Anyone using Dr Gs dip for in-tank red bug/black bug treatment: STOP NOW!

[Reeffraff]

Consider this a PSA for reefers:
There are countless threads on this forum and others that promote the use of Dr G's coral dip as an effective in-tank treatment for Tegastes spp. copepods, commonly referred to as red bugs or black bugs. This was considered an effective tool given that the manufacturer's website stated the ingredients as "Milbemycin oxime, vitamin C and RO/DI water." Thus, it was the same active ingredient as interceptor but didn't require you trying to convince a vet that you needed dog medicine for your fish tank. I was just recently considering this treatment option for a large coral QT system but I wanted to know the exact amount of Milbemycin oxime per bottle so that I could make the treatment work with the established protocol for the large breed dog pills (23 mg Milbemycin oxime per pill). So, I reached out the manufacturer and well, here are the relevant excerpts from the emails:

Me: "Can you please provide the amount (in milligrams) of milbemcyin oxime present per 8 oz bottle?"

Dr Gs rep: "We do not use milbemcyn in our propietery formula for the Coral Dip."

Me: "Thank you for the reply. Are you sure we are talking about the same coral dip? From your own website it states, Ingredients: Milbemcyn oxime, Vitamin C, and RO/DI Water."

Dr Gs rep: "The manufacturer discontinued the product years ago, we had to change the formula. I missed changing the website, thanks for alerting me."

I don't know for sure what the new formula is but it sounded like it was primarily chlroquine phosphate. I just wanted to let the community know because most info in the forums is from years ago when the active ingredient was indeed milbemcyin oxime, however this info is no longer valid and any of the treatment protocols/posted results are likely no longer valid.

 

[Oregon Grown Reef]

Consider this a PSA for reefers:
There are countless threads on this forum and others that promote the use of Dr G's coral dip as an effective in-tank treatment for Tegastes spp. copepods, commonly referred to as red bugs or black bugs. This was considered an effective tool given that the manufacturer's website stated the ingredients as "Milbemycin oxime, vitamin C and RO/DI water." Thus, it was the same active ingredient as interceptor but didn't require you trying to convince a vet that you needed dog medicine for your fish tank. I was just recently considering this treatment option for a large coral QT system but I wanted to know the exact amount of Milbemycin oxime per bottle so that I could make the treatment work with the established protocol for the large breed dog pills (23 mg Milbemycin oxime per pill). So, I reached out the manufacturer and well, here are the relevant excerpts from the emails:

Me: "Can you please provide the amount (in milligrams) of milbemcyin oxime present per 8 oz bottle?"

Dr Gs rep: "We do not use milbemcyn in our propietery formula for the Coral Dip."

Me: "Thank you for the reply. Are you sure we are talking about the same coral dip? From your own website it states, Ingredients: Milbemcyn oxime, Vitamin C, and RO/DI Water."

Dr Gs rep: "The manufacturer discontinued the product years ago, we had to change the formula. I missed changing the website, thanks for alerting me."

I don't know for sure what the new formula is but it sounded like it was primarily chlroquine phosphate. I just wanted to let the community know because most info in the forums is from years ago when the active ingredient was indeed milbemcyin oxime, however this info is no longer valid and any of the treatment protocols/posted results are likely no longer valid.

That's extremely disappointing. I wonder when it actually stopped though. I used it as an in tank treatment last year for red bugs and it worked beautifully. I did the treatment twice with zero ill effects (minus losing some shrimp). I still have that bottle, so maybe it was just something to do with the manufacture date.

 

[Reeffraff]

They didn't say when they stopped using it. Could be that there was also a lag between the time they stopped obtaining milbemycin oxime and when it stopped showing up in the product depending on how much they had on hand.

 

[ScottB]

Consider this a PSA for reefers:
There are countless threads on this forum and others that promote the use of Dr G's coral dip as an effective in-tank treatment for Tegastes spp. copepods, commonly referred to as red bugs or black bugs. This was considered an effective tool given that the manufacturer's website stated the ingredients as "Milbemycin oxime, vitamin C and RO/DI water." Thus, it was the same active ingredient as interceptor but didn't require you trying to convince a vet that you needed dog medicine for your fish tank. I was just recently considering this treatment option for a large coral QT system but I wanted to know the exact amount of Milbemycin oxime per bottle so that I could make the treatment work with the established protocol for the large breed dog pills (23 mg Milbemycin oxime per pill). So, I reached out the manufacturer and well, here are the relevant excerpts from the emails:

Me: "Can you please provide the amount (in milligrams) of milbemcyin oxime present per 8 oz bottle?"

Dr Gs rep: "We do not use milbemcyn in our propietery formula for the Coral Dip."

Me: "Thank you for the reply. Are you sure we are talking about the same coral dip? From your own website it states, Ingredients: Milbemcyn oxime, Vitamin C, and RO/DI Water."

Dr Gs rep: "The manufacturer discontinued the product years ago, we had to change the formula. I missed changing the website, thanks for alerting me."

I don't know for sure what the new formula is but it sounded like it was primarily chlroquine phosphate. I just wanted to let the community know because most info in the forums is from years ago when the active ingredient was indeed milbemcyin oxime, however this info is no longer valid and any of the treatment protocols/posted results are likely no longer valid.

