Medicine

[Irishlad123]

What medicines would ye reccomend to have on hand in case of emergency?? I saw videos about eurethrmyen (not sure of right spelling ) and general cure but that cant be bought in my country.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

there are many different medications, for many different illnesses. Just like with humans.

What are you looking for specifically?

 

[Essjay]

We can't get antibiotics without prescription which is why Irishlad can't get them.

Keeping medication in the cupboard in case of emergency causes a lot of controversy. Meds do have a use by date so you could find you need one then find it is out of date.
One thing to keep in your cupboard is salt. This is used to treat everything from mild finrot to whitespot. It must be salt without additives such as anti-caking agents, so not cooking/table salt. Pool filter salt is often recommended, but there is probably not that much demand for it in Ireland as there isn't in GB either. But aquarium salt is good, even if a bit expensive.

For fish sourced from the far east, using anti worm meds in quarantine is often advised - de-worm them before they are put in the main tank. Flubendazole treats both flat worms and round worms (NT Labs Anti-Fluke & Wormer, or Kusuri Wormer Plus, though the latter is a powder and the dose rate is intended for large discus tanks). Levamisole treats round worms (eSHs ndx) and praziaquantel treats flat worms (eSHa gdex). The last two can be used one at a time in quarantine.

 

[seangee]

I don't keep any, other than a tub of salt.
First response is always a 75% water change. Salt is useful if there is an injury or infection (including some protozoan / bacterial ones) as well as some parasites.
Ich / velvet responds to heat alone without medication.
Most medications are quite specific (at least the ones that work) and have a limited shelf life so having them sat in a cupboard (or fridge) can be worse than having to wait a day or two to buy it if you assume its still effective and it isn't.

Most of the time clean fresh water is the best medicine you can give. The only time I have actually needed anything else (besides salt for an injury that got infected) was dewormer.

 

[Irishlad123]

Are melafix and pimafix any good? I just want a few meds for quarantine and incase something goes wrong in one of my tanks i have something that cures a wide variety. I already have aquarium salt just wasnt sure is their anything better

 

[Colin_T]

Most fish health issues are caused by poor water quality and a dirty tank. Cleaning the tank, gravel and filter dilutes any gunk and nutrients (ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, etc), and it dilutes the number of disease organisms in the water. The cleaner water and fewer disease organisms gives the fish a chance to heal itself and reduces the chance of health issues affecting other fish in the tank.

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The only thing you need to have on hand is rock salt, dechlorinator and some Activated Carbon.

Salt treats minor fungal and bacterial infections, gill flukes, anchorworm, and some external protozoan infections (Costia, Chilodonella, Trichodina).

White spot and Velvet can be treated with heat (30C or 86F for 2 weeks).

Carbon can be used for a possible poisoning.

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A first aid response for fish should be to clean the tank conditions up.
1) Test the water quality.

2) Wipe the inside of the glass down with a clean fish sponge.

3) Do a big (75%) water change and gravel clean the substrate every day until you identify the problem.

4) Clean the filter.

5) Take pictures of the fish and start a thread on a forum asking for help.

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API General Cure contains Metronidazole and Praziquantel. Metronidazole is used to treat people for internal bacterial and protozoan infections. Praziquantel is used to treat tapeworm in dogs and cats.

Erythromycin is an anti-biotic that should only be used on known bacterial infections that have not responded to normal fish medications.

Improper use and mis-use of anti-biotics has caused drug resistant bacteria that kill people, animals, birds, fish and reptiles.

Nobody should have anti-biotics at their home unless they were prescribed by a doctor for a confirmed medical condition.

Anti-biotics break down quickly when exposed to heat or humidity/ moisture and need to be kept in a cool dry dark place away from children and animals.

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Melafix and Pimafix are not worth having on hand.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Melafix and Pimafix are not worth having on hand.

I agree. I blew $20 USD on both of them, just to figure out that they are worthless.

 

[Byron]

Are melafix and pimafix any good? I just want a few meds for quarantine and incase something goes wrong in one of my tanks i have something that cures a wide variety. I already have aquarium salt just wasnt sure is their anything better

No. I have all but killed fish with these concoctions, as have others. I agree with what essjay, seangee and Colin posted.

There is no "cure all" but fish disease/problems are very difficult to diagnose which is why (I assume) manufacturers make these "wonder drugs." Clean water is always the best preventative and medicine--regular substantial water changes, addition if something seems likely. But diagnosing exactly what is very difficult for most of us who are not trained microbiologists.

I have never medicated new fish in 30 years. I use a QT, and twice I have had internal protozoan issues (not detectable externally until fish begin dying). Medications and treatments added to the tank water do stress fish more than they already may be, and this worsens the problem if it is not exactly the best "cure," and that is not at all easy to decipher.