New Life Spectrum Ick Shield
- Thread starter jschultzbass
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Deinonych
New member
Nope. Fish get Cryptocaryon (ich) because they are exposed to the parasite either in the wild or during the process of collection and distribution. It has nothing to do with stress. Fish getting Crypto from "stress" is a tired old reefing bromide that just won't go away.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fa164
Deinonych
New member
Cleaner wrasses have no effect on Cryptocaryon, as it is embedded beneath the epidermis of the fish. So, that would not be an effective treatment methodology. Ick Shield Powder is chloroquine phosphate (CP), so it would be effective if dosed correctly.
Personally, I prefer TTM to other treatment protocols, as it targets the life cycle stage with the least variability (trophont stage), but other treatments like CP can be as effective if dosed for the appropriate length of time to assure that all stages of the parasite have been killed.
Personally, I prefer TTM to other treatment protocols, as it targets the life cycle stage with the least variability (trophont stage), but other treatments like CP can be as effective if dosed for the appropriate length of time to assure that all stages of the parasite have been killed.
ThRoewer
New member
Maybe it's nitpicking, but as I understand it, TTM targets the protomont/tomont stage by killing them through tank sterilization. TTM uses the shortest period a trophont can remain on the fish as the transfer timer but doesn't do a thing against the trophont itself.
So TTM uses the most predictable stage (trophont) but doesn't target it.
To my understanding CP is the only effective medication that actually poisons the trophont while still on the fish (which is why CP laced foods even exist despite their questionable usefulness due to dosing issues and targeting all fish).
To me the main benefit of CP would be that it also covers other, much nastier parasites like Amyloodinium, Brooklynella, Uronema and likely also Tricodina.
The downside of CP is the lack of a test method (besides HPLC which hardly anyone has access to) and the possibility that certain bacteria (precisely those one might use to quickly cycle a QT filter) may degrade it to an ineffective form.
The other downside may be that all those parasites develop resistance against CP (like certain malaria strains did) due to increased (likely incorrect) usage at LFSs or other stages in the supply chain.
Since I buy my saltwater in 5 gallon cannisters from my LFS my main issue with TTM (at full salinity) is the amount of water I would need for TTM. Even with only using 10 gallon tanks it runs up to minimum of 40 gallons every time.
That is one of the main reasons why I prefer hyposalinity - I can use old tank water (to be on the safe side sterilized by boiling) and therefore incorporate it in a water change.
If needed I may still do TTM at hyposaline condition. But unless a hyplsaline Cryptocaryon strain had made it into my or my LFS's system that would really only make sense to also eradicate other parasites than Cryptocaryon by formalin baths in-between tanks.
Hyposalinity has also the advantage that I don't need to worry much about cross contamination as any accidently introduced Cryptocaryon stage would be killed off by the low salinity.
So, when I'm going to do TTM, I will most likely combine it with hyposalinity for economical and reliability reasons.
Deinonych
New member
You're right...you are nitpicking.
Seriously, though...perhaps it's better to state that TTM exploits the most predictable stage (trophont to protomont) by preventing protomonts from becoming tomonts.
I have read that CP affects the theront stage (for sure) and the trophont stage if you can get enough CP into the bloodstream of the fish. The latter is a challenge, as it's difficult to get fish to consume CP-laced foods due to its bitter taste (which has been borne out by anecdotal evidence on these forums). There is some speculation that CP also kills the protomont stage (or at least prevents it from forming a tomont), but I have not seen any empirical evidence that this is so.
I agree on all points. I keep CP on hand in case I ever get a new fish with velvet. For Brook and Uronema, I'd probably use acriflavin or formalin. I've read anecdotes that CP works on Brook/Uronema (at very high doses - 20mg/L - which puts fish at risk IMO), but again no conclusive evidence that it does.
I make my own RO/DI, so getting water isn't an issue for me. I don't trust my LFS, and it's a 30 minute drive from my house. My RO/DI system paid for itself within a couple months of purchase just in gas alone. Plus, I'm a control freak.
Update: 1 week +1 day from CP dose. Algae film on glass is gray so it looks like cloudy water. That with the green and red lights ... Yuck does the tank look like crap. Remaining snails which I did not get out are dead. Couple large bristle worms on surface tonight dead. I'll get them and some of the dead snails out tomorrow.
Fish behavior better and appetite returning with the exception of the kole tang which is still hiding all the time. I did see it swim in the very back behind the rocks and the motion looked slightly better but too early to tell. Midas blenny looks good with dorsal fin fully erect for first time in 3 weeks. Wrasses improved but not as much. Someone tell them to stop sleeping in the sand. PJ Cardinals hover posture leveling again so also better.
