Fish Medicine Cabinet

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Jue

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Hi

After reading some of the threads on here, I've learnt that you need to act fast if something is wrong with your fish. What should I buy so that I'm prepared in case of possible emergencies?

Thanks
Jue
 
There are different types of diseases so it's hard to say what you need to have. The problem with medication is that, like human medicines, they have expiration dates too. And with them being as expensive as they are, it's costly to keep a decent stock of different things only to have them go out of date on you. I have some medicines like Melafix, Maracyn and Maracyn II but only because I bought them and had some left over. I don't necessarily try to keep any on hand.
 
There are different types of diseases so it's hard to say what you need to have. The problem with medication is that, like human medicines, they have expiration dates too. And with them being as expensive as they are, it's costly to keep a decent stock of different things only to have them go out of date on you. I have some medicines like Melafix, Maracyn and Maracyn II but only because I bought them and had some left over. I don't necessarily try to keep any on hand.

Thanks - I just got a bit skitty when I saw some of the posts saying "do this, add that immediately" and wondered if it would be useful to have some things to hand. I never thought even gave it a thought about expiry dates. :)
 
i dont keep any meds to hand my lfs is only 5 mins away. but what i do have is a small 10g tank always running just incase i have any sick fish. that way they can be removed from comunity tank and quorintined. then treated acordingly.
 
i dont keep any meds to hand my lfs is only 5 mins away. but what i do have is a small 10g tank always running just incase i have any sick fish. that way they can be removed from comunity tank and quorintined. then treated acordingly.

I think that would probably be a good idea. From what I've read on the various threads, most people seem to have one set up just in case.

Thanks
 
After I post this, I may be cursed for life but here goes anyway. I just got started with my first tank at Christmas of 2004 so I have only had fish for a year. In that time, I have been very fortunate to not have to deal with any diseases. The meds I have are some I bought when I thought I had a case of fin rot and also for another mis-diagnosed problem that wasn't a disease after all.

A lot of the bacteria that cause diseases, such as Ich, are always present in the tank and are triggered by stress. If you keep your water parameters where they should be (ammonia and nitrite at 0), do good maintanence and keep the tanks stress-free you will probably not have to worry about disease unless you bring it in form outside with new fish (use a quatantine tank and this won't be a problem either).
 
After I post this, I may be cursed for life but here goes anyway. I just got started with my first tank at Christmas of 2004 so I have only had fish for a year. In that time, I have been very fortunate to not have to deal with any diseases. The meds I have are some I bought when I thought I had a case of fin rot and also for another mis-diagnosed problem that wasn't a disease after all.

A lot of the bacteria that cause diseases, such as Ich, are always present in the tank and are triggered by stress. If you keep your water parameters where they should be (ammonia and nitrite at 0), do good maintanence and keep the tanks stress-free you will probably not have to worry about disease unless you bring it in form outside with new fish (use a quatantine tank and this won't be a problem either).

I really appreciate the advice. We have just started with our first tank the 40L a few weeks ago and added the first fish last week on some very dubious advice from our lfs. I wish to god I'd seen this forum beforehand and I would have done a fishless cycle. They all seem ok at the moment.

I've tested the water and the stats are ammonia (0?) nitrite 0.3, nitrate 7.5 and ph 7.5 Though I have to say that the ammonia is debatable as there is bog wood leaking tanin in the tank which has made the water colour look exactly the same as 1.3 on the ammonia chart. However on the chart it does say that if the water is discoloured so long as it doesn't change when the testing chemicals are added that it should read 0. Whether this is correct or not I can't be sure but the fish all seem healthy - very active and feeding well so I've just got to keep my eye on them and my fingers crossed!!

Jue
 
I've tested the water and the stats are ammonia (0?) nitrite 0.3, nitrate 7.5 and ph 7.5 Though I have to say that the ammonia is debatable as there is bog wood leaking tanin in the tank which has made the water colour look exactly the same as 1.3 on the ammonia chart. However on the chart it does say that if the water is discoloured so long as it doesn't change when the testing chemicals are added that it should read 0. Whether this is correct or not I can't be sure but the fish all seem healthy - very active and feeding well so I've just got to keep my eye on them and my fingers crossed!!

Jue
A slight thread hijack here Jue,
If you have bogwood staining the water sample, use two tubes -one with reagent & one of just water - that way you can see if there is any difference -you won't know the exact reading but you'll know if there is any change.

The only thing I keep in the cupboard is carbon & a polyfilter -these are to remove toxins or meds. I get meds as needed and I keep a spare thermofilter running so I can set up a quaranteen or hospital tank at a moments notice.

Sue
 
Don't buy anything. Keep dechlorinator and food. If there is anything you want to keep on hand, it's an 'emergency' bag of carbon. But even then, I haven't used carbon in almost a year. SH
 
I've tested the water and the stats are ammonia (0?) nitrite 0.3, nitrate 7.5 and ph 7.5 Though I have to say that the ammonia is debatable as there is bog wood leaking tanin in the tank which has made the water colour look exactly the same as 1.3 on the ammonia chart. However on the chart it does say that if the water is discoloured so long as it doesn't change when the testing chemicals are added that it should read 0. Whether this is correct or not I can't be sure but the fish all seem healthy - very active and feeding well so I've just got to keep my eye on them and my fingers crossed!!

Jue
A slight thread hijack here Jue,
If you have bogwood staining the water sample, use two tubes -one with reagent & one of just water - that way you can see if there is any difference -you won't know the exact reading but you'll know if there is any change.

The only thing I keep in the cupboard is carbon & a polyfilter -these are to remove toxins or meds. I get meds as needed and I keep a spare thermofilter running so I can set up a quaranteen or hospital tank at a moments notice.

Sue

Hi Sue

No great surprise that I'm on here AGAIN :D

From what I could see the water didn't change - it matched the colour chart exactly on the 1.3 so hopefully it's right, although it would seem strange if there wasn't any ammonia in there considering its only been cycling a week. Thanks for the advice about using 2 tubes - it makes sense :)

Jue
 

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