Possible New Cure for Ick?

What about those of us, who have used garlic with limited success at best, who dont want to kill our reef, who have used ginger and garlic together and not only seen fish go ich free but have been brought back from the brink of death from ich.

I for one will continue to use Ginger and Garlic powders in my food until I have trouble. As of now, I have no ich showing up over a month from a point when I thought I would lose my whole tank to it

It amuses me that if it isnt the "accepted" answer to a problem or the usual way of doing things, then it must be wrong.

But think back. How many thought bioball trickle filtration was the answer long ago? How many differant ways of doing things have evolved by people trying stuff? It may not be right, it may not be the ginger that is actually making the results, but as the hobby continues to grow, it truly angers me that people get flamed for suggesting something out of the "norm"

Number of posts you have makes no one an expert. If you havent tried ginger and your saying it doesnt work just for the sake of it, your an ***.

I wonder what the first person who suggested garlic was told?
 
I guess you and I just don't see "flaming" the same way. I see this as a case of "What makes you think ginger would effect ICH" much more than "You're a moron to put ginger in your tank"
The latter would be, in my eyes a flame.
People are using Interceptor to kill red Acro bugs. Someone didn't just one day decide to put some mystery pill in their tank, it was researched, and corroloations were drawn between Heartworm (what Interceptor is marked to treat) and red bugs, THEN testing was done on infected corals, in a closed environment.
This is a big difference IMO. I don't see any reason to believe that ginger will kill ICH. What is it about ginger that you expect to have the desired effect?
I'm really not thinking that ginger will hurt the animals in your tank, but I think that a fish that is sick with ICH should be treated with something that you have reason to believe in, to prevent the fish from getting sicker.
I have no problem with you deciding that you want to try this new cure. Go get yourself some ICH, and see if ginger kills it. If it does, find out why. Repeat the experiment several times, and if you're successful 10 or 12 times, I'd say that you're on to something. Until then, I will continue to hope that I don't any fish with the parasite, as I'm convinced that I'd have to get the fish out of my tank, and treat it with Hyposalinity.
 
I also dont think ginger "kills" ich. that would be foolish. But I cant deny that it helped it to go dormant. I dont care if it affects the ich, or affects the fish in a positive way. I just think its wrong for someone to assume I am going to hurt my tank by trying it.

I can respect others opinions, but so many attitudes on this site are "we know SO much more than you and we are right" that its laughable.

Oh well. I will continue to use it and suggest others do also if they have an ich outbreak
 
stlouis...Try not to let them get to you. I know how you feel. You'll notice that some who totally knocked it at first changed their tune (some) and are at least willing to look into, or help others perform an actual scientific study. Whether or not it will be accepted on this board or others is a different story however.
 
stlouisguy said:
I also dont think ginger "kills" ich. that would be foolish. But I cant deny that it helped it to go dormant.

The only evidence you have that the ginger did anything is that you put it in and the ich went 'dormant'. The problem still is that this is exactly what often happens with ich with no treatment at all.

I can respect others opinions, but so many attitudes on this site are "we know SO much more than you and we are right" that its laughable.

With respect, how is that different than:

Oh well. I will continue to use it and suggest others do also if they have an ich outbreak
 
For those of you using Ginger, you might consider only using it when you must rather than as part of a continuous feeding regime. Otherwise, <i>if this even works</i> your fish might build up a tolerance that might prove it ineffective if a new outbreak of Ich occurs.
 
Lefty, the differance is the word "suggest". If they choose to use it good, if not that fine also.

But the ich didnt just go dormant, the fish that i was most worried about the ich was almost dead, and two days later not a sign of it. That was over a month ago, and not a white spot to be found. This was after losing two great fish to ich and not being able to stop it, then BOOM it not only stopped, but disappeared.

To each thier own i guess
 
Hmmm.... A pattern does seem to be emerging.

A number of posters have reported serious ich, they feed ginger, no more ich.
Provided these reports are accurate, one must assume evidence is mounting.
Yet to see somebody tried it properly, and it did not work.
 
I have no problem with people trying new things in their tanks and exprimenting. It's how new discoveries are made by hobbyists.

I do not think however, that it should be a recommended step to combat Ich at this juncture.

I'm not trying to flame, just remembering back 8 months or so when I first happened on this board. Because I had no idea what was tried and true vs. what were experimental theories, I counted on those making recomendations to provide me with good and accurate information.

I'd hate to see some kid lose a few hundred dollars in fish because he went with ginger vs. QT and hyposalinity because the former seemed easier and was recommended by members of RC.

I'm not saying the person receiving the information isn't responsible for their own research and verifying recommendations, however, it may be best to err on the side of caution until we know whether ginger has benefitial or even adverse effects for the sake of the livestock and owners.

Just my 2c, was not trying to flame, offend or ruffle feathers.

Well maybe the last, but that's my nature.
 