Now interstng side note. Vermetid snails which I expected to have a hard time or die have all developed white tips on their tubes. Presume that means they are dead and the tubes are losing color as a result. I'm going to scrub every rock as I do water changes. Course when I put the coral back I'll be reintroducing vermetids. I see no way around that.
Corals in QT. Trachy is doing great. Lower current and less light than anywhere in the DT. Everything else except a Duncan which is neutral is suffering to some degree or another due to not enough current or light. I'll have to improve this.
Fish behavior better and appetite returning with the exception of the kole tang which is still hiding all the time. I did see it swim in the very back behind the rocks and the motion looked slightly better but too early to tell. Midas blenny looks good with dorsal fin fully erect for first time in 3 weeks. Wrasses improved but not as much. Someone tell them to stop sleeping in the sand. PJ Cardinals hover posture leveling again so also better.
Now interstng side note. Vermetid snails which I expected to have a hard time or die have all developed white tips on their tubes. Presume that means they are dead and the tubes are losing color as a result. I'm going to scrub every rock as I do water changes. Course when I put the coral back I'll be reintroducing vermetids. I see no way around that.
Corals in QT. Trachy is doing great. Lower current and less light than anywhere in the DT. Everything else except a Duncan which is neutral is suffering to some degree or another due to not enough current or light. I'll have to improve this.
Mishri
Active member
Well.. I decided to test out my theory on the 8 days of CP treatment. Followed by transfer into new tank. My tang wasn't eating so after 2 weeks I transferred him to my 75 gallon. he is eating and looking very healthy.. time will tell if it returns. Although I treated with CP for velvet, I'm sure he had Ich as well (Came from Petco).
FishyFishy69
New member
I've been treating my tank with the NLS Ich-Shield pellets now for 5 days. I've been releasing a few pellets at a time, and so far they are all eating it like pigs. I have a yellow tang, a purple tang and a scopas that are affected. I have been feeding twice daily, before I feed Mysis/Nori.
In 5 days, all the Tangs no longer have visible spots. The only downside that I have seen so far is some bullseye mushrooms and my toadstool leather are all shrivled up and not happy. Aside from those softies, all SPS, LPS, inverts and anemone's seem to be doing just fine. I'm going to do a decent sized water change tonight just for peice of mind.
But all in all, the food seems to have been doing it's job with minimal effects on the tank. I will continue to treat with the pellets and see how it goes.
********** I know that this is not a solution or alternative to a good quarrantine system, but theres no way I can get them out of the tank at this point ***********
In 5 days, all the Tangs no longer have visible spots. The only downside that I have seen so far is some bullseye mushrooms and my toadstool leather are all shrivled up and not happy. Aside from those softies, all SPS, LPS, inverts and anemone's seem to be doing just fine. I'm going to do a decent sized water change tonight just for peice of mind.
But all in all, the food seems to have been doing it's job with minimal effects on the tank. I will continue to treat with the pellets and see how it goes.
********** I know that this is not a solution or alternative to a good quarrantine system, but theres no way I can get them out of the tank at this point ***********
Salty150
New member
It seems as though almost everyone that posts - says that their fish will eat the Ick Shield food...
Salty150
New member
Deinonych
New member
It seems as though almost everyone that posts - says that their fish will eat the Ick Shield food...
Everyone? I see one anecdotal report in this thread that states that the food seems to be working after 5 days. Hardly conclusive evidence.
Salty150
New member
Everyone? I see one anecdotal report in this thread that states that the food seems to be working after 5 days. Hardly conclusive evidence.
You need to read more... lol
In any event, your statement was that fish won't eat it - when they seem to be eating it...
Deinonych
New member
You need to read more... lol
In any event, your statement was that fish won't eat it - when they seem to be eating it...
Maybe you should follow your own advice about reading. I said it is difficult to get fish to each CP-laced foods, not that they won't eat it.
Again, one anecdotal report does not equal conclusive evidence. If you have spent time in this forum for a while, you will have read countless reports of people trying to get their fish to eat CP-laced foods, especially Dr. G's Anti-Parasitic Caviar. Now, if this new food is more palatable, and it actually rids fish of the parasite, then it's another tool we have in our war against Cryptocaryon. I want to see more evidence, though.
Deinonych
New member
Good thing that this is the "New Life Spectrum Ick Shield" thread and not the "Dr. G's Anti-Parasitic Caviar" thread...
Yes, because threads never wander off topic... :hmm5:
Do you have something meaningful to bring to this discussion or are you just trolling?
Salty150
New member
LOL, yes, I am actually very interested in this New Life Spectrum Ick Shield - it seems to be very promising - and everyone who actually uses it seems to state that almost all of their fish will eat it.
So that in itself is very exciting.
The Ick Shield Powder also seems to be promising.
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