Malachite Green Results

[OgreMkV]

OK, so my two clowns had ich. I assume it was ich because I don't have a microscope and a degree in marine parasites.

The two clowns have been in a ten gallon quarantine tank with a small heater and a maxi-jet 900 ph with a sponge filter. The sponge filter and the maxi-jet have been in my display tank for about 8 months, so it's well seeded with bacteria. Never-the-less, I did a 10-20% water change daily. There are a pair of 3-inch PVC pipe elbows in the Q-tank as well.

The smaller of the two clowns got several (less than 10) white spots on him. After a day, the spots went away and they were gone for four days. Then they came back and there were many more than before (not a dusting, but more than 10 spots). The large clown also got a single spot this time. At no point did either fish show signs of stress due to the ich. No clamped fins or fast breathing and both were eating heartily.

We were advised by an authority that I trust (i.e. not LFS) not to use copper products on clownfish. We had the malachite green/formalin solution and went ahead and started the treatment. 9 drops went into the tank. It's supposed to be 1 drop per gallon. I figured with a light case of ich and the pipe, sponge, ph, and heater, 9 drops would be sufficient without straining the fish. The water turned a nice bright blue and we watched the fish carefully for the first hour. They seemed to have no problems so we turned out the light and went to bed.

Apparently, it's important to medicate as near as possible to the time the lights go out so that the parasites are hit with the treatment when they drop off the fish for the night.

The next morning everything was fine. That evening I did a 10-20% water change (because the medication probably killed all the bacteria in the sponge) and retreated. The medication regime is for three doses 24 hours apart. For us it was nine drops each time and a 10-20% water change a few hours before treatment time.

At no point did the fish seem stressed due to treatment. It was obvious that they didn't enjoy it, hiding under the sponge filter or in the pipe elbows, but no stress, heavy breathing and always hungry.

After the third treatment, I waited 24 hours and placed a large bag of carbon in the tank. I don't have a HOB filter, so I just dropped the carbon bag in the tank. I'll do an additional water change tomorrow and return to my testing regime.

Malachite green/formalin is some nasty stuff and you don't want it on you or spilling on the table or floor.

There have been no spots on the fish since the final treatment. I'm hoping that the treatment will not have to be repeated.

In conclusion, Malachite Green/formalin (30%) solution seems to be an effective treatment.

[Derek]

Nice synopsis! Thanks. I'll have to remember this.

[JeffT]

I have treated my freshwater tank with malachite green once before and it worked very well. 3 days of dosing then a big water change and I haven't had an outbreak of ich since.

Of topic sort of, but you mentioned that you were using a 10g tank for a QT. I am planning on using the same and was wondering what sort of fish you have housed in it so far.

I don't have any fish in my display yet, but future plans are for chromis, clowns, perhaps cardinalfish, and a blenny. All of these fish I would imagine would do ok in a 10g, but figured it was worth asking.

Thanks.

[muddybluewater]

Ich is almost always present in our systems. It effects fish that are stressed from their environment. Sometimes from moving to a new tank or new tank mates. It can also be caused by changes in water parameters or temperature swings. My Purple Tang had it after he was in my tank for a few days. He showed no signs of ich when I bought him and I have not had a fish with ich in 5-6 years. I added garlic to the food and fed well for about 2 weeks, everything cleared up and he is doing well.

[OgreMkV]

I have treated my freshwater tank with malachite green once before and it worked very well. 3 days of dosing then a big water change and I haven't had an outbreak of ich since.

Of topic sort of, but you mentioned that you were using a 10g tank for a QT. I am planning on using the same and was wondering what sort of fish you have housed in it so far.

I don't have any fish in my display yet, but future plans are for chromis, clowns, perhaps cardinalfish, and a blenny. All of these fish I would imagine would do ok in a 10g, but figured it was worth asking.

Thanks.

Right now i've got a pair of clowns (ocellaris) in the Q-tank. As I don't plan on having anything larger than those two, it will be fine for me. In the future I'll have a goby or blenny to be named later and maybe a shrimp. I've only a 45g display tank that's pretty coral heavy so I'll be going easy on the fish.