Garlic Extreme and Selcon

[tygger]

Do you use Garlic Extreme or Selcon on a regular basis?

 

I don't use either right now and was just wondering if I should keep them on hand...

[martin]

Do you use Garlic Extreme or Selcon on a regular basis?

 

I don't use either right now and was just wondering if I should keep them on hand...

 

Yep, I mixed both with frozen and feed my fish with a turky baster. Can't really say if it helps or not, but my corals and fish are doing well and lots of growth of corals. I also use kalkwasser, so who knows. My triggerfish only likes dried shrimp that has been rehydrated with selcon and extreme garlic, spoiled fish.

 

I have given up on the green stuff (DT), to expensive with no results.

[jamesbuf]

Yep, I mixed both with frozen and feed my fish with a turky baster. Can't really say if it helps or not, but my corals and fish are doing well and lots of growth of corals. I also use kalkwasser, so who knows. My triggerfish only likes dried shrimp that has been rehydrated with selcon and extreme garlic, spoiled fish.

 

I have given up on the green stuff (DT), to expensive with no results.

 

Out of curiosity, what type of trigger do you have in your reef tank?? I was so close to purchasing a baby niger trigger today, but didn't want to risk it. I do love the nigers though.

[dhoch]

Blue chins are the trigger of choice for reefs (there are others, but they are more expensive)... make sure you have a good sized tank.

 

As for selecon I use it regularlly soaking my dried foods in it (pellets, and flakes).

 

Dave

[flowerseller]

I have given up on the green stuff (DT), to expensive with no results.

I've had low level algae blooms with DT and that's about it.

[martin]

Out of curiosity, what type of trigger do you have in your reef tank?? I was so close to purchasing a baby niger trigger today, but didn't want to risk it. I do love the nigers though.

 

Picasso trigger, it was a store pet at Walleys for awhile and hand tame when I got him. Neat fish, lots of personality but can't put other fish in the tank. Never bothers corals though,,,,

[rocko918]

I use Selcon to enrich my BBS and Mysid shrimps mostly for the Seahorses.

 

When i had a RBTA i would also enrich frozen shrimp for the food store.

[Ne0eN]

Picasso trigger, it was a store pet at Walleys for awhile and hand tame when I got him. Neat fish, lots of personality but can't put other fish in the tank. Never bothers corals though,,,,

 

I used to have a small picasso trigger a while back, and he never bothered other fish. But he did bother small inverts, especially my hermit crabs. I actually though he ate all of them since I never saw any of the 100+ hermits around anymore. After I got rid of him (if I remember Mike 'clownfish' took him), all the hermits started coming out of the woodwork... Unbelievable!

 

-- Rob

[jwildman]

I use both, alternating and think it does the fish good. I have seen no ill effects at all.

 

John

 

 

I used to have a small picasso trigger a while back, and he never bothered other fish. But he did bother small inverts, especially my hermit crabs. I actually though he ate all of them since I never saw any of the 100+ hermits around anymore. After I got rid of him (if I remember Mike 'clownfish' took him), all the hermits started coming out of the woodwork... Unbelievable!

 

-- Rob

[Lee Stearns]

selcon on mysis and occasionally on other frozen foods- I look at is as a vitamin for the guys. I use fresh grated garlic when I see the need, IE a few ich spots on a tang- for a couple of days on thier food along with fresh ginger- but I do not use any of them on an everyday basis. Partially because of lazyness and partially because I think if it is frozen it just does not as effective, so I am not sure that I would use garlic extreme.- So if the fish need it I add, if not just the occassional selcon added. It does seem to help the sea horses as well.

[Caribbean Jake]

call me crazy, call me stupid... but I had a conversation with MichaelG long time ago about this same issue. I used freash garlic off the grocery store and ginger powder mixed with shrimps, and it help cure the Royal Tang Blue off the iks.. it works, and I will use it again if needed.

[jamesbuf]

I'm going to sound like such a rookie by saying this, but its sounding like Garlic helps fight ich? This is my first summer with corals and inverts, so I know that if I'm unlucky enough to get ich, I can't use copper anymore since I no longer have just a FOWLR. Does the garlic help boost the fish's immune system or something?? I have a UV sterilizer on 24/7 so I hopefully won't run into this dilema, but you can never be too prepared. Thanks again everyone.

