Methylene Blue

[Sgooosh]

Hello,
Which type of methylene blue do you guys use? and how do you apply it?
Thanks

 

[kribensis12]

Can you define what you mean by "which kind"?

Also, what are you planning to use it for?

It will stain the silicone in your tank (and maybe decorations). It's typically (in my experience) used by aquarists who are trying to hatch cichlid eggs w/o their parents.

 

[Ichthys]

I use it in the form of Protozin or Myxazin, full dose or half dose, depending on the fish and what I’m treating for.

 

[GaryE]

There's only one kind, with different brand names put on it. I used to buy it at the pharmacy, but have a bottle from one of the fishchem companies now.

A very mild solution is good for staining unfertilized eggs, which turn blue in it, so you can remove them before they fungus. It also has antiseptic properties (it is used as a human medication) and that can help with eggs.

In a pinch, it kills Ich, though it isn't as quick as other dyes. I have stopped outbreaks with it. For many years it was the go to in Ich meds, before malachite green replaced it.

A few years ago, a mystery parasite got into my tanks and was slowly and methodically killing tank after tank of fish. It looked a bit like velvet, but wasn't that parasite. I tried all the treatments I could get, to no avail, the things just chugged along, decimating the fish. In desperation I used methelyne blue, and boom, parasite killed. It's good stuff to have in reserve.

The dye interferes with the ability of several parasites to reproduce.

Stained tanks? Yes, but it fades in time.

 

[emeraldking]

According to me there's only one kind of methylene blue. But there are many brands of it but methylene blue is methylene blue. I use it when fungus shows up. But that hardly happens overhere.

 

[Sgooosh]

Can you define what you mean by "which kind"?

Also, what are you planning to use it for?

It will stain the silicone in your tank (and maybe decorations). It's typically (in my experience) used by aquarists who are trying to hatch cichlid eggs w/o their parents.

There's only one kind, with different brand names put on it. I used to buy it at the pharmacy, but have a bottle from one of the fishchem companies now.

A very mild solution is good for staining unfertilized eggs, which turn blue in it, so you can remove them before they fungus. It also has antiseptic properties (it is used as a human medication) and that can help with eggs.

In a pinch, it kills Ich, though it isn't as quick as other dyes. I have stopped outbreaks with it. For many years it was the go to in Ich meds, before malachite green replaced it.

A few years ago, a mystery parasite got into my tanks and was slowly and methodically killing tank after tank of fish. It looked a bit like velvet, but wasn't that parasite. I tried all the treatments I could get, to no avail, the things just chugged along, decimating the fish. In desperation I used methelyne blue, and boom, parasite killed. It's good stuff to have in reserve.

The dye interferes with the ability of several parasites to reproduce.

Stained tanks? Yes, but it fades in time.

According to me there's only one kind of methylene blue. But there are many brands of it but methylene blue is methylene blue. I use it when fungus shows up. But that hardly happens overhere.

I was not clear in my previous post. What I mean is the concentration. I see 1% and 0.5 percent, and also different brands
I am using it for hatching corydoras eggs

 

[GaryE]

To completely undermine whatever credibility I have, I use what I can get. For eggs, I fill a 2 ltr soft drink/soda type bottle with water, and then dip a clean knife into the methelyne blue bottle. Maybe two, at most 3 dip transfers gives me a pale blue solution to use early in incubation. I try to change out the blue water before hatching, once the staining has told me which eggs have to removed. That's harder with Corys as the hatch is quicker than my 14-18 day killie eggs.

Yes, the deer outside my window watch from the cedars as the human lifts a gleaming sharp knife, glinting in the sunlight where it isn't dripping with dark blue liquid... Judging from the amount of deer poop out by the cedars, It's horror movie stuff to them.

The concentration becomes unimportant when you gauge by eye.

 

[Ichthys]

The deer are thinking “oh no, he’s killing Vulcans again” (?)
To reinstate your credibility, that’s always been the method, hasn’t it? Q, “How much do I add?” A, “pale blue”.
I’ve only ever bred cichlids on purpose. These days I don’t add anything because big cichlids remove their own fungused eggs, but if I was to add a fungicide I would use a half-dose of Protozin.

 

[GaryE]

Protozin is like unicorn tears in North America. I've never seen it, and the copper sulfate would probably even keep it out of the US. That I don't know.
Those self cleaning cichlids are a fond memory.

I only use meth blue with non broodcaring egglayers to identify unfertilized eggs. They turn blue in it, while good eggs resist it, as a note for new aquarists. After a day or two, if the eggs go bad you have to figure out what you're doing wrong. It shouldn't happen.

Most egg fungus issues are from having one rotten egg feeding the fungus and sending it out. Stop that and you should be okay.

 

[Ichthys]

After a day or two, if the eggs go bad you have to figure out what you're doing wrong. It shouldn't happen.

I don’t think it’s our issue, is it? Males aren’t always the most accurate of beasts… especially when they’re excited.
Isn’t it only unfertilised eggs that fungus?

 

[GaryE]

Not really. Unfertilized eggs start fungus spread, and then it becomes whether you are incubating the eggs correctly. I like using egg tumblers to keep spores off. You can lose a good batch of eggs easily if spores settle on them and you don't change water on them.

With meth blue, you can remove the bad eggs before they atart to decompose, and before fungus gets a head of steam going.

 

[kribensis12]

I may end up needing to do Methylene Blue.... I've got two gorgeous breeding pairs of EB Rams and they've each had 4 batches of eggs fungus.

Rams are semi-known for being bad parents, but I've had good success in the past. Going to give them one more try!

 

[Ichthys]

Not really. Unfertilized eggs start fungus spread, and then it becomes whether you are incubating the eggs correctly. I like using egg tumblers to keep spores off. You can lose a good batch of eggs easily if spores settle on them and you don't change water on them.

With meth blue, you can remove the bad eggs before they atart to decompose, and before fungus gets a head of steam going.

I knew that, I just didn’t think it through.

 

[GaryE]

I'd never use it with rams or other cichlids. If they are bad parents, don't breed them. If your water allows the eggs to develop and they don't, time for another pair.