What's with the garlic? Does a smelly tang equal a healthy

[davelin315]

Took me weeks to admit that I didn't know something, but, here goes. It's just a quick question. I have never soaked food, or treated food in any way to promote healthier fish, but I keep on seeing this garlic thing. I know that garlic is good for people, but does it have medicinal value for tangs specifically, or all fish in general? Also, I've seen it referred to indirectly as a treatment for ich, does ich just not like the smell? And, if garlic is that good for your fish, why not use those garlic/ginseng combinations? Sorry, just ignorant on the garlic thing, hoping somebody would explain it to me.

[ August 17, 2001: Message edited by: davelin315 ]

 

[Anonymous]

Dave

I was very skepticle about the use of garlic. While moving my Maroon clown to the main tank all was well. The next morning I woke and he was covered in ich while in with the rest of the population. I pulled him and did a freshwater dip for about 5 min. The dip knocked all but two cysts of him. I posted and a few people I trusted one who does not use garlic said what have you got to lose. I came home and the two cysts where still there and some smaller outbreaks where starting to show. I was really starting to fear brook. I had stopped by GNC and picked up some Kyolic 100% garlic extract. I was not expecting my whole fish population to go after it but all of them ate they nori soaked. I do not understand what it does but I feel it helped. I use it a couple times a week.

The Selcon is a little easier to understand. It is just fat. The fish on a reef would consume more but also burn more in the course of a day. In our tanks they do not expend as much energy and require less food. The selcon just provides a rich fat that they would otherwise store through more frequent eating.

 

[davelin315]

Do any of your fish that don't eat the garlic soaked food hold their noses as they go by the ones that do?

Actually, a legit question, does the garlic extract smell, and therefore make your tank smell like garlic?

Thanks for the replies, by the way, I may try the garlic if I ever get an ich outbreak that doesn't go away by itself on a new fish within a day or two.

 

[chris s1]

if you use the kyolic brand liwuid extract you wont smell anything in the tank, nor will it form any oil slicks on the top of the water. i would say its the best option if you have a GNC around.

 

[SPC]

Dave, I haven't had to try it yet, but from the # of experienced reefers who have had success I would not hesitate to try it. I do know that before they came out with the new Flea medicines (Advantage) we would put garlic in our dogs food, and it seemed to help with fleas. Another important part of garlic use would be the lack of Vampires in ones tank.

Steve

 

[naesco]

I don't smell anything when I am around the tank feeding the fish garlic extract soaked food but, maybe the people I work with have a different opinion

 

[FishDaddy]

Here is an excellent article, written by Horge, that does a good job of explaining the why's and wherefore's of use of garlic: http://www.geocities.com/horge1218/garlic.html
Dick

 

[Anonymous]

Very nice article Fish Daddy, Allicin Wonderland - great way to remember a componet.

 

[davelin315]

Up, up, and away!

 

[naesco]

Dave it is not necessary to feed your fish garlic extract. It may or may not be good for them long term. Nobody knows.
But if your fish are showing early signs of ich, it is my opinion that the ich will subside if you immediately begin a regimen of feeding garlic extract soaked foods. This opinion is based on my personal experience and what I have also read from many others on this board.
This is an important discovery because the chemical alternatives in many cases do not work and are definetly not recommended to place in the tank, only in a quarantine tank (QT). The other ich method is a freshwater dip which stresses the fish which is already stressed with ich. In my opinion (IMO) the dip should only be used where ich is well established.
I do not know what other garlic 'users' do but what I have found very sucessful is to feed garlic soaked food when you add a new inhabitant to the tank. That fish will be stressed anyway and the chance of an ich outbreak on that fish is high.
I have not lost one fish since I began following this regimen.
I do not know why it works or how it works. Others on the board can advise.
All I can tell you is that it works for me.
I have never heard anything about ginseng but twice a week I feed Selcon soaked food.