Chloroquine phosphate

[jasonrusso]

That dose is a bit more than 13 mg/l so right in the "sweet spot" for CP. I think 10 mg/l is a bit too low.

Seeing high ammonia when dosing CP is hit or miss. In old, established aquariums, you often see an ammonia spike due to the huge die-off of algae and micro fauna to occurs when you first dose it. In brand new QT, without a good bio filter, you'll also have ammonia issues. When I dose CP in a properly operating QT (established bio filter, no algae or micro fauna) I won't see any ammonia issues.

People need to be aware that UV light breaks CP down. Turn off UV sterilizers, and no open windows near the treatment tank (silica glass filters out the UV, so light through a window isn't an issue).


Jay

I usually leave my foam filters in the sump of my DT when not in use so they establish a bacteria colony.

 

[Fishrocker1]

I'm considering using this as a method for fighting brook in my QT. The only thing I have in the tank is a sponge filter, 4 pvc elbows, a power head and a hang on the back penguin filter with no media or cartridge (simply for better aeration). Would any of these things affect the effectiveness of the drug?

 

[Fishrocker1]

Also, is this still a valid link to purchase the CP powder?

Chloroquine Phosphate

 

[jasonrusso]

I'm considering using this as a method for fighting brook in my QT. The only thing I have in the tank is a sponge filter, 4 pvc elbows, a power head and a hang on the back penguin filter with no media or cartridge (simply for better aeration). Would any of these things affect the effectiveness of the drug?

No, that should be fine.

Also, is this still a valid link to purchase the CP powder?

Chloroquine Phosphate

This is where I get mine. It's been a long time because 100G lasts forever. He still answers emails and sells to aquariums, so I have no reason to believe that it's not still up and running.

 

[Fishrocker1]

No, that should be fine.


This is where I get mine. It's been a long time because 100G lasts forever. He still answers emails and sells to aquariums, so I have no reason to believe that it's not still up and running.

Awesome thanks for the info. Any chance you know how long it typically takes to arrive? Currently fighting the infection in my tank with rally pro with mixed results. I want to use something with more definitive results. And do you need a prescription to place the order through the vendor provided by the link? Thanks in advance.

 

[jasonrusso]

Awesome thanks for the info. Any chance you know how long it typically takes to arrive? Currently fighting the infection in my tank with rally pro with mixed results. I want to use something with more definitive results. And do you need a prescription to place the order through the vendor provided by the link? Thanks in advance.

No prescription needed. I'm not sure about shipping. Is there an expedited shipping option?

 

[MyLittleReef]

I'm considering using this as a method for fighting brook in my QT. The only thing I have in the tank is a sponge filter, 4 pvc elbows, a power head and a hang on the back penguin filter with no media or cartridge (simply for better aeration). Would any of these things affect the effectiveness of the drug?

I think the bacteria interferes with the effectiveness of the medication. I would research this further before going forward with that.

 

[ReefHog]

Awesome thanks for the info. Any chance you know how long it typically takes to arrive? Currently fighting the infection in my tank with rally pro with mixed results. I want to use something with more definitive results. And do you need a prescription to place the order through the vendor provided by the link? Thanks in advance.

I've been hearing It's been hit or miss with them lately. Some get emails right away and some get no response. I've also heard they are only selling it by the kilo but not sure if that's true.

 

[Koigula]

I find this medicine is excellent for rapid treatment of fish with cysts but not the best for full term treatement.

I would occasionally special order at LFS from Quality Marine. They quarantine and are fish experts. The dealer is salty old man and has interesting discussions with them. He told me QM stopped using Chlroroquinine and use copper for most pets. The issue is what is left in system is never understood unless a bath is being used and baths are not practical for dealers.

 

[ReefHog]

I’ve treated infected fish as well as prophylacticly treated new fish that are now in three separate systems over the last five years with chloroquine. I use 14 day QT and 30 day observation with black mollies and more recently DNA testing to confirm no present parasites. After my last batch of fish I also had my display tanks DNA tested and no parasites detected. I use separate QT and observation tanks. The main issue with chloroquine is it’s not practical and very expensive to test. Levels have to be educated guesses so keeping levels consistent requires some diligence.

 

[jasonrusso]

I’ve treated infected fish as well as prophylacticly treated new fish that are now in three separate systems over the last five years with chloroquine. I use 14 day QT and 30 day observation with black mollies and more recently DNA testing to confirm no present parasites. After my last batch of fish I also had my display tanks DNA tested and no parasites detected. I use separate QT and observation tanks. The main issue with chloroquine is it’s not practical and very expensive to test. Levels have to be educated guesses so keeping levels consistent requires some diligence.

I've had very good experience with it over the last 5-6 years as well. Right up until last week.