That is indeed an interesting PSA for us; thank you for sharing.

 

[Rickyrooz]

What are the ingredients on the new bottle?

 

[Reeffraff]

What are the ingredients on the new bottle?

That information was not explicitly divulged to me but reading between the lines it seems that chlroquine phosphate is now an ingredient.

 

[Rickyrooz]

That information was not explicitly divulged to me but reading between the lines it seems that chlroquine phosphate is now an ingredient.

According to their website the ingredients have not changed.

 

[Reeffraff]

According to their website the ingredients have not changed.

Yes, that was pretty much the point of my original post. Ingredients have changed (according to Dr Gs CEO) but the website has not been updated, leaving hobbyists misinformed.

 

[OnPointCorals]

I don’t know. A friend of mine used Dr g’s in tank a few months ago and it worked as expected. This might need more investigation.

 

[Reeffraff]

I don’t know. A friend of mine used Dr g’s in tank a few months ago and it worked as expected. This might need more investigation.

The person I got the information in the original post was Carlos Gonzalez, the CEO of Dr. G's Marine Aquaculture Inc. So I don't think there's a lot of ambiguity around this. Anyone is obviously free to confirm this with Dr Gs as well. It was not clear from the communication with him however when they actaully stopped using Milbemycin oxime and how much original product they still had on hand. Thus, it's entirely possible that there's still a lot of original product floating around out there. It's also possible that they found a new formula/ingredient that works the same way, but without knowing what's in the new stuff and the fact it is designed as a dip (not in-tank use), I'd be hesitant to trust it until the ingredients are known.

 

[pharazon]

Well, this is certainly an interesting situation.

I recently used Dr. G’s as an in tank treatment for acropora bugs and it worked much better than the current beef flavored Interceptor pills ever did. A good friend of mine had the same result. Neither of us suffered any coral loss, though we did have crustacean casualties - as expected.

I might send an email asking for further clarification. And perhaps a refund, as despite achieving the desired results, I specifically purchased the product because of the milbemycin content listed on the bottle and the website - essentially false advertising. I’m not sure I would be comfortable using it again if it is indeed confirmed that there is no milbemycin in the product. I understand it explicitly states not to use in tank and that is a risk I took myself, but again, I did so under the assumption that the ingredients were as listed on the bottle.

The possibility of it containing chloroquine phosphate may explain why some users reported that they observed a decline in AEFW populations as well, which might be worth exploring further.

Will update if I decide to reach out.

 

[Charlie’s Frags]

Well, this is certainly an interesting situation.

I recently used Dr. G’s as an in tank treatment for acropora bugs and it worked much better than the current beef flavored Interceptor pills ever did. A good friend of mine had the same result. Neither of us suffered any coral loss, though we did have crustacean casualties - as expected.

I might send an email asking for further clarification. And perhaps a refund, as despite achieving the desired results, I specifically purchased the product because of the milbemycin content listed on the bottle and the website - essentially false advertising. I’m not sure I would be comfortable using it again if it is indeed confirmed that there is no milbemycin in the product. I understand it explicitly states not to use in tank and that is a risk I took myself, but again, I did so under the assumption that the ingredients were as listed on the bottle.

The possibility of it containing chloroquine phosphate may explain why some users reported that they observed a decline in AEFW populations as well, which might be worth exploring further.

Will update if I decide to reach out.

What dosage did you use?

I spoke with several ppl at Dr G’s and was told that the formula has not changed from the original

 

[pharazon]

What dosage did you use?

I spoke with several ppl at Dr G’s and was told that the formula has not changed from the original

I used 1.5 ml per 1 gallon.

So, where did OP get their info? Did the formula change or not? Is it still milbemycin or nay?

 

[Charlie’s Frags]

I used 1.5 ml per 1 gallon.

So, where did OP get their info? Did the formula change or not? Is it still milbemycin or nay?

Not sure about the OP

What crustaceans did you lose? Hermits?

 

[Reeffraff]

So, where did OP get their info?

See post #10.
After my communication with him the website changed the ingredients to:
"Proprietary Formula, with Vitamin C, and RO/DI Water"
It used to say: "Milbemcyn oxime, Vitamin C, and RO/DI Water."

 

[pharazon]

Not sure about the OP

What crustaceans did you lose? Hermits?

Nah, my hermits were long gone by then. I did lose an acropora barnacle that had been doing well for three years :-( but otherwise my tank was relatively crustacean-free.

 

[Charlie’s Frags]

Nah, my hermits were long gone by then. I did lose an acropora barnacle that had been doing well for three years :-( but otherwise my tank was relatively crustacean-free.

Does your bottle have “proprietary formula or milbemcyn oxime” on it?

 

[Hincapiej4]

I used this couple weeks ago. Red bugs are gone. Lost like 2 or 3 hermits, MAYBE. I assume they died because they were either stunned or dead.

 

[Charlie’s Frags]

I used this couple weeks ago. Red bugs are gone. Lost like 2 or 3 hermits, MAYBE. I assume they died because they were either stunned or dead.

1.5mls/gallon?

 

[pharazon]

Does your bottle have “proprietary formula or milbemcyn oxime” on it?

milbemycin