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illumnae
04/22/2016, 03:40 AM
I've read good reports about NLS Ich-Shield (a Chloroquine compound) being used to treat ich, and have tried using it several times in my QT.

However, strangely, I'm finding that it doesn't seem to be working well. Some of my experiences:

1. All is well for 2-3 weeks in QT. Since I started with a fresh tank, by right all ich should have fallen off the fish and any that have hatched should have been killed by the chloroquine. All water changes done in the tank, I've topped up with a replacement dose of Ich-Shield. After about 3 weeks, a fish in the QT develops ich - meaning that some parasites hatched and survived to reinfect the fish.

2. I start with a tank that has been fallow for 3 months but allowed to continue running. Put the fish in and dose the recommended dose of Ich-Shield. 1 week later, I see living copepods on the glass. There is also algae that did not die off (CP is supposed to be an algaecide).

3. Some people are going to discard this example because I didn't finish a "classic" quarantine, but based on the ich life cycle, the theory is sound. The DT started off fishless but developed massive algae problems during the cycle. I used Ich-Shield as an algaecide and this instance it worked - algae all died off. Technically, the DT is ich free due to it being fresh and also going through CP treatment. I put a butterfly in a fresh QT for 8 days with Ich-Shield. Technically, since the tank was fresh, there was no ich in it, and in 8 days all the ich would have fallen off the fish and any ich that hatched would have been killed, so the fish is technically clean (please feel free to provide reasoned arguments on why the fish is not clean). Fish went into DT and developed ich a few weeks later.

What's everyone else's experience with NLS Ich-Shield? Does it have an unprinted expiry date?

snorvich
04/22/2016, 04:59 AM
8 days quarantine is meaningless.

Dmorty217
04/22/2016, 06:06 AM
I use CP all the time and haven't had problems with it. I buy a new bottle every 1.5-2 months and throw my opened bottle out. Copepods and anything else with a exoskeleton won't be effected by CP negatively (death) Are you treating with CP for the full 21 days? Lights off on the tank?

snorvich
04/22/2016, 08:49 AM
I use CP all the time and haven't had problems with it. I buy a new bottle every 1.5-2 months and throw my opened bottle out. Copepods and anything else with a exoskeleton won't be effected by CP negatively (death) Are you treating with CP for the full 21 days? Lights off on the tank?

The problem is that 21 days may not be enough. Alprazo recommends 30 days for ich and even that may not be enough. Velvet, on the other hand, 14 days will be sufficient..

Dmorty217
04/22/2016, 09:26 AM
The problem is that 21 days may not be enough. Alprazo recommends 30 days for ich and even that may not be enough. Velvet, on the other hand, 14 days will be sufficient..

I agree that 21 days "may" not be long enough. I think a lot depends on individual setups and filtration/lighting/ect. I know that CP can cure ich in less than the 21 day per the directions (have seen it work in 10 days without ich recurring after the med was removed. That particular fish was a Juv Regal who had a active ich infection and was "cured" of it and has been for 2.5 months without meds present) There are lots of variables with CP due to different things that often can be attributed to failures IMO. When in doubt or after several CP failures , I would switch to TTM and be done with the "what if's"

Deinonych
04/22/2016, 01:50 PM
There are lots of variables with CP due to different things that often can be attributed to failures IMO. When in doubt or after several CP failures , I would switch to TTM and be done with the "what if's"

It is for this specific reason that I no longer use CP for prophylactic treatment of ich. TTM removes all doubt.

snorvich
04/22/2016, 03:15 PM
It is for this specific reason that I no longer use CP for prophylactic treatment of ich. TTM removes all doubt.

Exactly. But for velvet, it is treatment of choice.

ThRoewer
04/22/2016, 03:58 PM
I wouldn't use CP against ich, at least not as the only measure. Best would be to combine it with TTM. That way you can shorten the exposure time and the treatment is still fully effective.

The longer period (30 days) is due to the fact that the ich cysts are immune to everything that is safe for fish, so you need to wait for the tomites to excyst to kill them.
Also, 30 days may be too short and you would need to go rather over 72 to be in the clear. I'm not sure if all fish will handle that well.

Dmorty217
04/22/2016, 06:15 PM
It is for this specific reason that I no longer use CP for prophylactic treatment of ich. TTM removes all doubt.

The longer I use CP the more I agree with this. Just bought some 20g longs today for TTM from Petco because I'm growing less trusting of CP. too many variables that aren't taken into consideration