Gill Posted November 30, 2010 Share Posted November 30, 2010 After reading this article I am left asking myself how bad is quick cure for inverts? "Tomites were transferred from the wells to gridded plastic Petri dishes, killed with 2 or 3 drops of concentrated formalin, counted and measured." here's the link to the article http://www.int-res.com/articles/dao/1/d001p019.pdf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gill Posted November 30, 2010 Author Share Posted November 30, 2010 Better yet what about Formalin with no Malachite Green Formalin is a form of formaldehyde and is often used by fish farmers and home aquarists to treat ich. It can be purchased under its chemical name, or found as the active ingredient in products such as Ick Guard II® by Jungle, and Formalite III® by Aquatronics (which also contains copper). While it is non-staining and said to be safe for live plants (and at lower dosages…) scaleless fish, eggs and fry, it is nevertheless a strong chemical – a preservative for biological specimens (AKA embalming fluid). It may damage your biological filter, deplete oxygen levels in the aquarium, and destroy invertebrates and weak fish. Its toxicity increases with water temperature and acidity, making it a questionable choice for soft water fish. Malachite Green is an ominous substance that’s highly effective against Ich and fungi. It can be purchased separately under its chemical name, or found as the active ingredient in products such as Maracide® by Mardel, Ich Cure® by Aquatrol, Super Ich Plus® by Aquatronics, and Fungus Plus® by Aquatronics. It is carcinogenic and dangerous to handle or breathe (especially for pregnant women). There are rumors circulating that it could be banned for aquarium use by the FDA in the future. It cannot be used on food fish and is toxic to eggs, fry, some varieties of tetras, catfish, elephant noses, loaches and small marine fish. It also may damage your biological filter and will likely stain aquarium decorations and silicone sealant. Malachite Green is light sensitive, and you will be advised to keep your aquarium lights off during treatment to prevent the chemical from oxidizing. Formalin and Malachite Green are often used in conjunction with one another. The two chemicals are said to have a synergistic effect when combined, having a greater impact together than either one by itself. Products include Rid-Ich+® by Kordon, Quick Cure® by Aquarium Products, Cure-Ick® by Aquarium Products, Ick Guard® by Jungle, and Formalite I® by Aquatronics. This combination of chemicals is probably the most common choice for treating ich. Here is the link http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/ich.php Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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