Quarantine meds UK

[tom731]

Hi, been researching quarantine meds online but I can’t seem to find much that relates to the UK. US based Aquarium Co-op recommends treating new fish with three meds, an antibiotic, ICH-X and a dewormer. None of these brands or any with the same active ingredients are available in the UK.

In the UK we can’t obtain many medications such as antibiotics due to EU restrictions (unless acquiring them from a vet), therefore I was wondering what UK available meds would you use to treat new fish in quarantine.

Currently I have Mxyazin for bacteria, protozin Ich, and Sterazin for worms (all Waterlife), are these good for quarantine and do they cover all basis? I also have melafix and pimafix that I could use.

thanks!

 

[PheonixKingZ]

@essjay

 

[Essjay]

Fish do not need treating in quarantine unless they show symptoms of disease. The only exception is perhaps anti worm medication.
Everything we add to a tank ends up inside the fish so we should keep chemical additives to a minimum. Adding chemicals as a preventative does more harm than good. Observe the fish and only add a treatment if the fish definitely have an infection of some sprt.

It is recommended to use heat and salt rather than medication for whitespot as whitespot meds are rough on fish.

For bacterial infections, eSHa 2000 (ethacridine & proflavin) contains better ingredients than Myxazin (acriflavine)

The best worm meds are eSHa gdex (praziquantel) for tapeworms and gill flukes and eSHa ndx (levamisole) for round worms. These are the recommended chemicals for treating worms. [Sterazin contains acriflavine and piperazine, neither of which are recommended for treating worms]



Melafix and pimafix are not particularly good - their active ingredients are aromatic oils and they are more like us using Dettol to keep a wound clean. They should not be used with labyrinth fish as the oils can damage their labyrinth organs.

 

[seangee]

I agree. I have only ever used de-wormer for fish that are known to be prone to worms (dwarf chain loach) and they looked skinny when I bought them. I have subsequently discovered that my LFS (Maidenhead) routinely deworm all their stock when it comes in - so I don't do anything unless there is actually a problem - and TBH that's pretty rare in my experience.

 

[Colin_T]

The best worm meds are eSHa gdex (praziquantel) for tapeworms and gill flukes and eSHa ndx (levamisole) for round worms. These are the recommended chemicals for treating worms. [Sterazin contains acriflavine and piperazine, neither of which are recommended for treating worms]

Piperazine was used widely to treat livestock for round/ thread worms but has become ineffective lately. It does not treat tapeworm.

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The only things you need to treat fish in quarantine is salt for external protozoan infections and minor fungal & bacterial infections.

Treat all new fish for tapeworm and thread worms while in quarantine. The tapeworm medication should also kill any gill flukes.

 

[Essjay]

Colin, can you remind me please, which type of worms does flubendazole treat?

 

[Colin_T]

flubendazole is meant to do all intestinal worms (tape and round)

 

[Essjay]

Thank you. So in that case, using just Wormer Plus (flubendazole) should be preferable to using 2 different anti worm meds?