Chloroquine phosphate where to buy it??

Coral Keeper · Nov 27, 2018

So, I called a bunch of local vets here in the Sacramento area where I live and I can't seem to get any vet to prescribe me Chloroquine phosphate after I explained that they are for marine fish, etc etc.. they need me to "bring in the patient/animal" in order to prescribe it.. Where the heck can I get some?? Is there anyone here that is willing to sell/ship me some Chloroquine phosphate??

roberthu526 · Nov 27, 2018

What you can try is make an appointment, pay the visit fee and bring photos and published articles to the vet. Some vet will prescribe it.

drstardust · Nov 28, 2018

I have heard of people having more luck with vets who specialize in exotic animals. In a metro area as large as Sacramento, I would imagine you could find one.

Coral Keeper · Nov 30, 2018

Any other places that sell it?

drstardust · Nov 30, 2018

National Fish Pharmaceuticals. @Humblefish had a batch of their product tested I believe, and it was not as pure as you can get through Diamondback drugs with a vet prescription, but who knows if that is of any significance when it comes to treatment.

Velcro · Nov 30, 2018

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Chloroquin...9yBs1hKZI5uBFNg:sc:USPSFirstClass!49008!US!-1

I know the person that sells this and he uses it on large amounts of fish personally.

drstardust · Nov 30, 2018

Of note, New Life Spectrum Ick Shield powder is supposedly CP, but in my experience as well as the experience of others on this forum, it is garbage.

4FordFamily · Nov 30, 2018

Every vet I talked to wants to do an “exam” first. Nope.

Coral Keeper · Dec 1, 2018

If I can't get it from a vet, what other options do I have?
@HotRocks

Thomashtom · Dec 1, 2018

Diamondback drugs. Best place

HotRocks · Dec 1, 2018

Thomashtom said:
Diamondback drugs. Best place

This^^^^ requires a vet written RX.

Coral Keeper said:
If I can't get it from a vet, what other options do I have?
@HotRocks

I would not recommend using non pharma grade CP due to the unknown purity.

I have the same issue as far as obtaining a RX, so I stick to copper.

WallysWorld · Dec 2, 2018

I got a prescription of the "human" form from my doc. It is used to treat/prevent malaria in humans, I travel to a lot so not an unreasonable ask from me. CP isn't the only malaria med used for human treatment, so your doc may want to prescribe something else. I did tell my doc that I was planning on using this for fish treatment. He was ok with that.

GoldeneyeRet · Dec 2, 2018

4FordFamily said:
Every vet I talked to wants to do an “exam” first. Nope.

It is illegal for a veterinarian to write a prescription for an animal not under their care. The office visit, and payment for that office visit, is evidence that a prescription has been written in accordance with the law.

I think it is unreasonable to ask a veterinarian to risk their career for a fish.

I work very closely with my vet. He regularly comes to my kennel and he gives me very generous discounts due to the volume I bring to him. When I got a script for CP, I brought in a fish, paid full price for an office visit and he photographed the fish. He would not write it otherwise, and I dont blame him.

It is tough to find a veterinarian willing to write CP, but it is probably next to impossible to get one to write without paying for a visit and showing them a patient.

4FordFamily · Dec 2, 2018

GoldeneyeRet said:
It is illegal for a veterinarian to write a prescription for an animal not under their care. The office visit, and payment for that office visit, is evidence that a prescription has been written in accordance with the law.

I think it is unreasonable to ask a veterinarian to risk their career for a fish.

I work very closely with my vet. He regularly comes to my kennel and he gives me very generous discounts due to the volume I bring to him. When I got a script for CP, I brought in a fish, paid full price for an office visit and he photographed the fish. He would not write it otherwise, and I dont blame him.

It is tough to find a veterinarian willing to write CP, but it is probably next to impossible to get one to write without paying for a visit and showing them a patient.

I’m not saying the vet is unreasonable. It is very stressful for an already sick fish to be examined— and it’s awful expensive to follow through with this process particularly when copper works fine in 99/100 of these circumstances — if not better in some cases. The other issue is that you’ll get enough CP for one treatment of fish, maybe two. Need a water change due to ammonia or needing to dose something that requires it? Bag that fish back up! It’s just a logocistical nightmare, IMO.

I don’t blame the vet at all, I don’t do things to risk my licensure for my line of work, either.

Coral Keeper · Dec 2, 2018

So what about fish that are super sensitive with copper such as eels, mandarin fish and boxfish/puffers? How would you go about treating them if not with copper?

GoldeneyeRet · Dec 2, 2018

4FordFamily said:
I’m not saying the vet is unreasonable. It is very stressful for an already sick fish to be examined— and it’s awful expensive to follow through with this process particularly when copper works fine in 99/100 of these circumstances — if not better in some cases. The other issue is that you’ll get enough CP for one treatment of fish, maybe two. Need a water change due to ammonia or needing to dose something that requires it? Bag that fish back up! It’s just a logocistical nightmare, IMO.

I don’t blame the vet at all, I don’t do things to risk my licensure for my line of work, either.

I didnt think you thought it was unreasonable, just elaborating on the difficulties.

I didn't bring a sick fish. I just scooped up a damsel and drug it in, he just needed a patient...

My script is enough for a lifetime, and diamondback keeps it on file so I can refill in amounts as needed.

After the initial hassle, it's no problem. I prefer CP but copper is probably more practical for many. I do like having both options.

User · Jan 20, 2019

Coral Keeper said:
So what about fish that are super sensitive with copper such as eels, mandarin fish and boxfish/puffers? How would you go about treating them if not with copper?

I want to bump this question- I just got a free scooter blenny that a well meaning store dude gave to my 2.5yo and it’s royally screwed my qt plans.

Nathan Milender · Mar 23, 2019

drstardust said:
Of note, New Life Spectrum Ick Shield powder is supposedly CP, but in my experience as well as the experience of others on this forum, it is garbage.

I was giving this a try on a 3 week run in QT. Has it been shown to not work? Nothing in my QT is showing disease but it still has a week to go. Should I consider it not-treated (other than the other treatments in there)?

Manthanol · Mar 23, 2019

drstardust said:
I have heard of people having more luck with vets who specialize in exotic animals. In a metro area as large as Sacramento, I would imagine you could find one.

I live in Texas and after calling all the vets for exotic animals in my area I realized exotic really means avian and reptile around here. So I bought some eBay CP and a Petco fish with CI and dosed 60mg/gal. It worked well and I've been using it since. Good luck!