Q: Malachite Green and Formalin in planted tank

Greetings all,

Well, call me an idiot, but I made the mistake of adding a couple of
fish from a local store (one that has good reputation, runs UV
sterilizers, etc) to my main tank without quarantining them, and guess
what? Correct, you get a gold star!

An outbreak of Ichthyophthiris - after 2 years of being completely
free of the organism. Arrgghh....

What I want to know is if Malachite Green and Formalin will harm the
plants in a 75 gal planted tank, dosed at 1 drop per gallon.

I don't have a tank big enough to hold all the fish independently for
treatment, and am hoping to treat the main tank instead.

Just call me stupid,
Greg

On Thu, 06 Nov 2003 01:00:53 -0500, Greg
wrote:

What I want to know is if Malachite Green and Formalin will harm the
plants in a 75 gal planted tank, dosed at 1 drop per gallon.

Malachite Green/Formalin is safe for plants.


Chuck Gadd
http://www.csd.net/~cgadd/aqua

On Thu, 06 Nov 2003 01:03:44 -0700, Chuck Gadd wrote:

What I want to know is if Malachite Green and Formalin will harm the
plants in a 75 gal planted tank, dosed at 1 drop per gallon.

Malachite Green/Formalin is safe for plants.

Chuck Gadd
http://www.csd.net/~cgadd/aqua


Thought as much, but wanted to be sure.
As usual, Thanks for the info!

Greg

what fish did you buy and bring home and dump in your tank to learn such a
valuable lesson... jk about that, are the fish clown loaches or any other
scaleless fish???


"Greg G." wrote in message
...

Greetings all,

Well, call me an idiot, but I made the mistake of adding a couple of
fish from a local store (one that has good reputation, runs UV
sterilizers, etc) to my main tank without quarantining them, and guess
what? Correct, you get a gold star!

An outbreak of Ichthyophthiris - after 2 years of being completely
free of the organism. Arrgghh....

What I want to know is if Malachite Green and Formalin will harm the
plants in a 75 gal planted tank, dosed at 1 drop per gallon.

I don't have a tank big enough to hold all the fish independently for
treatment, and am hoping to treat the main tank instead.

Just call me stupid,
Greg

On Thu, 6 Nov 2003 10:03:17 -0500, "RedForeman ©®"
wrote:

what fish did you buy and bring home and dump in your tank to learn such a
valuable lesson... jk about that, are the fish clown loaches or any other
scaleless fish???

Ha, ha. :-p

It was 2 golden brigesii apple snails and 4 ottocinclus sp.
As mentioned, the store has a very clean reputation, but as I did it,
I was mumbling to myself, "I'll regret this..."

I did quarantine them for a few days, but got impatient when a batch
of tetras I had been waiting on arrived - they took over the
quarantine tank. (It's only 10 gals.) Apparently, either the snails
or the otto's dropped most of the parasites in the quarantine tank -
the new tetras are heavily infested.

Actually, the situation has improved already. After quick treatment
of the main tank, I haven't seen any new evidence of ich yet, and
existing cases have visibly disappeared. I keep a couple of sunset
platies in there because they are ich magnets... (and they eat some
algea). For some reason, the livebearers seem to show spots first.

Now to continue staining the aquarium for the next two weeks...

On Thu, 06 Nov 2003 03:24:52 -0500, Greg
wrote:

On Thu, 06 Nov 2003 01:03:44 -0700, Chuck Gadd wrote:

What I want to know is if Malachite Green and Formalin will harm the
plants in a 75 gal planted tank, dosed at 1 drop per gallon.

Malachite Green/Formalin is safe for plants.

Chuck Gadd
http://www.csd.net/~cgadd/aqua


Thought as much, but wanted to be sure.
As usual, Thanks for the info!

Greg
I might be joining this conversation a little late but I'd like
to relate this experience to you. About 3-4 weeks ago
I bought 2 small angel fish, one clown loach and 3 bleeding
heart tetras. Short story: ick broke out and some fish showed
signs-not all though. One angel fish died and the clown loach died
the loach looked like it was wasting away when it arrived-think there
is a name for that disease and I guess it's common. Not sure what
got the angel-it did have ick but I think it also was harrassed by the
bleeding hearts (the surviving angel is doing fine but has a 'hair
cut' thanks to BH tetras) Some of the established fish had a very few
number of spots but I did not treat the tank-all fish are disease
free,growing and healthy. I've had outbreaks before but I never,ever
ever,treat my plant tank with anything for it and I don't loose any
fish that where already in the tank-occasionally-rarely- a new arrival
will succumb but it's usually over stressed from it's journey from
where it's bred/caught to it's arrival in my tank and is either gonna
make it or it's not.If your tank is a good healthy stress free
environment that is probably the best Rx you can give your fish.
IMHO adding chemicals to your tank adds stress to all inhabitants.
Just my .02