whitespot and alternative tratments in food

[kinlayan]

was wondering if anyone has had any experience treating fish with quinine phosphate in their food in reef aquariums, dosage? success against cryptocaryon?

 

[JHemdal]

I've used metronidazole at 5000 ppm in gel food, it is VERY distasteful. You can get the fish to eat it once, but few will partake a second time. Quinine is very bitter - I don't know if fish have bitterness taste receptors, but my guess is that they will react to it in a similar fashion.

Jay

 

[dones20]

agreed ^^^^

 

[kinlayan]

how does quinine phosphate kill crypto if it is in the food, does it kill the ich that is embedded in the fish? as im sure it doesnt kill the free swimming swarmers?

how long does the quinine stay in the fishes system and will their faeces contain it? i know it is toxic to algae and hence corals so im sure if fish defaecate near corals they may be in danger?

im asking as i have heard reports of it succesfully treating crypto in large public aquariums containing clams and corals

 

[kinlayan]

anyone know how feasible it is to treat with chloroquine phosphate in food in a reef aquarium in order to cure whitespot? without causing photosynthetic invertebrates to die?

i have heard of it being used before but id love to have more detail??:rollface:

 

[paulamrein]

I use chloroquine phosphate in my QT where no alga/coral is present. There is a gel that you can use, I have read it in a book recently, I'll have to write exactly what it says in dealing with putting it into a gel. I treat the water so I've never used the gel formula. I can get it to you in a few days or so, I have it at home, but I don't have a computer there so please forgive me

 

[paulamrein]

This is the name of the book I get all of my information from. If you can pick it up, or google search the information before I can get to you that my be faster. ::
The Marine Fish Health & Feeding Handbook: The Essential Guide to Keeping Saltwater Species Alive and Thriving

 

[kinlayan]

thanks for the info, you wouldnt happen to know which stage of whitespot it kills when put in gel it makes sense that its killing the free
swimming stage when in water but for it to work in food it would then mean it is killing the encysted stage feeding on the fish's bodily fluids?

any idea?

 

[paulamrein]

I would assume, considering it's in the blood stream and body of the fish regardless of which it is, whether in the water or in the food. It was stated in the book that it had no effect on cell division (the stage where it is encysted on substrate) which would leave me to believe, effective at some level throughout. They also of said a 1 treatment within a 10 day period with a 21 day observation,was really all that was needed. But I believe they were speaking of the visual signs of fish, not necessarily the destruction of the organism.
You know what? I just remembered reading about this exact thing on RC not too long ago. I can't believe it was even that long ago if you feel up to searching these threads as far as they go back. It was I believe in the disease forum, and I know it was a sucessful experiment with giving the recipe as well. The thread name had chloroquine in the title.
Happy Hunting!