My journey using Chloroquine Phosphate begins...

If the fish can't see, it can't eat well. No point stressing a fish to keep it in complete darkness for a month or more.
 
If the fish can't see, it can't eat well. No point stressing a fish to keep it in complete darkness for a month or more.

I beg to differ. So long as there is some ambient light, fish eat just fine. I even feed my fish when I go lights out, black garbage bags wrapped around the tank & all. When I shine a flashlight from above I can see them swimming around, eating the food.
 
I think it's dependent on the species of fish. My Yellow-Tail Cromis Wrassie doesn't come out when lights are off (hides in sand). I haven't seen him in three days and last time I did see him, he looked fine. I suspect he's dead under a rock somewhere. Same with cleaner wrassie. I have yet to see/hear that lights out is an absolute requirement. Directions from Thomas labs doesn't state to shut lights off (although mine are). I did turn on for an hour yesterday before feeding to get everyone out. After they ate, I did a 20% WC and added 40mg/g of CP for the 35gallons and added a Dose of 50% dose of CP to the tank. I am not seeing much improvements and start this on the 16th of May. My two triggers don't look good, but Lion, Koran, Sweet-lip grouper, Rabbit, cleaner wrass and Picaso all look good.
 
I keep my lights off during quarantine but what's with trying to black out the tank? Is I purely trying to prevent med breakdown from ambient uv light?
 
Update: The ich outbreak started early in May and I didn't start the CP treatment until the 16th (had to read all threads and order). I am very pleased to report that as of the 25th, there are no visible signs of ich on any of the fish. Especially impressive is how great the clown trigger looks as he was seriously infected with it. The Rabbit, Koran and others are doing great. No scratching..no nothing. And I was shocked yesterday when I just glanced over at the tank and what did I see, but my yellow-tail coris wrassie. He hadn't been seen in 4 days and looks awesome. Everyone is eating and their appetite is such that they all come to the one end of the tank whenever I approach. Today, I changed out 25% of the water, added carbon, turned PS and UV back on. I will continue to monitor, but the colors are great and no white specs anywhere. I plan on keeping this on hand in case of any future outbreak. Thanks to everyone who ventured to try CP out and report their findings. Without this thread, I would have had to resort to Copper. I also believe had I had this on hand when the outbreak started, I would not have lost my Banner, Emperor and Niger Trigger. I have been adding back macrobacter7 to ensure there is no ammonia as the Seachem ammonia badge in the sump shows light green Vs the normal yellow. Not sure if CP did this or there was some impact to the Bacteria levels in the tank. Better safe then sorry. BTW - Had ended up turning lights out for 7 days, no carbon, no PS or UV and shutdown the Ecobak reactor (Cleaned thoroughly and added new pellets today as well). I will revisit this post in a week or so to hopefully state that all is still well or other. Thanks again to everyone who enabled me to find out about Chloroquine Phosphate. :dance: :rollface:
 
Today, I changed out 25% of the water, added carbon, turned PS and UV back on. I will continue to monitor, but the colors are great and no white specs anywhere.

If I'm reading right, you only treated for 10 days. While technically that should be long enough to eradicate Ich with CP... treating for one solid month gives you a lot more leeway. Your DT has to sit fallow for 10+ weeks anyway. Just my opinion.
 
This was done in the DT as I didn't have a large enough spare tank to QT all the infected fish. Also, prior to CP, I was doing kich-ich then PuraGuard. I also understand it may tank some time to get all the CP out of the tank and I did more at the onset of CP Vs just 1 dose and done. If it fish remain clean for the next 30 days, then I will feel pretty good. I also understood that CP would attack ich in all it's 3 stages. So for now, crossing fingers.
 
I'm currently prophylactically treating a pair of Mandarins with CP. I would normally use TT on such a sensitive species, but my upcoming schedule doesn't make that possible. The Mandarins have already been in QT for two weeks. I used Prazi on them first; CP treatment began this morning.....

My question is: What is the bottom line on how long it should take CP to clear parasites? I normally treat with CP for one month, but these are Mandarins. They are eating Nutramar Ova, but the male is getting a little skinny. So, I'm eager to get them into my pod rich DT ASAP.

Humblefish, how did your mandarins make it through the CP?
 
They did fine; they actually ate Nutramar Ova very well during the QT period so I left them in CP for one solid month.

We're they eating Ova before the QT? I tried to get mine to eat it in the QT and he wouldn't touch it. I'm worried on how to feed him. Also where did you get your CP? I got my first batch of CP from Fishman but I think there was something wrong with it. Nearly all of my fish died.
 
Since seeing this thread, I've had my very first run in with marine ich in my FOWLR tank. The batch available to me was expired though. I started with normal dosing (in the DT, removed inverts and LR, and made a PVC jungle gym in replacement). After 5 days, I saw no improvement, I blamed it on the reduced potency from my expired batch. I did my weekly w/c and mixed up a double strength batch. The flashing stopped within 3 days. Another weekly w/c and replaced the double dosage, and another w/c but no dosing this time. I just had to see if it would work with only doing 3 weeks. Sure enough, the marine ich didn't return. This was 4 months ago that I stopped dosing.

During my dosing period, I turned off the lights and skimmer. The LR was removed and put in a stock tank for 3 months (my fallow period). I kept the bio-pellets going though. A few crabs and snails that I missed survived the CP treatment.

The odd things I noticed; my solorensis wrasse jumped a month after treatment stopped and all the surviving fish have a severely decreased appetite.

I suspect the wrasse jumped because of the lack of hiding spaces the LR provided.
 
Exposed tank to UV and did a water change. Clown is doing great and there was no sign of ich after 3 days. He ate like a pig the whole time and seems to be happy.

He will go back into her DT after a fallow period.
 
Hello all
Thank you for sharing all this great info.I started cp treatment 2 weeks ago in 2 tanks.both DT. in my large DT (250g) I had what seems to be velvet and in small one 100g I had ich that i treated with copper few times it it kept coming back. Now after few days all the symptoms disappeared but the fish start getting cloudy eyes at first it was my platax and fox in one tank, than in other tank my tangs and angel,now after 14 days I see it on half of my fish. what can it be? any thoughts?

(sorry for my English)
 
Now after few days all the symptoms disappeared but the fish start getting cloudy eyes at first it was my platax and fox in one tank, than in other tank my tangs and angel,now after 14 days I see it on half of my fish. what can it be? any thoughts?

Sounds like a (secondary) bacterial infection has set in and is spreading. Very common when treating for parasites. I'm not sure what antibiotic options you have available in Armenia. But in the US we would typically use something like erythromycin. Antibiotics such as tetracycline and penicillin might be more readily available - but tread carefully when using these. When in doubt, it's better to under-dose.
 
I just successfuly completed a QT with a 4 week cycle of CP with a Bicolor Angel, FlameBack Angel and SaddleBack Butterfly. All ate pellets after 1 week of treatment, Last week of treatemnt i added Prazi.

Headed to their new home this weekend.
 
I've used cipro in ast two. Dosage is very high in saltwater because it is less effective with a pH over 7 and binds calcium. I think it is between 500 and 750 mg per gal. I'll look it up when I have time. I now use enrofloxacin and give it orally or by injection when needed.
 
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