Garlic has been scientifically demonstrated to promote fish growth and feed efficiency. Furthermore, garlic extracts were found to prevent parasitic nematodes that cause disease from migrating, thus protecting fish populations.
Many commercial foods contain small amounts of garlic. Many hobbyists have reported that feeding their marine fish garlic helped cure marine Ich (Cryptocaryon irritans). Furthermore, garlic has also been known to strengthen and revitalize sickly fish.
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Boosts Immune System
Garlic can significantly strengthen the natural defenses of aquarium- and pond fish. By decreasing oxidation of fatty acids and inhibiting free radical production, garlic increases their natural defenses against stress, disease and infection. Furthermore, garlic stimulates appetites so even finicky fish will consume enough food for survival.
Garlic contains allicin, which boosts immunity by stimulating leucocyte phagocytic activity and providing powerful antioxidant benefits similar to that found in vitamin C.
Tropical fish with differing needs need to be fed in different ways. Some, like goldfish, require fast-sinking foods and compressed ‘tablets’ of food while nocturnal species, such as catfish, must be fed last thing at night. All of this can be purchased from your local aquatic store – simply follow its feeding instructions carefully and adjust according to its size!
Lowers Bacterial Population
Garlic contains both fat-soluble allicin and water-soluble sulfides which have bactericidal and antifungal properties, helping prevent bacteria from reproducing and inhibiting their growth in fish, potentially protecting against diseases like Trichomonasis or Gyrodactylosis that affect Tilapia fish species.
Garlic can act as an appetite stimulant, drawing hard-to-please ornamental fish towards it. You can incorporate garlic into fish food as small chunks or as granules that the fish can easily consume.
One aquarium hobbyist using garlic to treat Marine Ich/Cryptocaryon irritans reported being successful at controlling it and eliminating quarantine tanks; however, her claims could not be supported with research studies.
Calms Fish
Garlic may turn fish off, but they will often accept it when pureed or squeezed through a sieve and mixed in their food. Garlic juice is an excellent way to incorporate this healthy vegetable into their diet; especially herbivorous species like tetras or characins.
Garlic can be added to flakes or frozen foods such as peas, zucchini and spirulina for an easy addition to their regular aquarium diet. You could also cut up fresh garlic into small chunks or granules before soaking them in warm water for half an hour to soak before giving to your fish.
Some hobbyists believe Allicin (the main active ingredient found in garlic), may contain antiparasitic and immunity boosting properties that make it effective at combatting Cryptocaryon irritans infections affecting marine fish; this belief has yet to be scientifically demonstrated.
Enhances Digestibility
Addition of garlic to fish foods has been found to stimulate appetites and encourage picky eaters to consume more, which is why it’s included in premium tropical fish foods like Bottom Bites. Dehydrating at low temperatures preserves all nutritional and medicinal value of ingredients like fresh garlic extract with allicin, as well as zeolite for digestion support and the release of toxins, natural antiparasite ingredients and Vitamin C for immune support and protection against marine Ich (Cryptocaryon irritans).
One study conducted on Oreochromis niloticus fish revealed that feeding garlic-laced food reduced severity of marine Ich infection by 50% when compared with control aquarium fish, providing great benefits for aquarium owners who struggle to get sick or newly acquired fish to eat prepared foods. This represents an immense benefit of garlic for aquarium owners trying to ensure healthy fish consumption in their tanks.
Prevents Parasites
Garlic not only boosts immune response but it also has powerful parasite-killing abilities. An experiment conducted by Fairfield (1996) used garlic extract to combat an outbreak of Capillaria species nematodes (nematode parasites).
Results from this study demonstrated that low doses of garlic extract were effective at controlling an infestation. It should be noted, however, that treatment involved injecting garlic extract directly into fish instead of the more popular method used by hobbyists: soaking their foods with garlic extract.
Some hobbyists believe that garlic boosts immunity in humans similarly to how Vitamin C does, however this has never been scientifically demonstrated and remains only an idea passed along from person-to-person without any actual evidence to back this claim up.
