Chloroquine phosphate

klp · Jul 17, 2015

Great thread with really good information. Did some investigating based on this thread. For more detailed information on CP you can use the below links. I like the fact that you can increase the dosage for quicker results. I lost a few fish in the past using Malachite Green because they were weakened and the medication did not act fast enough on ICH. Lost one with velvet as well as I did not catch it quick enough. Did not think to use qt years ago. I don't know if CP would help but from what I read it would seem to be a better solution and faster acting. I may use it my qt when I start a new tank.

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2013/2/fish

http://www.saltcorner.com/Articles/Showarticle.php?articleID=41

Malachite Green is used to control more than ICH. I do not know if CP could be used instead of Malachite Green for everything Malachite Green is used for. I did see CP has more uses that just ICH.

Once again thanks for starting a great thread!

Humblefish · Jul 17, 2015

alg said:
Tried an Epsom salt bath last evening and this morning, and while I don't see improvement on the swelling I did see some long white feces in the tank this morning, so about 75% confident dealing with hexamita. I suspect the fish had the parasite (hence its general thinness), was able to keep it relatively in check, and then as you mentioned CP depressed the immune system, which allowed the parasite to multiply leading to bloat. I've started a course of General Cure, but since the fish has already stopped eating... well, we'll see how it goes!

General Cure should take care of Hexamita - but you might also want to keep straight metronidazole (exs: Metroplex, Metro-MS) on hand just in case you are dealing with a stubborn strain.

And if memory serves, you have pretty large QTs so you might find the links below useful for buying in bulk:

http://fishremedies.com/aquaculturechemicals.aspx

http://store.nationalfishpharm.com/NFP-products-4058.Category.html

http://www.fishchemical.com/FULL-PRODUCT-LIST-2338.Category.html

I just wouldn't buy CP from any of them; everything else they sell should be fine though.

Humblefish · Jul 17, 2015

klp said:
Malachite Green is used to control more than ICH. I do not know if CP could be used instead of Malachite Green for everything Malachite Green is used for. I did see CP has more uses that just ICH.

While Malachite Green can be useful for treating FW ich (Ichthyophthirius); it is not potent enough to completely eradicate SW ich (Cryptocaryon).

kschweer · Jul 17, 2015

Has anyone experienced any skin irritation after having their hands in a tank treated with chloroquine phosphate? Yesterday I was in contact with a treated tank and after had a skin reaction. Symptoms were burning, redness and smell bumps similar to contact dermatitis. I have my hands in multiple tanks a day and never had a similar reaction so my guess is the chloroquine phosphate played a roll. Seems better today but still a little burning when wet. Just wanted to see if anyone else had experienced this.

Humblefish · Jul 17, 2015

kschweer said:
Has anyone experienced any skin irritation after having their hands in a tank treated with chloroquine phosphate? Yesterday I was in contact with s treated tank and after had w skin reaction. Symptoms were burning, redness and smell bumps similar to contact dermatitis. I have my hands in multiple tanks a day and never had a similar reaction so my guess is the chloroquine phosphate played a roll. Seems better today but still a little burning when wet. Just wanted to see if anyone else had experienced this.

Sounds like you might have had an allergic reaction. Might want to wear rubber gloves from here on in. I'm ashamed to say I put my hands in CP tanks all the time and never think to wear gloves or anything.

Never had any negative reactions like what you're describing.

kschweer · Jul 17, 2015

Humblefish said:
Sounds like you might have had an allergic reaction. Might want to wear rubber gloves from here on in. I'm ashamed to say I put my hands in CP tanks all the time and never think to wear gloves or anything. Never had any negative reactions like what you're describing.

Agreed. Think it was just a bit of complacency on my part. Glad it wasn't worse. Thanks for the response.

edosan · Aug 17, 2015

Humble, thanks for sharing! great info and post.
Have you tried on Food? here is a guy that claims Ich removal without QT, direct on reef: (3 videos, that is 3/3).
HydroxyChloriquine is the active ingredient, I am trying now to feed my fishes in the DT, but is hard since is too bitter, I will try less HQ. Any advice?