30 Day treatment of an active outbreak. 45 day fallow at 82-83 degrees, 1 1/2 weeks later after putting the fish in the DT, everyone is doing well.

 

[jasonrusso]

I find this medicine is excellent for rapid treatment of fish with cysts but not the best for full term treatement.

I would occasionally special order at LFS from Quality Marine. They quarantine and are fish experts. The dealer is salty old man and has interesting discussions with them. He told me QM stopped using Chlroroquinine and use copper for most pets. The issue is what is left in system is never understood unless a bath is being used and baths are not practical for dealers.

Why do you say that? If it knocks off an active infection, it clearly kills the parasite.

 

[Koigula]

Why do you say that? If it knocks off an active infection, it clearly kills the parasite.

Long term treatment requires knowing effective dosage and knowing how much is active in the water. It is your hobby certainly and can do as you wish but this became a sticking point for some reputable wholesalers. I would recommend for initial treatment.

Fortunately I am out of QT process for some time now with stable reef tank!

 

[Bronx19]

The tablets I have are 250mg, but it clearly states 155mg Chloroquine base on the back. Which am I to nase my dosage off of?

 

[Jay Hemdal]

If the other 95 mg of the pill are binders and excipients, the delivered drug would be 62% of the weight of the pill.

If you can get me the manufacturer's name for the pill, I can try to look it up.
I also have a calculator that adjusts for percent active ingredient. I could run your numbers for you - I would need to know the dose of chloroquine you want to use and the net volume of the tank in gallons.

Jay

 

[Christoph]

Hello,
what Bromx19 is referring to is that the tablet contains Chloroquine diphosphate (a salt form of chloroquine) - thus the actual amount of chloroquine (the free base/active ingredient) is pesent at a lower amount .

AFAIK all dosage recommendations for the treatment of fish deseases are given for chloroquine phosphate: So you can calculate with the 250 mg/pill and not with the 155 mg/pill.

Background:
Molar mass of Chloroquine diphosphate = 516 g/mol
Molar mass of freebase Chloroquine = 319 g/mol

319/516 * 250 = 155 mg

all the best, Christoph

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Hello,
what Bromx19 is referring to is that the tablet contains Chloroquine diphosphate (a salt form of chloroquine) - thus the actual amount of chloroquine (the free base/active ingredient) is pesent at a lower amount .

AFAIK all dosage recommendations for the treatment of fish deseases are given for chloroquine phosphate: So you can calculate with the 250 mg/pill and not with the 155 mg/pill.

Background:
Molar mass of Chloroquine diphosphate = 516 g/mol
Molar mass of freebase Chloroquine = 319 g/mol

319/516 * 250 = 155 mg

all the best, Christoph

O.K., thanks, after I posted, I wondered if that was the case. Chloroquine doses are usually calculated as the whole molecule, not the base. The only time you would adjust the dose would be if the pill has excipients or binders added. I use pure chloroquine phosphate, and that is dosed as if it is 100% active ingredient.

There is a disconnect as there is also chloroquine hydrochloride available (not so much in the US though), which I think would have more chloroquine base per gram (HCL weighing less than PO4) but I don't know of anyone that adjusts their dose to account for that. Any binders in the pill would need to be accounted for.

Jay

 

[MrsBugmaster]

@Jay Hemdal
What is the shelf life of the one from NFP? I have some left from 3 to 4 years ago. Is it still ok to use?

 

[Jay Hemdal]

@Jay Hemdal
What is the shelf life of the one from NFP? I have some left from 3 to 4 years ago. Is it still ok to use?

Sorry, IDK - I thought the bulk product we had came with a two year shelf-life....I know that in 2018, I had to send a bag of it out to our chemical disposal company because it was out of date, we had purchased it three years prior. Then, we never got more in, the whole Covid/Chloroquine debacle kind of made us turn away from using CP.......

Jay

 

[ReefED!]

Hey @Jay Hemdal

I learned a lot from this thread

I am planning a large tank upgrade - 120 to 180.

Since I'm already going to be doing a massive breakdown + rescape + fragging off all my corals to migrate to a new system etc. - I want to eradicate ich and whatever else might be in my tank.

I have too much lifestock to dump into a QT system, I think - 3 tangs, copperband, mandarin pair, clownfish, and misc other fish like a six line, couple jawfish, some gobies, springeri damsels, and a gramma.

I thought I could maybe do a tank move, set up the new tank, and then use my current tank as a QT system while I run the new tank with corals and inverts only fallow.

But it sounds like from what you're saying , that wouldn't work reliably due to absorbtion and difficulty of maintaining therapeutic levels - so now I'm stumped.

How would you approach this problem, minimizing systems? (I don't think I can have tons of tanks littering around the house for 70 days)