Kordon Rid-Ich PLUS - Very Popular External Parasite Medication
- Controls Ich and other external protozoan, dinoflagellate and fungal diseases of fish
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For fresh and saltwater fish
- Will not harm biological filters when used as directed
- The foremost Ich chemical treatment for aquarium and pond fish
- Made in U.S.A.
Rid Ich Plus is recommended as the best chemical treatment for Ich, (white spot disease), having been originally developed decades ago for professional aquaculture, public aquariums, and government use in treating fishes. Other than refinement in ingredients, it has continued to remain as the foremost scientifically developed chemical treatment for Ich white spot disease. Efficacy is improved and the treatment time is often reduced when compared to treatment with either the chemicals malachite or formalin alone. (contains 4.26% of formalin and 0.038% of zinc-free chloride salt of malachite green
| Kordon Rid Ich PLUS | Treats | BFA Item # |
| 4 oz | 240 gallons | KD37644 |
| 16 oz | 960 gallons | KD37656 |
The Rid·Ich Plus formula utilizes the less common but also less toxic chloride salt of malachite green (this is the same salt used in Kordon's Malachite Green). Zinc-free Malachite green binds strongly with the internal cytoplasmic structure of disease causing organisms interfering in normal metabolism. U.S. P. Formalin is a powerful reducing agent which acts by denaturing cell proteins.
The recommended treatment concentration of Rid·Ich Plus should be approached with caution, carefully observing the reactions of the treated fishes and ceasing treatment if any undue stress is noted. Remember, when the first outward signs of Ich (scattered spots) are noticed, the fish is often quite heavily parasitic in the mouth and gills - lowering the fish's ability to withstand additional stress. The weaker the fishes' condition, the poorer its response will be to any medication. Rid·Ich Plus has been shown to be reasonably safe for use on fishes which normally cannot tolerate malachite green alone.
Rid·Ich Plus will not interfere with biological filtration. The lowering of dissolved oxygen levels in treated water is often associated with the use of formalin or formalin-containing medications. The use of Rid·Ich Plus allows a lower concentration of formalin to be utilized. This decreases the chances of lowering the dissolved oxygen. However (as noted above), treated fishes should be carefully observed for any signs of respiratory distress. It should be noted that while increased temperatures will often shorten the life cycle of some disease-causing organisms, it will also cause a decrease in the dissolved oxygen levels of the water. Do not increase the temperature in tanks or ponds used for treatment, unless sufficient oxygen is assured.
Rid·Ich Plus is stable indefinitely in solution. It must be stored above 50° F (10° C) to prevent product precipitation. Do not freeze. Do not use Rid·Ich Plus, or any product containing formaldehyde that has been frozen. Keep tightly closed when not in use to prevent loss of formaldehyde.
Kordon's Rid·Ich+ should not be used with any other medication. When used as directed, the product is safe for use in aerated aquaria and ponds or in recirculation systems utilizing biological filtration. After each water change the use of Kordon's NovAqua Plus and AmQuel Plus are recommended.
Directions for Use
Standard Dosage
Use 10 drops per gallon, or 1 teaspoon (approximately 5 ml) per 10 gallons of water, or 4 ounces for 240 gallons of water. This standard dosage produces a concentration of 15 ppm (= 15 mgL) formalin and 0.05 ppm of malachite green. NovAqua+® and AmQuel+® are recommended.
Suggested Treatment Procedures
The following procedures are suggested for both freshwater and saltwater systems. It is important to note that activated carbon will remove the malachite green component of the formulation. Formalin can also be removed somewhat. However, the amount is insignificant.
Treatment of Freshwater and Saltwater External Single-Celled Parasites
The following procedures are applicable when treating the diseased fishes in their original aquarium or pond:
(a) Remove any invertebrates you wish to save.
(b) Remove carbon and clean filter. Replace with clean mechanical filter media, such as Kordon's Bio·Mech ® , and return to use without the carbon.
(c) Perform a partial water change of at least 20-25%. Repeat water changes at 20-25% before each re-treatment with Rid·Ich+.
(d) Calculate the actual volume of water to be treated, taking into consideration the displacement of water by gravel, rock, and ornaments. (To calculate the aquarium's capacity measure its length, height and width in inches, multiply these dimensions together and divide the result by 232. Your answer will be the amount of water in gallons. To calculate the volume of a pond, put "calculate pond volume" in your search box on your computer, and you will get a choice of web sites to go to for this calculation.)
(e) Add a standard dose, such as 1 teaspoon of Rid·Ich+ per 10 gallons of water. This produces a concentration of 15 ppm of formalin and 0.05 ppm of malachite green.
(f) Treatments may be repeated as often as every 6-12 hours (depending upon the severity of the particular disease and the tolerance of the diseased fishes). Treatment should be repeated no less than every 24 hours (see step c) and continued for at least 3 days beyond the disappearance of all signs of disease. The main problem is in knowing when all white spots are gone from inside the mouth, gills, and nostrils of the fish. Typical treatments for Ich will depend upon the species of Ich involved, and may require six to 35 days or more in daily treatments. This means that daily partial water changes will need to be made followed by daily re-dosing of Rid-Ich+ until the infection is entirely gone. There are a number of "Ich" white spot species that can be involved, each with a different length of time of its life cycle in the white spot stage. In general these different species have different white spot stages varying from about 3 days as dormant white spots, to one week, to two weeks, to three weeks, and to 32-35 days or more. It takes an expert with microscopic examination to determine which species is involved. They all look alike. During the white spot stage the Ich are not treatable by any known treatment. Only when the Ich are hatched from the white spots and free swimming are they able to be killed by a treatment. The actual time necessary will depend upon the particular infection, the degree to which the fish are affected, how early the disease is detected, and when appropriate treatment is started. Note: Failure to properly diagnose a given disease and failure to start appropriate treatment early enough will often result in the death of some or all of the diseased fishes.
(g) After treatment, make a 40% water change. Add Kordon's NovAqua Plus® and AmQuel Plus® in the water, preferably before replacing water in the tank. Some situations may warrant the transfer of the affected fishes to a separate quarantine tank. If you elect to follow this procedure, the original aquarium or pond should remain devoid of any fishes for a period of not less than 4 days and preferably up to two weeks to insure that any remaining parasites have expired. Carefully inspect the fishes prior to returning them to the original aquarium or pond to insure that all signs of the infestation are gone. Keep in mind that the Ich white spot disease prefers to infect out of sight in the mouth, gills, and nostrils of the fish.