Eradicating diseases and parasites

HK_Fuey · Sep 24, 2015 4:08:38 pm

After having had several white spot outbreaks, and a possible Brooklynella outbreak, I want to work out what methods could be used to reduce the chances of anything being introduced in the future to virtually zero.

To quote Chucks Addiction advice:

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An assortment of medications to include but not limited to :
- Formalin 3 - Treats and cures a wide variety of bacterial, fungal and parasitic problems, for some parasites, such as brooklynella, this is the only effective treatment.
- Cupramine - a copper based product useful against marine ich and marine velvet.
- Maracyn 2 - an anti-bacterial product.
- Malachite green - effective anti fungal product.
- Methylene blue - useful with freshwater dips.
- Neomycin - anti bacterial.
- Pipezine - dewormer.

I'm thinking that cuprazin, which contains copper sulfate, formaldehyde and malachite green, will cover a lot of bases. This should clear white spot (ich), Brooklynella, Uronema, Amyloodinium/Velvet, fungal infections, and several others.

I could then add anti-bacterial, and a dewormer, and I would have covered a huge percentage of possible conditions.

Steveanem · Sep 24, 2015 7:06:31 pm

Would it be worth having UV on a quarantine tank also?

HK_Fuey · Sep 25, 2015 12:02:55 pm

This is a good read:
How to Quarantine Marine Fish; Advanced Aquarist | Aquarist Magazine and Blog

It's interesting though, that he suggests using a wormer, anti-bacterial drug, and copper (now swapped to a quinine based drug), but only uses formalin for fish he thinks might have Brook, or be susceptible to it:

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Medications: There are many medications available for treatment. I would consider the following three medications “the essentials”: Prazipro, Cupramine*, and Maracyn Two. These three medications are gentle, effectively combat most diseases, and work well together. I will explain more on their usage later in the article.
*I have since replaced Cupramine with chloroquine phosphate, which I find is easier to administer for single dose treatment of external parasites. Chloroquine is harder to acquire than Cupramine though, so if you can not find Chloroquine, Cupramine is still a viable substitute.

I did a bit more looking for evidence of Chloroquine curing Cryptocaryon/Ich/White spot, but didn't get any more than in the article that I posted a little while ago:
http://reefbase.co.uk/marine-fish-diseases/chloroquine-a-'new'-drug-for-treating-fish-diseases/

I'm not sure I'd trust it just yet. Not until there is more evidence. Killing the parasites on a chopped up fish, is quite different from curing a live fish.
[EDIT] I've since been convinced Chloroquine Phosphate is tried and tested, and has a number of pros over using copper.

Marty · Sep 25, 2015 6:57:20 pm

Quote from: Steveanem on Sep 24, 2015 7:06:31 pm

Would it be worth having UV on a quarantine tank also?

If using copper to treat it's not reccomended to also run a UV

Nick Smith · Feb 2, 2016 7:08:25 pm

My QT regime consist of:
1) FW Dip with Myzaxin
2) 4 weeks in Chloroquine
3) 6 hour Sera Tremazol bath.

If you google nicks quarantine regime you will find my write-up (On another forum :)).

HK_Fuey · Feb 2, 2016 11:06:27 pm

Quote from: Nick Smith on Feb 2, 2016 7:08:25 pm

My QT regime consist of:
1) FW Dip with Myzaxin
2) 4 weeks in Chloroquine
3) 6 hour Sera Tremazol bath.

If you google nicks quarantine regime you will find my write-up (On another forum :)).

@Nick Smith I found myself reading your article just the other night, and referring out to it here too. By the way, we're cool with posting links to other sites on here. There's no sponsorship, and linking out to good info elsewhere is encouraged (we're all better off that way).

Also, how about re-posting your main post in here? More people are likely to find the info that way. Understand if you'd prefer to keep the conversation in one place though.

I'm about to start something similar, minus the myzaxin.[EDIT] I now use this too[EDIT] Why do you add this in? Is it mainly for the anti-fungal, anti-bacterial properties, both, some other reason? I have Chloroquine Phosphate and Sera Tremazol both on their way to my house now. I've literally just sat down from setting up my QT (still filling it), after reserving some bimaculatus anthias at the LFS earlier today

Nick Smith · Feb 3, 2016 1:58:29 pm

Sure, I'll repost it here once I've figured out the subscription system so I can be sure to see any replies. I always prefer to be over sensitive rather than step on people toes/fins :)

Nick Smith · Feb 3, 2016 2:00:53 pm

Re Myzaxin, yes it has broad effect against a variety of rarer but still nasty conditions. It's also easy to administer in the form I do it, inexpensive (only enough for a few litres of water), and safe...once people have got over the not inconsiderable concerns about doing a FW dip in the first place!

Steveanem · Feb 3, 2016 3:01:54 pm

So am I right in thinking that you treat the fish regardless of illness as a preventative measure whilst in QT?

Nick Smith · Feb 4, 2016 7:58:46 pm

Quote from: Steveanem on Feb 3, 2016 3:01:54 pm

So am I right in thinking that you treat the fish regardless of illness as a preventative measure whilst in QT?

Yes, I do. I have no desire to try to break down my 4 years of (Slow - I am a rubbish Coralist) SPS growth to get fish into HT once a disease has established in my DT. Better to do so I advance.

HK_Fuey · Feb 4, 2016 10:50:36 pm

Totally agree Nick. After two major outbreaks, having to pull the rockwork apart, stress the hell out of the fish in their immune compromised state, then try to save them in a HT that's too small for all those fish in one go, I consider my lesson well and truly learned.

HK_Fuey · Feb 24, 2017 11:01:10 pm

Here's another QT method that looks pretty sound:
http://www.reef2rainforest.com/2017/02/10/bucket-transfer-qt-method/#comment-75002
I noticed they use copper and praziquantel (sera tremazol is the same stuff), they don't specifically mention any anti-bacterial medicines (I add myzaxin to fresh water dips). They do say

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While medication type, dose, and duration ultimately depend on the fish and the situation, fishes are normally treated for two weeks with praziquantel to kill worms, followed immediately by two weeks on copper, which works against numerous types of external parasites. Tank transfers occur daily, and fishes are subjected to a daily freshwater dip before each transfer for at least the first two weeks of the quarantine period.

So, they also have the freshwater dips, but the fish get loads more of them, get the benefit of the tank transfer method, and also spend a lot more time in the praziquantel/sera tremazol (wormer).

Hmmm - food for thought.

HK_Fuey · Aug 15, 2023 2:38:41 pm

Here's a great series of videos on quarantining fish and everything else:

Eradicating diseases and parasites

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Eradicating diseases and parasites

Eradicating diseases and parasites

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