ParaGuard

[iemsparticus]

Does anyone know exactly what is in ParaGuard, and what it successfully (and efficiently) treats? A sales rep from Seachem told me it's "similar" to Furin, but I can't get a straight answer as to active ingredients.

A lot of people swear by it for prophylactic treatment, but I can't find much info on it.

 

[Humblefish]

According to Seachem Tech Support I've spoken with, it's a "formalin replacement" product. But without the toxicity of formalin: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/formalin.290925/

I personally find that claim to be highly dubious.

 

[Humblefish]

As mentioned on the label and product page for Paraguard, it contains a "blend of aldehydes, malachite green, and fish protective polymers". The exact blend is proprietary so I can't elaborate beyond that, and I've never been able to locate an MSDS for Paraguard.

 

[iemsparticus]

So, Humble, would I be right in assuming that it's safer to use other medications? I really don't like not knowing what I am putting in the tank...

 

[Humblefish]

So, Humble, would I be right in assuming that it's safer to use other medications? I really don't like not knowing what I am putting in the tank...

I wouldn't dose malachite green into a DT with corals/inverts. Most people I know who use Paraguard, do so in a bath treatment. For example, one LFS I advise gives all incoming fish a 30 min dip using Paraguard as they are drip acclimating into his retail system. Now, I can't say what Paraguard does or does not do... whether or not it provides any benefit. But I rarely, if ever, see visible signs of disease when I visit his store.

 

[iemsparticus]

I wouldn't dose malachite green into a DT with corals/inverts. Most people I know who use Paraguard, do so in a bath treatment. For example, one LFS I advise gives all incoming fish a 30 min dip using Paraguard as they are drip acclimating into his retail system. Now, I can't say what Paraguard does or does not do... whether or not it provides any benefit. But I rarely, if ever, see visible signs of disease when I visit his store.

Interesting... so he puts ParaGuard into the container while the fish is drop acclimating? Obviously the concentration would decrease over the course of the acclimation.

Edit: and yes, I'm talking about ParaGuards uses in a fish only QT... I would never put it in my DT either.

 

[Humblefish]

Interesting... so he puts ParaGuard into the container while the fish is drop acclimating? Obviously the concentration would decrease over the course of the acclimation.

Yes; although I'm unsure of the concentration he uses.

 

[Fastpitch]

I thought I might raise this thread again, since the efficacy of Paraguard as a formalin/formaldehyde replacement seems, at best, to be uncertain. In searching this forum I also did not any see recent discussion on its make up. So I thought I would share the MSDS indicating Glutaraldehyde as the principle ingredient.

https://smhttp-ssl-29106.nexcesscdn.net/media/docs/616-MSDS-Sheet.pdf

Are there any recent thoughts out there in the reef2reef universe regarding the use of Glutaraldehyde as a medication and actually what specific conditions it treats? I love Seachem products, but their Paraguard product information smacks of vague marketing fluff and does not come off as a serious description of its application.