Treating Ich with Maracide

aeroflight · Post by **aeroflight** » 04 Oct 2003, 00:08

I've got a bottle of Maracide and I'm trying to fully understand the directions:

"... Use 10 ml per 10 gallons of water."

Is this supposed to be a one time thing? Am I supposed to retreat the following day(s)? I went to the Mardel Labs website, but found it all but useless for me.

Any suggestions? I've got a 135g tank with an assortment of tetras (~12 total), 1 asian bumblebee, 3 pictus cats, 1 ancistrus sp., 2 gibby's, 2 blue rams, and 2 gold rams. With the sensitivity of the fish in the tank, I don't want to screw things up.

Thanks!

Post by **Barbie** » 04 Oct 2003, 02:41

I personally treat ich by increasing the tank temperature to 84 degrees and adding aeration, adding a teaspoon of salt per NET gallon of water in the tank, every day for three days, and doing 30% water changes a day, with careful gravel vacc'ing. I've never lost even a clown loach with this method. The salt seems to be an extreme amount, but keep in mind you're removing 1/3 of it every day with the water changes, and you only add it the first three days, after that you're diluting it back down. I've treated very young albino bristlenose successfully for velvet with this method even (back when I took risks and didn't quarantine religiously if I got fish from someone I knew).If the amount of salt worries you, just add the initial dose, and then a half dose for the two following days. The temperature increases the life cycle of the ich and allows you to remove a large portion of them from the gravel with the vacuuming, so they don't reattach to the fish and start the cycle over. The salt impedes their reproduction by causing osmotic regulation problems for the ich.

I hope that helps at all. I haven't used maracide personally. Is it copper based? If so, you wouldn't need to add it every day, just once.

Barbie

magnum4 · Post by **magnum4** » 04 Oct 2003, 20:10

what does it say on the bottle in terms of treatment, apart from 1m per gallon it says nothing? tell us every last detail on there and we might be able to help.

aeroflight · Post by **aeroflight** » 05 Oct 2003, 15:29

Thanks for the salt treatment suggestion Barbie. I don't think the tank's had an outbreak of Ich, but I'm watching a few of the fish carefully. They're displaying some symptoms (some occasional flashing and such), but not enough to make me sure it's Ich. I haven't seen any characteristic white spots, yet. I did have this bottle of Maracide, though, and I wanted to make sure I knew how to use it if I needed to.

Mag asked for all the details on the bottle. Okay, here it goes, ...

" Indications: A spot on product that treats the fish not the water. No water changes, pH or temperature adjustments necessary if readings are in ideal range. Maintain normal filtration and air. Use of a hospital tank is recommended.

Instructions: Shake well before use. Use 10 mL per 10 gallons of water. Loosen measuring chaber cap and squeeze bottle to fill to desired level.

Precautions: Do not overdose. KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN. For aquarium use only. THIS PRODUCT IS INTENDED FOR THE EXCLUSIVE US WITH ORNAMENTAL FISH AND/OR OTHER ORNAMENTAL ORGANISMS AND IS NOT INTENDED FOR USE WITH HUMANS OR FISH FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION.

Active Ingredients: Malachite Green, Chitosan."

You know, I've never known an Ich treatment to say that no water changes are necessary. Ever treatment I've ever tried used daily partial water changes, just like Barbie described. They also required that additional doses of the med (whether it be some chemical treatment or salt) be added after each water change.

Thanks for the help, folks!

Post by **Silurus** » 05 Oct 2003, 18:01

Malachite green is not a copper-based compound. Neither is chitosan.

magnum4 · Post by **magnum4** » 05 Oct 2003, 18:50

assuming the medication is still in date and has been kept cool and out of the light you can use it to treat ich. do not treat if there is no reason and make sure you identify any problems first before action is taken.

Post by **Barbie** » 05 Oct 2003, 18:52

The flashing behavior you described can be a huge indicator of a problem with your water quality. I'd either run some tests, or start some 30% water changes on the tank, personally.

Barbie

aeroflight · Post by **aeroflight** » 06 Oct 2003, 05:49

As soon as I saw the flashing I ran my water tests. 0 Ammonia, 0 Nitrite, and Nitrate about 20-30 ppm. Didn't seem like anything out of the ordinary considering it's time for the regularly scheduled water change.

I kept the lights off, and haven't noticed any flashing or abnormal behavior today. I'll do the water change tomorrow and see what happens over the next day or so. As I mentioned before, I just wanted to make sure I knew exactly how to treat with the Ich med I had on hand if and when it became necessary. Thanks for the help everyone.