When it comes to api super ick cure, there are many conflicting opinions on whether or not it is safe for plants. In this blog post, we will explore the safety of api super ick cure and its potential effects on plants.
Api super ick cure is a chemical compound that is used to treat ich in a wide range of aquarium setups without issue.
After publishing our article on ich treatments causing side effects in plants, we noticed a number of people reaching out to specifically ask if API super ich cure is safe for plants or not so we wanted to take a closer look.
Just like most things in the fish keeping hobby, something having a reputation as good as super ick cure does not mean that it is without its flaws and although it is definitely one of the best ick treatments out there, it is not suitablefor all tank setups.
Is API Super Ick Cure Safe For Plants?
The safety of api super ick cure for plants has been debated for many years and there is still no clear consensus. Some aquarists claim that they have used api super ick cure without any problems while others say that it killed all their plants.
The number of people saying that they used super ick cure in planted tanks without issue drastically out numbers the number of people who say that it causes problems with their plants too.
One issue with reports from online sources is that you can’t be sure the people saying that super ick cure harmed or even killed their plants used to correct dosing instructions either.
We see countless people asking questions about a wide range of aquarium treatments each month due to having problems and a surprisingly high amount of people simple fail to follow the correct dosing instructions on the label of their product resulting in issues that could have been avoided.
Will API Super Ick Cure Hurt Plants?
Provided you follow the correct dosing instructions on the label of super ick cure, it is very unlikely that api super ick cure will cause any problems with your plants.
We would not recommend using api super ick cure in a planted tank that contains sensitive plant species as there is always a small chance that it could cause problems.
If you are concerned about api super ick cure harming your plants, we would recommend removing them from the tank before using the treatment and adding them back in once the ich has been eradicated.
Malachite Green
Although api super ick cure is considered to be safe for plants, it does contain an ingredient called malachite green which can be harmful to some plant species with malachite green being the primary active ingredient in super ick cure.
Malachite green is used in a wide range of aquarium treatments and thankfully, super ick cure only has it in a small amount so even though it may cause issues with sensitive plants, the chances of any serious issues really is low.
Plants That Are Sensitive To Malachite Green
Here are some of the aquatic plants that can be sensitive to having malachite green in their water supply:-
- Anubias
- Java fern
- Vallisneria
- Cryptocoryne
- Hornwort
These are just a few of the more sensitive plant species that could potentially be harmed by malachite green with most other common aquarium plants being relatively tolerant to it.
As we mentioned earlier, api super ick cure only contains a small amount of malachite green so the chance of any serious issues is very low but if you have any sensitive plant species in your aquarium, we would recommend removing them before using api super ick cure.
Nitrofurazone
The other main ingredient in api super ick cure is nitrofurazone which has a wide range of uses including being an effective treatment for ich but it can also be harmful to some plant species.
Nitrofurazone is not as well known as malachite green when it comes to harming plants but it can still cause issues with sensitive species and like malachite green, api super ick cure only contains a small amount.
Plants That Are Sensitive To Nitrofurazone
Here are some of the aquatic plants that can be sensitive to having nitrofurazone in their water supply:-
- Cabomba
- Egeria densa
- Myriophyllum aquaticum
- Pistia stratiotes
- Ranunculus inundatus
Again, api super ick cure contains a small amount of nitrofurazone so the chance of any serious issues is very low but if you have any sensitive plant species in your aquarium, we would recommend removing them before using API super ick cure if possible.
How Do I use API Super Ick Cure In My Planted Tank?
If you have a planted tank and need to treat your fish for ich, we would recommend removing your plants from the tank before using api super ick cure. You can either put them in another aquarium or simply remove them from the water and keep them out of the way until the treatment has finished.
Once the ich has been eradicated, you can add your plants back into the tank and they should be fine.
Some people who do have sensitive plants in their tank will just half dose their super ick cure during the treatment to try and further reduce the potential problems that the ingredients of super ick cure may cause their plants.
For the most part though, the majority of our readers should be fine using super ick cure in their planted aquarium tanks without it causing problems with your aquatic plants.
How Do I Get Rid Of Ich In My Planted Tank Safley?
There are a number of other ich treatments that you are able to use for a planted tank. We have a dedicated article going over the best ich treatments for planted tanks that may be helpful.
Garlic is commonly recommended for treating ich but as we covered in our article on treating ich with garlic, there is minimal evidence to back this up. We would not recommend that you waste your time trying to treat ich with garlic as we feel it is just a waste of time.