Humblefish · Aug 17, 2015

I don't believe CP laced food has a good chance of eradicating external parasites in a DT. For one, CP has only been proven to kill the theront or free swimming stage - same as copper. It has no immediate impact on the parasites on the fish i.e. trophonts. However, playing Devil's advocate here ..... How could CP laced food work in theory? One possibility is that the Chloroquine builds up in the fishes' system, leaches back out of their pores, making them an undesirable host for the theronts to attach to. I have the same theory about garlic. If you've ever been around someone who eats a lot of garlic their body literally reeks of it after awhile. Perhaps parasites don't like the smell/taste of it. Chloroquine is very bitter tasting, so it might leach back out in the same manner.

However, that is all just a pet theory of mine... no science to back it up. Even IF it were true, then all your fish would have to eat the CP laced food each & every day for 72 consecutive days in order for the tank to have a chance at complete eradication. It's just highly improbable that all the stars would align perfectly like that.

edosan · Aug 17, 2015

I agree, but is worth to try ... isn´t?
"Erradicate" statement is a bit too much (without scientific data), but what if it works? (at least get the fishes well) you might save lot of time just adding medicated food.
Sound a bit too good to be true tho

edosan · Aug 17, 2015

Searching and searching..I found that the food treatment is not so new...

Snake oil?

Humblefish · Aug 17, 2015

edosan said:
Sound a bit too good to be true tho

I've been at this for more than 35 years now and have tried every trick in the book. Feeding garlic, herbal remedies, UV sterilizer, running ozone, etc. In the end, none ever completely solved a disease problem in my DT. Maybe I'm just jaded, or maybe I've been burned too many times by consumer hype... But for me, anyway, taking shortcuts has never led to anything good. There's just something about this hobby... the easy way never works.

edosan · Aug 17, 2015

I know

, i am new at this (reef) and a made a mistake introducing a fish without qt (I know, very stupid), having all the means to not do it (lazy), trying to fix it now without taking the fishes out, looking, searching...experimenting (newbies fresh air) but eventually I know the road is long and probably or more than prob. You are right. But i will not quit without a fight

i just need them to feed with plaquenil!
Thanks for your patience and time to answer!

This bug (Ich) have very similar lifecycle to a FreshWater (Discus) bug called Dactylogyrus ( this last one afect gills only) been crypto much worst I belive.

cono · Aug 17, 2015

I think so .....like humblefish shades only hypo copper and cp really seam to work being cp the easiest one

edosan · Aug 18, 2015

3 days feeding with HCP
Yellow tang with no signs of ich (use to have several white spots, body and fins)
Blue Hippo just with a few spots (1 or 2 left) of 30+

It might be the Cripto life cycle, or it might be the HydroxyChloriquine Phosfate (HCP), too soon to tell.
Just made some medicated pellets, and I will keep feeding them. They do not like the bitter taste, is hard to mask it. Just try with a pinch of salt, pinch of sugar, a pinch of bicarbonate a pinch of garlic powder and some drops of liquid sucralose to bind and mask.

edosan · Aug 26, 2015

Update

So far:
Yellow tang with no spots at all
Blue Hippo, still with some lessions of ich, not much but persitant.
The rest no signs at all (flame Angel, yellow tangs(3), chromis, firefish, clowns, etc)

Both fishes with initial ich are eating normal, but they really do not like the bitter

Forgot to mention: I Have a couple of neon gobies and they are constantly cleaning the Blue Hippo, do they eat ich?

Humblefish · Aug 26, 2015

edosan said:
Forgot to mention: I Have a couple of neon gobies and they are constantly cleaning the Blue Hippo, do they eat ich?

They won't eat ich, but will remove dead skin tissue (damage done by the trophonts.)

edosan · Aug 30, 2015

Well...ich is back...

Impossible to cach the tangs without taking all corals and rocks out...medicate the dt will be a waste of time...frustrated...is a 200 gal tank...grrrr

cono · Aug 30, 2015

I'm having the same problem ....the four fish left are a yellow belly hippo two gold stripe maroon clowns and a wrasse that I fougot the name (180 gallon ) will try to catch them but they haven't shown any signs of ick in over 2 months ....was also wondering if the ick is still alive in the tank or fish just became ammune to it...if so what do you guys think I do?

Humblefish · Aug 30, 2015

edosan said:
Well...ich is back...
Impossible to cach the tangs without taking all corals and rocks out...medicate the dt will be a waste of time...frustrated...is a 200 gal tank...grrrr

If I'm following correctly... you soaked pellets with HydroxyChloroquine Sulfate and fed in a DT?