Ich - Kick-Ich and Water changes, etc.

[Chitownpw]

I've decided to try Kick-Ich to treat an ich outbreak - in combination with hyposalinity. I know people have varying opinions on this products but my LFS said it works - so i'm game.

The instructions say no carbon and suggest turning off the skimmer.

has anyone used this product? if so, during use, did you turn off your skimmer?

what about water changes? should they be done less frequently to make the product more effective? if so, it seems like the tank will get pretty dirty.

 

[Dmorty217]

What's the "active ingredient" in kick ich? If it isn't copper of some form or chloroquine phosphate it will not be worth you wasting your time. Hypo is the hardest method to accomplish correctly, if your salinity rises above 1.009 for even a second the time starts over at 0. Also your more likely to stress fish out to the point of disease when bringing the salinity back up

 

[pinnatus]

Kick ich does not work. Hypo will if done correctly.

 

[Chitownpw]

As I noted above, I realize people have different opinions on the product. I am curious how people who have used he product implemented use.

 

[snorvich]

As I noted above, I realize people have different opinions on the product. I am curious how people who have used he product implemented use.

Unfortunately, many/most people relying on this product are no longer in the hobby. But you may find someone who likes it . . .

 

[viggen]

Yea.... I am one of the people who threw money down the drain and used kick ich.... it did NOTHING!! Didn't even slow down ICH from growiing in numbers on the infected fish and spearing to others....

Hypo or copper is your only option

I have used both methods and they both work. As someone stated above hypo is tricky in that the salinity must stay in a specific and narrow area. Above that number and you go back to the beginning of the treatment... below that number and fish will die

Coppersafe is what I used last time.... & will use again if needed. I have a FOWLR & my last outbreak I added the stuff directly to my tank. I am interested to see how long it takes before inverts can live in there again. I see little critters on the acrylic now....

 

[snorvich]

Hypo or copper is your only option

And tank transfer or CP

 

[Dmorty217]

And tank transfer or CP

These are better than hypo and copper IMO

 

[jmicky41]

I tried the Kick - Ich twice. One time it "seemed" to work. I turned the UV and skimmer off and ran the treatment schedule they recommended. I did one extra dose for good measure.

The second time I used it, it didn't help at all. The fish got worse and started to suffer. So, I did what I should have done in the first place - bought a 20 gallon hospital tank and started hypo. Not to mention the small fortune I spent on the product. I found the hypo process to be pretty easy on me and the fish. Check the SG a couple times a day, add a splash of water to keep the level at my Sharpie line, and feed sparingly. The ich went away and never came back.

Now, it seems hypo has fallen out of favor due to hypo- resistant ich stains, among other reasons. Now that I have the hospital tank, all new additions spend their first weeks in it. Indeed, it saved me from a velvet outbreak in the display tank. When not in use, the hospital tank is taken down and put in the closet.

 

[Chitownpw]

Here is my update, for those who may be researching this product in the future.

I was using Kick-Ich. During the use, I didn't notice any clear adverse impact on the tank. With that said, I couldn't quantify its effectiveness (if any).

While using, I was concerned that I incorrectly diagnosed the cause and became worried that the outbreak was velvet, not ich, or some combination thereof. In a prior discussion with the manufacturer, they stated (and (of course) recommended) that I use their product "Rally" in conjunction with Kick-Ich. Rally apparently works against other pathogens, such as velvet.

I dumped the recommended dosage of the Rally into the tank.

The premise of both Rally and Kick-Ich, as I understand it, is to not kill the pathogens but to make it so they cannot attach to a host.

The Rally seemed to be doing something to my tank - my inverts (coral, in particular) started to retract and recede. After the second day of Rally and like the tenth day of Kick-Ich, the coral was looking bad and some of my fish seemed to be doing pretty bad also. Consequently, I ripped my tank apart to get my fish into a QT to treat with copper sulfate and did a major water change in my main display tank.

Most of my fish, actually all but one, didn't make it - I waited too long.

With that said, in all honesty, i can't tell what (if any) impact (good or bad) the Kick-Ich had. I note that the directions indicates that continue treatment is needed until no fish have visible signs of ich and then continue one more treatment cycle from that point. In other words, it takes a long time to be effective. Two of my LFSs say it works but it is just diluted and takes a while (both LFSs sell the product).

In the course of researching this product, the manufacturer indicated that a public research facility in Florida has been using the product for years. I reached out to that facility, and the individual that I communicated with stated that they have been using Kick-Ich and another product (Hydroplex) for 10 years in all of their QTs. They weren't recommending the product, but just sharing their experiences.

 

[Kurkis493]

So for clarification -

You had ich in your system - You decided to go with a product called "kick-ich" to handle the problem and the result was the loss of all but 1 fish?

 

[Reefer07]

and tank transfer or cp

cp?

 

[pinnatus]

Sorry you lost your fish. Now you have learned the same lesson that many of us have learned a long time ago. Kick Ich does not work. Which was told to you on 10/16. By people who know, because they have been there done that.

Nature is a patient teacher, she will teach the same lesson over and over until it is learned.

 

[DDon]

cp?

Chloroquine Phosphate

 

[Chitownpw]

Sorry you lost your fish. Now you have learned the same lesson that many of us have learned a long time ago. Kick Ich does not work. Which was told to you on 10/16. By people who know, because they have been there done that.

Nature is a patient teacher, she will teach the same lesson over and over until it is learned.

Unfortunately, I can ask 10 people in this hobby the same question and get 10 different answers. That's why, before I ever used the product, I asked 3 LFSs (all of which says it works), contacted the manufacturer directly and then contacted the The Smithsonian Marine Station (SMS) at Fort Pierce (which has been using this product for several years). Based on this, I tried the product. It didn't work for me. I'm sure people have had success with the product. I understand that it takes several applications primarily because the active ingredients are so diluted to allow it to work in a reef environment.

 

[Deinonych]

I'm sure people have had success with the product.

I would love to hear from these people, as I have yet to hear from anyone who has used this product and successfully eradicated Cryptocaryon (marine ich) from their system. The only tried-and-true methods for eradicating this parasite are outlined in the stickies at the top of this forum, coupled with a sound quarantine protocol. Personally, I'm a huge fan of Tank Transfer Method when it comes to preventing/eliminating Cryptocaryon.

 

[Newsmyrna80]

Unfortunately, I can ask 10 people in this hobby the same question and get 10 different answers. That's why, before I ever used the product, I asked 3 LFSs (all of which says it works), contacted the manufacturer directly and then contacted the The Smithsonian Marine Station (SMS) at Fort Pierce (which has been using this product for several years). Based on this, I tried the product. It didn't work for me. I'm sure people have had success with the product. I understand that it takes several applications primarily because the active ingredients are so diluted to allow it to work in a reef environment.

Well...you won't hear from me that it works. I tried it 11 years ago and the only thing it did was nearly kill my clown. I can't speak to the marine center but of course an LFS and the manufacturer will tell you it works
In general, we can not rely on a LFS. Yes, there are some that are reputable but for the most part you will need to do your own research and/or bring your questions to this forum.