Acriflavine

[Humblefish]

Acriflavine (updated 1-10-23)

What It Treats: This is an antiseptic that is useful if a fish has a bacterial infection or to treat an open wound. It can also be used as part of a “three step program” for treating Marine Velvet Disease:

1. 5 minute freshwater dip
2. 90 minute acriflavine bath
3. Place the fish in a Quarantine Tank (QT), and treat with either copper or Chloroquine phosphate. Or there are two versions of Tank Transfer Method which will also eliminate velvet.

There is some anecdotal evidence that a 90 minute bath using Ruby Reef Rally, followed by transfer into a sterile Quarantine Tank, can provide temporary relief for Brooklynella aka clownfish disease. However, followup treatment using metronidazole in a QT (or one of the other options listed in this sticky) is highly recommended for brook.

How To Treat: At present time, only one aquarium product is readily available in the US which contains acriflavine: Ruby Reef Rally. (NT Labs Acriflavin and Waterlife Myxazin are UK products which contain acriflavine.) Rally also contains aminoacridine (another antiseptic) and a small amount of formalin. I personally use Rally in a 90 minute saltwater bath. Be sure to: (a) Temperature control the bath water by using a heater. (b) Provide plenty of oxygen by using an air pump + air stone. (c) Ensure salinity, pH and temperature of the bath water matches the tank the fish is coming from.

Pros: Effective “pre-treatment” for velvet & brook. Can also be used as an alternative to (or in conjunction with) antibiotics for treating bacterial infections.

Cons/Side Effects: Fouls the water after prolonged use, so probably not desirable for Quarantine or Display Tank usage. Full range of positive effects and possible side effects are not completely understood at this time.

 

[TheLoneAquarist]

I used to be able to get Acriflavine-ms online somewhere but I can't seem to find the source again. Do you have a new source you could provide?

Cheers and happy reefing

 

[Humblefish]

I used to be able to get Acriflavine-ms online somewhere but I can't seem to find the source again. Do you have a new source you could provide?

I just use Ruby Reef Rally instead. It contains acriflavine + aminoacridine (another antiseptic). That combination seems to work better than just acriflavine by itself.

If you really just wanted acriflavine, you can buy acriflavine neutral powder from here: https://store.nationalfishpharm.com/items/view/579/acriflavine

Somewhere I have the recipe to make a stock solution from that powder.

 

[mjreefs]

Hi @Humblefish , I recently got RRR, however , it is Rally Pro which looks like a more concentrated formula of the normal RRR. The dosing instructions for RRR Pro is

"Add 1 ounce (30 ml) of Rally PRO per 20 gallons (78 liters) of total water volume. Apply Rally PRO once per day for at least 3 days. Longer treatment periods may be required for heavy or persistent infections."

The label itself states that 16 floz (473ml) treats 106 gallons (403 liters) of saltwater. This brings us to a dosage of 1 oz per 6.625 gallons. I assume this has something to do with treating it over a span of 3 days.

So the question is, what's the real dosage for this one if I were to use it as a bath? Should it be the same as normal Rally?

 

[Humblefish]

So the question is, what's the real dosage for this one if I were to use it as a bath? Should it be the same as normal Rally?

I always use 1 teaspoon per gallon for 90 minutes; however the Pro version appears to be 2x as concentrated so 0.5 teaspoon per gallon might be a safer dosage.

 

[FOWLR_Bob]

I just use Ruby Reef Rally instead. It contains acriflavine + aminoacridine (another antiseptic). That combination seems to work better than just acriflavine by itself.

If you really just wanted acriflavine, you can buy acriflavine neutral powder from here: Acriflavine

Somewhere I have the recipe to make a stock solution from that powder.

Hi. Just re-igniting an old post. Was wondering if you had the recipe for making up a stock solution with acriflavine neutral powder. I assume once the solution is made up the doage in ml/gallon is the same as above.

I found a thread discussing the use of acriflavine for freshwater fish and it spoke to using 10mg/litre to treat at a rate of 10ppm for a 90 minute bath. Does this sound right and can i use the same dosage for marine fish?

 

[Humblefish]

Hi. Just re-igniting an old post. Was wondering if you had the recipe for making up a stock solution with acriflavine neutral powder. I assume once the solution is made up the doage in ml/gallon is the same as above.

I found a thread discussing the use of acriflavine for freshwater fish and it spoke to using 10mg/litre to treat at a rate of 10ppm for a 90 minute bath. Does this sound right and can i use the same dosage for marine fish?

Some old instructions I have say to add 19.2grams of acriflavine neutral powder to 16oz of distilled water to make a stock solution. However, that is for freshwater so I would make the stock solution twice as strong for marine use. You can then dose as follows:

• 1/4 teaspoon (1.25ml) per 5 gallons for in-tank treatment
• 1/2 teaspoon (2.5ml) per 5 gallons for the 90 minute bath

^^ Or you can just double the above dosages if you need to make the stock solution at freshwater strength.

 

[FOWLR_Bob]

Thanks for that. I assume you mean halve the dosage for freshwater as the first section you mentioned to double the amount for saltwater stock solution. Or did i miss something?

 

[Speedjester]

I hope not. Because I’ve been dosing rally pro 10ml per gallon. Dipping for 90min. No issues. If your on point with R pro being double concentrated. I’ve been overdosing by quite a bit.

 

[Speedjester]

And for those that wonder if rally pro is safe. I had what I thought was a velvet outbreak in one of my Reef tanks. I dosed Rally Pro. Everyday for 20days. With no I’ll effects on my soft coral or inverts. Parameters stayed solid also. Whether it helped ? All I can say is fish and coral survived

 

[Humblefish]

Thanks for that. I assume you mean halve the dosage for freshwater as the first section you mentioned to double the amount for saltwater stock solution. Or did i miss something?

Sorry to clarify:

Add 19.2grams of acriflavine neutral powder to 16oz of distilled water to make a stock solution.

For freshwater fish:

• 1/4 teaspoon (1.25ml) per 5 gallons for in-tank treatment
• 1/2 teaspoon (2.5ml) per 5 gallons for the 90 minute bath

For saltwater fish:

• 1/2 teaspoon (2.5ml) per 5 gallons for in-tank treatment
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) per 5 gallons for the 90 minute bath

 

[Humblefish]

I hope not. Because I’ve been dosing rally pro 10ml per gallon. Dipping for 90min. No issues. If your on point with R pro being double concentrated. I’ve been overdosing by quite a bit.

Rally contains an unknown, proprietary concentration of acriflavine, aminoacridine, and formalin. This is why dosing instructions differ.

 

[BJEDVM13]

Sorry to clarify:

Add 19.2grams of acriflavine neutral powder to 16oz of distilled water to make a stock solution.

For freshwater fish:

• 1/4 teaspoon (1.25ml) per 5 gallons for in-tank treatment
• 1/2 teaspoon (2.5ml) per 5 gallons for the 90 minute bath

For saltwater fish:

• 1/2 teaspoon (2.5ml) per 5 gallons for in-tank treatment
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) per 5 gallons for the 90 minute bath

Do you think you could eradicate Uronema from a tank using Rally? It says it’s “reef safe”, but who knows what that means.

 

[Humblefish]

Do you think you could eradicate Uronema from a tank using Rally? It says it’s “reef safe”, but who knows what that means.

I personally wouldn't dose Rally into a reef, and I'm not so sure it is potent enough to 100% eliminate Uronema. I think for a reef, this is your best shot of eliminating Uronema: How To - Peroxide (H2O2) dosing for parasites in reef tank