Crypto publication

[MrTuskfish]

The problem I'm finding with Chloroquine is availability. I found one place online that wants almost $200 for a kilo of it. WTH?! Only other options seem to be beg a doc for a prescription or a vet. Quinine is a lot more readily available. One site wants $13 for it but $13 shipping. Which, of course, ****es me off!

The thing with Crypto is this: How many different strains exist? 100? 1000? And while copper/tank transfer might work on most and hypo might work on some, I think it's very possible that there are many different strains out there with widely varying characteristics.

I'm also starting to believe that QT is just half the battle. Providing good nutrition will keep your fish healthy from QT to DT. And if something unexpected happens in the DT (like Crypto) a healthy, well fed fish has a far better chance of surviving longer in the DT and the QT/medication ordeal that lay ahead.

Sure; getting a new fish robust & healthy is a big reason for a QT; along with doing everything possible to avoid introduction of parasites into the DT. Its quiet, no food competitors, bullies, etc.

I'm sure there are plenty of parasites that we know little/nothing about. But, because TT leaves the developing cysts behind; it should work well, regardless of the ''strain".

 

[alprazo]

$200 for a kilo of chloroquine is dirt cheap. too cheap for me to believe that it is all product.

Online pharmacies sell it for about $70 for 30 tabs of the generic 250 mg. That will treat about 190 gal. For one kilo the same cost would be about $9,500. Canada is about 50% cheaper. My veterinary powder is about $200 for 100 gm or $2000 for a kilo.

Large scale treatment is cost prohibitive plus probable FDA restrictions on its use in food fish likely limits it application in the aquaculture industry and industry directed research in its use.

 

[b0bab0ey]

$200 for a kilo of chloroquine is dirt cheap. too cheap for me to believe that it is all product.

Online pharmacies sell it for about $70 for 30 tabs of the generic 250 mg. That will treat about 190 gal. For one kilo the same cost would be about $9,500. Canada is about 50% cheaper. My veterinary powder is about $200 for 100 gm or $2000 for a kilo.

Large scale treatment is cost prohibitive plus probable FDA restrictions on its use in food fish likely limits it application in the aquaculture industry and industry directed research in its use.

I think I'm going to have to go with Quinine. Any good experiences with that? I just can't justify to my wife spending that kind of money treating a fish. Especially when I'm not even 100% sure it's still Ich.

Btw, here's where I found the Chloroquine for "dirt cheap":

http://www.fishchemical.com/Products-CHLOROQUINE-PHOSPHATE-1-KILO-22937.Item.html

But after a closer look, it's a wholesale place, so I probably couldn't buy from them anyway...

 

[alprazo]

Gary D, I know the costs are ridiculous. I just dropped almost a grand on praziquantil. If you look at the post of my fish medicine cabinet, there is and insane amount of money spent. But to treat your fish, it would cost about $6, max.

I've used quinine in the past too. It has a narrow therapeutic index from what I remember, but it works. I purchased mine from nat fish pharm and would rec the same. It has been a while.

I again agree with MR Tuskfish About health. IMO, ich does not necessarily need to be treated. My reef display had ich for over fifteen years. I had trouble adding fish, but the ones with immunity never had issues. Power outages and temp swings would cause outbreaks, to let me know it was there but I never lost a long term resident fish to ich. I also went for over 7 years without adding fish and can tell you that it doesn't lose it virulence or go away. That theory is flawed. The new fish I added quickly developed ich.

Cliff hanger.... I will be posting in several months a treatment for a very commen fish alment. The first trial went perfect. I just now need to demonstrate long term success.

 

[alprazo]

Btw I am familiar with fishchemical. That is another discussion on a different post.

 

[Chris27]

* It can take up to 72 days for copper/hypo to work: "As described above, in some reports, theronts were not released until 72 days after initial tomont formation, so some situations may require longer treatment time periods."

It can take 72 days to eradicate the parasite from a fish tank.....it only takes a few days to eradicate a fish of the parasite.

The theront is only on a fish for a few days, so one can be 99.9% certain that a fish is free and clear in about two weeks. The key is to ensure that copper levels are kept in check to deal with the parasite if it makes it back to the free swimming stage while the fish is still in the tank.

Keeping a fish in constant copper for 72 days is silly.....keeping a fish tank fallow for 72 days seems somewhat valid.

 

[b0bab0ey]

It can take 72 days to eradicate the parasite from a fish tank.....it only takes a few days to eradicate a fish of the parasite.

The theront is only on a fish for a few days, so one can be 99.9% certain that a fish is free and clear in about two weeks. The key is to ensure that copper levels are kept in check to deal with the parasite if it makes it back to the free swimming stage while the fish is still in the tank.

Keeping a fish in constant copper for 72 days is silly.....keeping a fish tank fallow for 72 days seems somewhat valid.

Unless I'm mistaken, theronts in the tomite stage is when the parasite is vulnerable to copper/hypo. So it doesn't matter if we're talking about the DT or the fish being treated in QT. 72 days is 72 days. If it can take up to 72 days for the theronts to be released, then you have to go fallow in the DT and treat with copper/hypo in QT for 72 days. This is probably not needed in most cases but it's the only way to be 99.9% certain you've got the Crypto knocked out IMO.

 

[Chris27]

You're right, its the trophont that is on the fish for just a couple of days....but again...if the tank has already gone through the fallow time then it's just silly to QT a fish for more then a few weeks.