ich medications

[bluelagoon]

I have switched from using heat method ( about 10 years now) to using Paraguard exclusively in cases of Ich due to increasing cases of heat-resistant Ich. More importantly, however, I no longer use heat because of the secondary bacteria that can be just as deadly to fish as the parasite itself. The higher the heat, the quicker the bacteria spreads through the tissues where parasite has burrowed in.

Paraguard, in addition to malachite green and methelyene blue,has acriflavine that works as an anti-bacterial to make these areas inhospitable to bacterial growth.

I would never risk adding heat on top of medication because of the sites the Ich parasite prefer: on and under the gill cover. The fish are already oxygen compromised from the parasite itself and the mucus that works to rid the parasite from gills, add high heat and you further diminish oxygen uptake.

I did it the other way around.I went from meds to heat because meds were killing more fish than the heat that had ich.I've been around a long time too.Lets say about 50 years keeping fish of all species.When you're around that long you come across a few cases of bad bugs.The QT tank is your best friend.Loaches,other scaleless fish and tetras do much better in heat than MG&F for treatment of ich IMO..MG&F (has many names) is my first go to med for a qt tank if needed.And the warmer the water the more aeration.Right now here in Canada antibiotics are not for sale for the fish hobbyist without taking your fish to a vet to get a prescription.So most folks won't pay that cost and replace their fish.Sad hey.

[Discluv]

I have had many characins, cichlids, and corydoras species through the last 3 decades as well .
Currently I have over 8 wild, sensitive characins from Africa: phenocogrammus, hemigrammopetersius, alestopetersius species.
I also have ( all wild). Altum Angels, geophagus, biotodoma cupido and wavirini, Bolivian Rams, [I]corydoras eques.

I have never had one single case of a malachite green proprietary blend medication killing a fish and I have treated with these types of blends with hundreds of fish. If someone has, I would say that it was due to human error. Not reading and following the directions on the back of the bottle to the letter.

[bluelagoon]

Most species will take those meds well.Others may be weakened already and the formalin may do them in.It can kill scaleless fish and tetras at the normal dose.But I have used it without killing anything many times.From my own experience I know heat alone works well for me for ich.