Interesting new NLS product...

[DMD123]

Interesting new NLS products...
[youtube]F2ptQLh8Tuo[/youtube]
I have a method that I use for any sort of wasting away type issues and it is a bit hardcore since it involves force feeding a food/medicine mixture. I have saved a few fish now doing it but I could see the value of using a medicated food if your fish are still eating.

 

[DMD123]

Found a bit more info on the product: http://www.fishlore.com/fishforum/fresh ... hield.html

 

[Madness]

We have had many discussions regarding this on FB. I can see a use for the Hex food, but the ICH food has got to be a gimmick. I say this because ich is an external parasite, so how is ingesting a food with parasite meds going to benefit an exterior infestation? The meds we add to the water when there is an ich outbreak, is not being done to benefit the fish, it is used to eliminate the ich. Ich can only be killed in stage 3, the theront stage which is when the parasite becomes free swimmers. They swim around trying to find a host (fish). If they find one they attach and begin the trophont stage (stage 1) all over again. During this free swimming stage, ich is vulnerable to medication (not a fish that has been eating this so called medicated food.)

Sorry but this just screams gimmick. So many hobbyists have no idea how ich survives or what it is. And if a food company says that it is for ich, then my God thousands upon thousands of people will be buying it. (not bagging this because its NLS, that has nothing to do with it, I still feed NLS to my fry)

 

[KaraWolf]

pretty video but there's nothing in there that says what hex shield even is. They make it look like it should be fed on a regular occurrence and not as a only-when-fish-could-be/is-sick. talk about wasting medicine, and making bacteria immune to them. oops! Gonna have to side with madness. external parasites = water column medicines.

 

[Bob]

We have had many discussions regarding this on FB. I can see a use for the Hex food, but the ICH food has got to be a gimmick. I say this because ich is an external parasite, so how is ingesting a food with parasite meds going to benefit an exterior infestation?

I had read that garlic helps with external parasites. The article i was reading stated that when fish eat garlic it gets excreted out through sweat from the scales, which in turns kills the external parasites. Maybe it works like that somehow? IDK i am just a fry when it comes to fish keeping. Maybe someone else can chime in and confirm or deny.

 

[DMD123]

I agree the ICH product seems gimmicky. The hex product may have some use, but again only if fish are eating.

 

[Madness]

I thought that as well. but from everything I have learned regarding ich and its life cycle is that stage 2 is when it finds a host, it feeds then falls off and boroughs in the substrate where it multiplies by the thousands, then come stage 3 where they swim about looking for a host to repeat the cycle. If there is no host, then the cycle is broken and the free swimmers die, leaving you with no more ick parasite in the tank. It is during this 'free swimming' stage that it can be killed.

 

[DMD123]

Where is RD when you need him? Im sure he could explain it in a thousand words or more! LOL!

 

[RD.]

Both products actually do work (according to the numerous hobbyists that have trialed these products) a brief explanation as to how you can read the following.



http://www.reef2rainforest.com/2014/09/ ... parasites/


The active ingredient in Hex Shield is Metronidazole along with Magnesium Sulphate (epsom salt), both substances are pretty self explanatory when it comes to hexamita/spironucleus. The active ingredient in the Ich Shield is Chloroquin. Ich Shield comes in a powder form (to treat the water) as well as a food form, which also targets the parasites that are feeding on the host. (trophont stage) For those that don't understand that concept, you might want to spend a little time researching the use of chloroquin based medication and ich. It's very effective, even when delivered via food (for those fish still eating) but over the past decade its been almost impossible to source for most hobbyists. NLS is selling it for a fraction of what it cost in the past (powder form) and most marine keepers that I've spoken with have been singing high praise to New Life for its introduction at a hobbyist level at what most consider a very economical rate.

Sorry if that was under a thousand words, just thought that I would clear up the previous comments referring to this food as a gimmick. I'm guessing those using the term have never heard of chloroquin based meds and their application in aquaculture.