Well said, Mickyfin. It's experimental, and should be treated as such.
And I don't think you ruffled any feathers.
However, does look to be worthy of further research by any hobbyist prepared to do so. If my tank got ich, I would give it a shot, just to add to the available data.
 
wasp said:
Hmmm.... A pattern does seem to be emerging.

A number of posters have reported serious ich, they feed ginger, no more ich.
Provided these reports are accurate, one must assume evidence is mounting.
Yet to see somebody tried it properly, and it did not work.

There are several people who tried it with bad results buried somewhere in this thread.
 
I think the ginger treatment with the garlic is for people who have ich in their tank, cannot tear it down and go the 6 week route and just need it to go and stay dormant.

Qurantine is always the best, but if you have a problem you just need to deal with it best you can, and for some of us this seems to work.

If Ich shows up in a month or two I will come back here and say its back. But until then I am happy with no Ich showing up on my fish, whatever the reason
 
stlouisguy said:
I think the ginger treatment with the garlic is for people who have ich in their tank, cannot tear it down and go the 6 week route and just need it to go and stay dormant.


Key word being *think*. As I understand it, Ich will go dormant if you do nothing at all. Should we recommend to people seeking advice regarding Ich to ignore it until it goes away?

stlouisguy said:


Qurantine is always the best, but if you have a problem you just need to deal with it best you can, and for some of us this seems to work.


Perhaps we should be recommending quarantine then, since it seems to work best.

stlouisguy said:


If Ich shows up in a month or two I will come back here and say its back. But until then I am happy with no Ich showing up on my fish, whatever the reason


I applaud you for contributing your finding to the community. However, not all who seek advice want to be part of an experimental treatment.

When we recommend something that is outside the established practice, perhaps we should preface our recomendations with -

This theory is unproven, however, please see _______ thread for an experimental treatment that may generate _______ results.

Again, I understand responsibility rests with the person soliciting advice, however, the above seems responsible.
 
Mickey, if you go back and read all the posts, I believe its around page 33 when the original poster says he was being tongue in cheek with the title, he should have said a possible new treatment for the outbreak of Ich.

Of course not having Ich is the desirable way, but if you have it, and your fish are on the brink of death from it (which mine were) why not try a new way to treat?

But if you are going to break down my sentences and take words out to prove your point, and not take my entire post in the spirit if which it is posted, then this discussion is done.

Have you tried it? Did it work? Did it not work? If you answered no to the first question, STFU and go away. You are pushing your beliefs that it is bad with nothing to back it up. At least I have preliminary findings that it works. I havent seen a post of anyone losing their tank or having adverse effects. Some posted it didnt work, but thats about it.

"Perhaps we should be recommending quarantine then, since it seems to work best."

Dont include eveyone in the "we" part of that. You are comparing apples to oranges. To start a new tank, to add fish to a ich free(if that possible) quarantine is the best.

But to a tank that has Ich, quarantine is foolish. So you deal with the problem you have best way you can. Again, my mixture of ginger, garlic, healthy food, stable temp, etc does the trick. Is it one thing if there? doubt it. Is it a combo of things? probably.

I am of the opinion that no one on this site can tell me Im wrong because no one actually knows. I know, I know, thats your point. But maybe this idea will save just one fish, and if that happens, its worth all these words.

Have a nice day.
 
<------- Trying to be politically correct. LOL

This theory is unproven, however, please see http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=181818&perpage=25&pagenumber=1 thread for an experimental treatment that may generate good/bad results.

cratylus Named this thread:

Possible New Cure for Ick?

Key word to me is "Possible".

So this could possibly be a cure or not is how most with any third grade education (heres a key word for ya) SHOULD take it.

O.K. .............. I will apologize now if I have upset anyone that (key word again) MAY be slow.

Why can't we all just try our best to act with some compassion and fore thought before we go off hot headed and say things we really do not mean. Remember that this is just a thread on a board. Why get upset? Why waste time dealing with those that, for what ever reason, do not have a life and think themselves that they benifit by putting down others or others ideas.

If you know for a fact GINGER works then show some proof.

If you know that GINGER does not work then show some proof.

If you know for a fact that GINGER causes some sort of adverse effects then show some proof.

Otherwise try your best to be as proactive and open minded with this theory until you actually have something other than just your negitive thoughts.

Momma always said: "If you don't have anything nice to say then its best if you kept to yourself."

So far there has been some pretty good stuff said here about this theory and allot of it has came through the knowledge that ATJ has chossen to pass along. Some have reported their own findings whether they be good or bad.

I for one have not the scientific education to do most, if any, of the things it would take to find out for sure if Ginger is a cure or not. Though, if it seems to work for you then, so be it and great. If not, then, I for one am sorry for your loss and we all will be continuing to strive for a simple cure.

I just want to thank cratylus for even starting this thread and sharing with us all his findings as well as all the others that have entered a proactive post to this thread whether it be good or bad when speaking on the topic at hand.

As one once sad: "Can't we all just get along?" :)
 
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