My journey using Chloroquine Phosphate begins...

[HumbleFish]

Treatments are done in the DT, It's a FOWLR

And this is likely the whole problem. CP kills algae growing on a rock; so is it not logical to conclude the rock also absorbs some of it (perhaps a lot)? At least with copper you can test & raise in a FOWLR. No practical test kit for CP exists (alprazo once mentioned needing a "high-performance liquid chromatography machine" to test).

Also, are you running a skimmer, UV or carbon in the DT?

 

[holdyourlight]

And this is likely the whole problem. CP kills algae growing on a rock; so is it not logical to conclude the rock also absorbs some of it (perhaps a lot)? At least with copper you can test & raise in a FOWLR. No practical test kit for CP exists (alprazo once mentioned needing a "high-performance liquid chromatography machine" to test).

Also, are you running a skimmer, UV or carbon in the DT?

I won't comment on the absorption factor because i have no clue, but it's certainly possible/probable. I will say that it was very evident that the CP was still extremely active in the system this past time as the tangs appetite returned immediately upon removal of the drug.

I have done it both ways, with the skimmer on and with it off during treatment. Don't notice a difference either way. Skimmer runs the same, and ich has returned both ways.

No carbon or UV during treatment.

 

[HumbleFish]

I won't comment on the absorption factor because i have no clue, but it's certainly possible/probable. I will say that it was very evident that the CP was still extremely active in the system this past time as the tangs appetite returned immediately upon removal of the drug.

I have done it both ways, with the skimmer on and with it off during treatment. Don't notice a difference either way. Skimmer runs the same, and ich has returned both ways.

No carbon or UV during treatment.

I'll admit I'm not 100% about the absorption factor either (we really need alprazo back). But it seems like that's the main difference between your experience and those of us who have experienced successful treatment(s).

The tang that stopped eating after 22 days; did this occur after you added more CP to raise the concentration to 60 mg/gal or something?

 

[holdyourlight]

I'll admit I'm not 100% about the absorption factor either (we really need alprazo back). But it seems like that's the main difference between your experience and those of us who have experienced successful treatment(s).

The tang that stopped eating after 22 days; did this occur after you added more CP to raise the concentration to 60 mg/gal or something?

Still suspicious that it could be rock absorption. Having it @ 80mg/g would allow room for absorption if there really is any, since people are apparently successful @ 40

The tang stopped eating after CP was introduced, i ran carbon to remove it @ day 22, and he began eating again within a few days. I was hoping i would be OK since i used a much higher concentration this time, but the same thing happened that has happened with every CP experiement i have done, with CP from 3 sources, and varying treatments up to 45 days- it came back.

If the tang eats this time i am inclined to leave it in for a very long time

 

[scuzy]

I've only done it 2x and had good luck with it. Cp took care of the active out break of Ich for me and so far I have not notice any Ich out break coming back in dt.

 

[ReefKeeper64]

I've only done it 2x and had good luck with it. Cp took care of the active out break of Ich for me and so far I have not notice any Ich out break coming back in dt.

Did you treat your DT or QT? I ask because I'm looking for success stories of people treating their DT (FOWLR or Reef) with CP.

In my case, it would be much more realistic to remove the inverts and corals than to remove all the fish and put them in a 30 gal QT. A 30 gal is too small and I don't have another tank that can keep the number of fish in for such a long time. I don't have ich AFAIK but if the tank should get ich in the future it would be nice to know that CP treatment for the DT is an option.

As far as filtration goes, my DT has a large filtration system and I'm confident I could keep ammonia in check in spite of die off (worms, etc) while undergoing such a treatment.

Comments from everyone with experience doing a DT treatment are welcomed.

Thanks!

 

[Alberta-newb]

Well I've been experimenting with using it in a 90 gal DT after I felt a hippo tang was not dealing with a cramped QT to well. I found CP does not appear to work well when LR or substrate is present. Always works well for me in a bare QT but in the DT it seems to break down quite quickly. I feel this way as although it immediately killed off all algae and aiptaisia (added bonus), algae was returning in about a week or so. This after re-dosing to a theoretical 80mg/g (the max I will try). The ich on the hippo appears to have been treated but it will get another week in a bare QT before it goes in my main 500 gal display. I've tried with both skimmer on and off, ambient light only, etc. just not confident it is effective.

 

[HumbleFish]

I feel this way as although it immediately killed off all algae and aiptaisia (added bonus), algae was returning in about a week or so.

If algae is reappearing, this is a definite sign that CP is no longer active in the tank. In my QTs, where I use CP, it can sometimes take months for algae to grow again. As you pointed out, there's something about a DT w/LR & substrate that breaks CP down fairly quickly. Rendering it ineffective before it's had time to do it's job.

 

[scuzy]

I treat in a 40b qt not dt. So far it's worked great and a lot nicer on the fish and does not suppress appetite.

 

[Deinonych]

If algae is reappearing, this is a definite sign that CP is no longer active in the tank. In my QTs, where I use CP, it can sometimes take months for algae to grow again. As you pointed out, there's something about a DT w/LR & substrate that breaks CP down fairly quickly. Rendering it ineffective before it's had time to do it's job.

On a related note, I have found that Polyfilter removes CP pretty well. After treating my clownfish at 80mg/g, I did a 50% water change and ran carbon and Polyfilter. Algae started to appear again after two weeks or so.

