Polyp Lab Medic as a preventative?

[Gregg @ ADP]

I’ve read some mixed reviews on the effectiveness of Medic with an established run of external parasites, but I was wondering about the possibility of using it beforehand and hopefully discouraging an outbreak when adding new fish.

I’ve got 2 problem tanks where there is an established population of fish, and every time we try to add new fish, they end up getting hit (typically w/Crypto). That plus the stress of going into a new environment is making it hard to add anything new.

I was thinking that maybe treating with for a few days before adding new fish might help keep the parasites at bay, or at least keep them in check until the new fish can settle in.

Thoughts?

 

[RJKain-777]

It’s a snake oil. Like the rest of the reef safe treatments.

If you want a 100% disease free tank, follow humble fish QT post.

 

[Gregg @ ADP]

It’s a snake oil. Like the rest of the reef safe treatments.

If you want a 100% disease free tank, follow humble fish QT post.

I don’t try to, or really even want to, achieve disease-free tanks. I manage over 30 big reef tanks, and I’m fine with having parasites and pathogens present. If they’re found in nature, I let them in the tanks. Without getting into a whole big thing, it’s about healthy systems, healthy fish, and resistance.

The issue isn’t parasite outbreaks...it’s these two particular tanks (which also happen to be by far the smallest tanks I do) where it gets really tough to get new fish past the break-in period. In my experience, if you can get a fish past the 7 day mark and it’s eating, you’re good. I don’t think parasites are the issue, but are definitely a contributing factor in the difficulties of integrating new fish to these tanks.

My thinking is that even just slowing the parasites down a little would give the new fish a shot to get past that 7 day mark.

 

[RJKain-777]

I don’t try to, or really even want to, achieve disease-free tanks. I manage over 30 big reef tanks, and I’m fine with having parasites and pathogens present. If they’re found in nature, I let them in the tanks. Without getting into a whole big thing, it’s about healthy systems, healthy fish, and resistance.

The issue isn’t parasite outbreaks...it’s these two particular tanks (which also happen to be by far the smallest tanks I do) where it gets really tough to get new fish past the break-in period. In my experience, if you can get a fish past the 7 day mark and it’s eating, you’re good. I don’t think parasites are the issue, but are definitely a contributing factor in the difficulties of integrating new fish to these tanks.

My thinking is that even just slowing the parasites down a little would give the new fish a shot to get past that 7 day mark.

I think every one has varying levels of success, for me, ich has always found a way to wipe my tank out, I recently lost 15 fish. Some showed signs of ich, then it went away for a week or 2 , then it’d pop back up, then all the sudden fish started dropping.

 

[EmdeReef]

It’s just a more expensive form of hydrogen peroxide.

hydrogen peroxide is effective as a bath but not as effective in a reef tank IME. You can safely dose 1ml per gallon or more twice a day and see. I’m sure it may “oxidize” some swimming parasites but I don’t think it will get all To prevent disease.

 

[mta_morrow]

I don’t try to, or really even want to, achieve disease-free tanks. I manage over 30 big reef tanks, and I’m fine with having parasites and pathogens present. If they’re found in nature, I let them in the tanks. Without getting into a whole big thing, it’s about healthy systems, healthy fish, and resistance.

The issue isn’t parasite outbreaks...it’s these two particular tanks (which also happen to be by far the smallest tanks I do) where it gets really tough to get new fish past the break-in period. In my experience, if you can get a fish past the 7 day mark and it’s eating, you’re good. I don’t think parasites are the issue, but are definitely a contributing factor in the difficulties of integrating new fish to these tanks.

My thinking is that even just slowing the parasites down a little would give the new fish a shot to get past that 7 day mark.

I don’t qt. I have 30+ fish in a 110 gallon display. I feed live clams and a homemade blend of frozen live food. I run uv 24/7, and I use polyp lab medic 4-5 times a year for the same reason you are wanting to use it.

I know they are there, don’t care, just want to knock them down every now and then.

I have yet to lose a fish to disease unless I bought it sick and it died within a day or two.

 

[Gregg @ ADP]

It’s just a more expensive form of hydrogen peroxide.

hydrogen peroxide is effective as a bath but not as effective in a reef tank IME. You can safely dose 1ml per gallon or more twice a day and see. I’m sure it may “oxidize” some swimming parasites but I don’t think it will get all To prevent disease.

I think really just zapping some of the free swimmers would help accomplish my goal. With parasites, it always seems to be a numbers game. If I can just keep the numbers down a little, then the fish can handle it from there.

 

[Gregg @ ADP]

I don’t qt. I have 30+ fish in a 110 gallon display. I feed live clams and a homemade blend of frozen live food. I run uv 24/7, and I use polyp lab medic 4-5 times a year for the same reason you are wanting to use it.

I know they are there, don’t care, just want to knock them down every now and then.

I have yet to lose a fish to disease unless I bought it sick and it died within a day or two.

I’m with you. I haven’t QT’d a fish in over 20 years. Same with coral. TBH, I really don’t even acclimate unless there is for some reason a drastic temp difference.

Parasites are just not something I have to deal with in my tanks. I’m far more worried about comparability and nourishment than I am parasites. But these 2 tanks are becoming a pain to deal with.

 

[EmdeReef]

I think really just zapping some of the free swimmers would help accomplish my goal. With parasites, it always seems to be a numbers game. If I can just keep the numbers down a little, then the fish can handle it from there.

Then much cheaper to get 3% hydrogen peroxide at a pharmacy or online. I’ve dosed higher concentration as well without any apparent ill effects on fish or corals. It helps with cyano too.