Confused as to why you would begin WCs after only 10 days of treatment? CP requires 30 days of continuous treatment, same as copper.

30 Days for Copper???? I thought it was 15 days with several weeks of observation after treatment?

 

[Deinonych]

30 Days for Copper???? I thought it was 15 days with several weeks of observation after treatment?

30 days is the consensus on this forum for treating crypto. 15 days only covers the average life cycle of crypto. Crypto doesn't always play by the rules, and you could have tomonts that remain dormont beyond 2 weeks. 30 days covers two average life cycle times and gives the aquarist more margin for error.

 

[Mrs. Music]

The recommendation is to closely monitor the fish for 21 days following treatment, and even states in a bold paragraph that the treatments for these ectoparacytes are identical.

 

[Mrs. Music]

Thanks for your input, guys.

 

[snorvich]

30 days is the consensus on this forum for treating crypto. 15 days only covers the average life cycle of crypto. Crypto doesn't always play by the rules, and you could have tomonts that remain dormont beyond 2 weeks. 30 days covers two average life cycle times and gives the aquarist more margin for error.

As with any drug/treatment that attacks the infectious stage of the life cycle, CP (or copper or hypo) needs to encounter that stage of the life cycle in order to be effective. The back end of the cryptocaryon irritans life cycle is highly variable as compared to the back end of the oodinium life cycle as an example. In my opinion, 30 days is important although under some circumstances, may be insufficient.

 

[Deinonych]

The recommendation is to closely monitor the fish for 21 days following treatment, and even states in a bold paragraph that the treatments for these ectoparacytes are identical.

The text is poorly written, as it can be interpreted either way. Regardless, 10 days is simply not long enough given the life cycle of cryptocaryon.

 

[Mrs. Music]

We caught the last fish! yeah! I had written this guy off as a gonner, but my husband caught him. I had to add the kole tang to the treatment tank about 10 days into the treatment. For two days the fish was pale, hiding and breathing heavy, but looking a little better than when in the DT. I decided a redosing of the tank was in order. I did a large water change, 25 gallons of dosed water, on a 30 gallon tank. Within 24 hours the tang was greatly improved. I am aware that perhaps it was just time for the parasites to fall, I am just glad to see an improvement. ammonia 0, fish are eating well, look great and starting to bicker.

 

[Mrs. Music]

Day 20 of treatment, and 10 days after the second dose. Well, at the end of last week I hit a snag. I am using a 5 gallon bucket 3/4 full of mature bio balls and flow to the bucket was interupted for a few days. During that time I ran a Marineland 350 filled with bioballs, an inadequate measure but I had to make due. The ammonia rose to .4. I did a water change with dosed water and the ammonia has returned to 0. All of the fish look great, bickering, and ammonia 0.

 

[Mrs. Music]

I just reread my original post and realized I write that "only fish are in this tank." I meant to say that only these fish have been in this tank. I have kept a lightly stocked tank on purpose, but it is a mostly soft corals tank.

 

[Mrs. Music]

I started dosing Stability yesterday and the ammonia has returned to 0. I fed some algae and all of them seemed pretty excited to see more food.

 

[Nina51]

MM, i truly admire your dedication!! hope everything survives and thrives!

 

[Rybren]

Keep at it and nice comment or something