 

[Louis Z]

This is so ridiculous. It shouldn't be this difficult to get an anti-malarial drug. Without going thru shady sources and then wondering about it's purity. It's not like CP is a narcotic or some other form of illicit drug. :furious:

It's a prescription drug for humans so it will always be this way no matter how much we complain. True I think it should be a drug that should be available by the fish pharmaceutical companies. If they market quinine without rx then why not CP.

 

[ReefKeeper64]

if you're oing to treat the display tank, i would suggest removing all inverts and count on whatever remains may/will die.

Thanks Fishman. Your feedback confirms my thoughts.

Here on RC, we all see a plethora of problematic tanks with relatively few corals (mostly frags) but many pests including ich, bubble algae and vermetid snails, to name just a few. This hobby has a higher exit rate after just 12 months than any other hobby that I can think of. More people may stay in the hobby if we learn to use a medication such as CP to resolve such major issues without having to essentially "start over".

Most people wouldn't have an issue in moving their corals and inverts to a QT for 8-10 weeks if they could leave their fish alone because that can be done in a relatively small QT tank. Maintaining good water quality in the QT with only corals and inverts is not such a problem. In contrast, moving a dozen+ fish from a typical 100gal+ DT to a relatively 30gal QT is very difficult. For one, just trying to catch all the fish can take forever and for some would be impossible. Then once you get the fish into a relatively small QT, you have over crowding and water quality issues.

I encourage all who are treating their DT to share their experiences. It may pave the way to help grow the hobby just by reducing the number of people that get frustrated and exit it so quickly.

 

[ReefKeeper64]

i think the main drawback is quantity of medication, 55g hospital vs 180g or 240g display. otherwise, well said!

What would be the cost to medicate a 100g DT?

 

[HumbleFish]

not sure it's bio-media that breaks it down. from everything i read, carbon and especially exposure to light is what breaks it down. when i see my local dealer use and handle it, QT lights are turned off, room overhead lights only. mixed solution stored in UV amber bottles only and the powder stored in drawer out of light. i think it's light that breaks it down.

I've read (or been told) that exposure to carbon, light, UV and skimmer can all remove CP. The big ? is whether or not CP can get absorbed by rock (the way copper can). Anyone who has ever used CP in the presence of LR knows the LR turns white fairly quickly. So, is it just CP's algicide properties working on the outside of the rock? Or does CP penetrate deeper, getting partially absorbed by the rock and lowering the overall concentration in the water column?

 

[michfish5]

I just got some CP from KM Assoc. Intl. It came with a dropper bottle but no instructions. I got the (3) 20 gallon doses for my QT. Currently I have an Ocellaris Clown and a Blue Green Chromis in my 20 gal. QT going on 2 1/2 weeks now. After the first week in QT there was some minimal scratching by the Chromis and a bit less scratching by Clown. There were no other symptoms - no white spots or velvet, just a little scratching. A few days later the chromis appeared to be breathing fast, with mouth opening and closing rapidly along with fast gill movement. But it never slowed down, always swimming,eats like a pig.

I dosed PraziPro for a week. The fish are still very active and eating. The chromis is still scratching as much (or little) as it did. The clown hardly scratching at all. Clearly SOMETHING is making them scratch but I am not sure what. Still no other symptoms - no white spots or anything and the chromis is not breathing as hard. (Do they breathe quickly in general?) I am ready to try something else and I have the CP and Cupramine on hand but I am unsure about the diagnosis. If I WAS to try the CP, do I just add the pre-measured dosage to some RO water in the dropper bottle that KM provided and pour into the tank? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

[michfish5]

Thank you no1fishman! But how much water should I put in the bottle? Since there is some scratching going on I was thinking of going the erradication route and use the whole bottle. Just don't know how much water to put in.

 

[michfish5]

Thanks no1fishman! That's what I figured but I just wanted to be sure since the bottle had a dropper. I assume you have used KM's product before and had good results? My QT is cycled and bare with the exception of two PVC elbows. Should I expect any ammonia spikes as some have reported? or change in color? I have reread this thread several times but after awhile it gets confusing. I just want to make sure I am doing things correctly with this new product. Thanks!

 

[ca1ore]

Trying CP for the first time on an asymptomatic Desjardini Tang. 40 mg/ gallon. 16 days in and fish has gone on a hunger strike. May try to eek out three weeks, and then remove meds to see if appetite returns.

 

[rog2961]

just a little update, cp affects appetite quite a bit. Lost all of my anthias due to it. They could not go extended periods of time without eating. I eventually lost my trigger as well. He was the one that initially caused the ich. I treated with CP, he was good for about two weeks, after the ich went away I had to deal with flukes. I treated with CP and Prazi for a bit, and the symptoms seemed to improve for the trigger. Then one day I found it dead. My two clowns, yellow tang, wrasse, and rabbitfish all made it through fine. I do want to mention that it made my rabbitfish's eyes conical in shape. It appears there was some sort of fluke on its eye that was made worse by the prazi. Not sure what it was but the eye is getting better, but the conical shape still stays.


I've put my coral back after running carbon and my skimmer for one week. During that time period I performed 3 30g wc on my 155. I lost one coral to rtn. All others are doing fine. I won't know 100% if theres still ich until I add a known clean fish.

 

[Deinonych]

I think it depends on the fish. Certainly anthias are more sensitive fish, so it's possible CP is not a good treatment option for them. Perhaps tank transfer would be a better bet.