[Lee Stearns]

I can only say suposed effects- The garlic is fairly proven to stimulate appetite, but some add stimulate immune system- Ginger root is a natural antibiotic so a little in thier food does not seem to hurt any and in my tank the tangs will go for months with out any white spots-- then I will see one or two spots on one or another and just add the fresh ginger and fresh garlic to some of thier frozen food. And within days I do not see it any more- yep the cysts could have dropped off and went to ground and then free swimming stage again but I just do not note any ich for a long time. I believe that if the tangs are fat and happy (not stressed by another fish or the environment) then thier own immune system fights off the ich and that the garlic and ginger just gives them a bit more appetite and boost. Not fool proof but work in my tanks and in some others I have talked to around WAMAS.

[tygger]

Good info. Thx all.

 

Looks like I'll at least buy some selcon to use as vitamins every so often. For those of you who use fresh garlic, do you just crush it and feed it directly to the tank? Seems like it would be a cheaper alternative than buying g. extreme.

 

Does selcon and garlic extreme need to be refrigerated?

[rocko918]

I don't keep my selcon in the refrigerator.

 

As far as the garlic, i am sure you can do it many ways but i like to shave it up as small as i can get it then chop it up even more with a knife. Throw that in a little bag, toss in some food and mash it all up. I can get away with using it for a week or so.

[tygger]

Just searching around and found this:

 

Garlic Guard

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/Prod...22&N=2004+22763

 

It's cheaper than Garlic Extreme, but is it as effective?

[Caribbean Jake]

Just searching around and found this:

 

Garlic Guard

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/Prod...mp;N=2004+22763

 

It's cheaper than Garlic Extreme, but is it as effective?

it is easier to just buy a garlic head and shave it, crunch it or stamp it until it is squeezed as juice. Garlic heads cost few cents, maybe less than a dollar. just make sure it is clean and healthy garlic,... ask you wife to help you pick one up at the grocery store. .. that is what I do

[tygger]

it is easier to just buy a garlic head and shave it, crunch it or stamp it until it is squeezed as juice. Garlic heads cost few cents, maybe less than a dollar. just make sure it is clean and healthy garlic,... ask you wife to help ou pick one up at the gricery store. .. that is what I do

 

Thx Jake. I'll skip on the bottled garlic stuff... I don't plan on using garlic unless I see signs of ick anyway.

[Rascal]

There was a good article on the use of garlic by Steven Pro in Reefkeeping a while back: http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-10/sp/index.php. FWIW, my conclusions from this and other stuff I've read are that 1) garlic will kill and/or repel bacteria and possibly some small paracites, and 2) the only way it works is if you use it right after it's been chopped/crushed. The active ingredient (allicin) apparently loses its potency after a short time. For that reason, in addition to the cost factor, I personally wouldn't use any of the bottled products, although I would be interested in hearing if others have had positive experiences with them.

[jamesbuf]

I can't freaking believe it. I came home today and my Hippo has a few white spots on him. I just changed my UV bulb too. Weird. I should have knocked on wood while replying to this topic the first time.

So my hippo loves mysis shrimp. I take it all I have to do it chop up some garlic and let it soak in some water and the mysis will absorb the garlic?? Hope this works. I really don't want to have to setup a QT tank. Not to mention the pain in the a$$ of catching the hippo.

[Caribbean Jake]

that is right James, just chop some fresh garlic, mix it with mysis shrimp, no need to add water, and then feed the fish. Make sure Hippo eats at least two pieces of shrimps. If few days he will be looking good, and in a week all ick signs are gone. at least that has been my experience. good luck.

Jacob

[jamesbuf]

Just went to Giant and got some fresh garlic. I really hope this rememdy lives up to the hype. Also, I have the larger mysis shrimp. The hippo usually eats a few dozen of them. Does it matter how much garlic I put in, or is only so much absorbed in the first place? I just don't want to over do it either. Thanks again.

[Caribbean Jake]

start small. just add 2 pieces of garlic, chopped, and mix with shrimp. Wait and see if Hippo devours them. Then if ick still exists after three or four days, add three pieces of garlic to the mysis shrimp. don't over do it... rather be safe than experience a death trying... that has been my experience

[jamesbuf]

I'll check back in a couple days to let you guys know how the hippo is doing.

[tygger]

There was a good article on the use of garlic by Steven Pro in Reefkeeping a while back: http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-10/sp/index.php. FWIW, my conclusions from this and other stuff I've read are that 1) garlic will kill and/or repel bacteria and possibly some small paracites, and 2) the only way it works is if you use it right after it's been chopped/crushed. The active ingredient (allicin) apparently loses its potency after a short time. For that reason, in addition to the cost factor, I personally wouldn't use any of the bottled products, although I would be interested in hearing if others have had positive experiences with them.

 

Rascal, what do you think about bottled vitamins like selcon?

 

 

 

James, sorry to hear... so if I have it right, you just crush up a bit of garlic, (as fine as possible?) and put the bits and pieces into the tank along with the food?