garlic??

[eastonreef]

i was reading the main thread on ick and would like more info on the garlic treatment. i dont want to appear too dumb but, do you just mince up some garlic from the fridge and plop it in the tank?? i have a royal gramma that seems to be the only one in my tank who keeps flicking on rocks and has spots.. with the rock work in the tank i cant catch him.. i would be willing to try any treatment that is reef safe... i have 2 cleaner shrimp and a uv sterilizer.. any suggestions on medicated food or any way to treat a display tank would be great

thanks

[leebca]

Garlic is not the aquarist’s miracle anti-Marine Ich drug. Garlic is not a cure for Marine Ich. Allicin, a primary active ingredient in crushed garlic, is not stable, and it doesn’t always get to the microbe. Even with the use of fresh allicin (freshly rendered garlic juice) there are several inhibiting factors between getting the chemical to the parasite. And how should it best be delivered? through feeding or through the water? In short, water dilutes allicin to low effective levels, and feeding it to fish usually gets through the tissues before the gastric acids de-activate it. So, feeding garlic juice to the fish has the best chance for allicin to do its job.

More tests are being done and information may be slow in coming, but for now, optimum use of garlic juice would be fresh squeezed/crushed (which initiates the chemical reaction to create the allicin) and the immediate feeding to fish through their foods, in quantities of what will be absorbed into the food just before feeding. Don’t use garlic that has been treated with chemicals, pesticides, etc. Don’t let the juice come in contact with anything that may have residual soap or chemicals left on it, like from a dishwasher or rinse products. Use it immediately. If garlic juice addition is limited to the food that will absorb it, and not adding it to the water, there is little chance of an allicin over-dose. And too much of the garlic juice will harm the marine fish we want to treat. Adding left-over fresh juice to the tank can hurt.

Some people have had success with a garlic press to juice it. Others have used a blender and handkerchief. Soak and rinse the handkerchief in distilled water. Put the blender rendition into the damp handkerchief and squeeze the liquid through the handkerchief.

You want to add just the garlic juice, not who pieces of garlic. The fish will eat solid garlic, but that isn’t your goal. You want the juice because that is what gets absorbed into their bodies before their stomach juices attack and denature the allicin.

Garlic juices in the fish stores have the advantage of containing vitamins that might help the fish build up an immunity. The garlic juice in the fish stores have the disadvantage of having low active levels of allicin. It is too unstable to exist on a fish store’s shelf for much time. Garlic paste and minced garlic in the grocery store also suffers from a reduction in potency because it has sat around and allowed the allicin to break down.

Garlic does not always have the same effect in different aquariums, so forgive those who have had little or no success with it. There are many proven things which inhibit the ability of the garlic juice to deal an effective blow to the parasite. Add to that the fact that effective doses are unclear at this time. And the final disappointment — garlic ingredients are not that powerful against microbes.

Hope the above helps you.:D

[RBU1]

I personally think garlic does nothing. I have been feeding my Atlantic Blue Tang algae flakes soaked in garlic extreme as well as mysis soaked in garlic extreme for the past three weeks. He is still in the quarentine tank and has had ich now for over a week. I am now doing a hyposalinity treatment. So if you ask me the garlic does nothing more than add flavor to the food. But that is just my opinion.

[leebca]

RBU1,

I think what you might have there, is a fair conclusion of Garlic Extreme. There are several products available, as well as the fresh that can be compared. :)

[RBU1]

I did try fresh garlic as well. I chopped it real fine and added it to the food. THe fish liked it!!!!!!!!!

[gsxrchck]

so i can just add garlic to my tank and let the fish eat it?? wont it hurt them?

[leebca]

Adding garlic bits to the tank and having your fish eat them is not going to do much for the fish or stop the disease. Some fish do like it very much, but it doesn't mean they should be eating it.

Garlic bits ingested has been known to help rid fish of intestinal worms, but the garlic is often denatured by stomach acids in the fish before it does much good. There are more reliable and easier ways to get rid of intestinal worms.

Best to use all-around good daily nutrition to begin with:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=785228

You might want to read an article Steven Pro wrote about the use of garlic:
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-10/sp/index.php

:rollface: