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Post by Carl on Apr 18, 2012 18:42:46 GMT -5
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Post by Carl on Apr 19, 2012 20:11:07 GMT -5
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Post by Carl on Sept 30, 2012 13:08:52 GMT -5
WE further updated the first page of the Aquarium Medications article to include important first steps to follow, as often not following scientific protocol can/will result in misidentifying the problem, even when a sure is effected. Carl
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Post by Carl on May 29, 2013 19:07:30 GMT -5
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Post by Carl on Aug 7, 2013 18:43:26 GMT -5
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Post by missdiane on Aug 8, 2013 10:25:32 GMT -5
Hi Carl!
I'm probably blind....... I can't find anything about Betta swim bladder disorder. specifically, is epsom salt better for treatment than aquarium salt? I'm doing daily medicated baths with methylene Blue & aquarium salt for 30 minutes in hospital tank. - 1/5 tsp. MB, 1 tsp. aquarium salt, 1/2 tsp epsom - also treating with a combo of in regular tank with kanacyn & Furan 2 > this is the treatment I found here for fin rot. However, since the day after I started the baths, Betta has been swimming sideways & having problems rising to top - please advise on what to change. Also, kanacyn is 48 hr. treatment, furan 2 is 24 hr. Should I change water when doing the 24 hr. furan 2? or after 48 hrs. when I treat with both meds?
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Post by Carl on Aug 8, 2013 14:04:45 GMT -5
Probably a question for a separate thread of its own; but I will answer it here. First swim bladder disorders are most commonly caused by the Aeromonas bacterium The bath is certainly helpful, although do not exceed 1 teaspoon of sodium chloride (salt) per gallon or 1/4 epsom salt per gallon (as per Aquarium Answers; Fish Baths). The in tank treatment is not as helpful for internal Aeromonas infections, generally a medicated food soak is a better coarse of action as outlined in the article referenced here in the update. As for the "in tank" treatment, a water change every 48 hours would be my suggestion. Soaking dry food for 5 minutes even when the fish is well, can help with prevention. While I have had mixed results; a cooked shelled pea MAY be helpful, assuming the fish will even eat this I should note that swim bladder or bloating problems can be quite difficult to treat, depending upon the cause and sometimes age of fish See this article for more: www.americanaquariumproducts.com/Vibrio_Aeromonas.htmlCarl
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Post by Carl on Oct 23, 2013 19:40:03 GMT -5
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Post by Carl on Mar 26, 2014 20:22:37 GMT -5
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Post by Carl on Oct 28, 2014 19:38:34 GMT -5
I have further updated the Aquarium Medications Part 1" article (AKA "How Medications Work") A new section was added in this update Here is a quote: "When NOT to use Medication:
Many readers of my articles both here at American Aquarium Information and Aquarium/Pond Answers might think I m very pro medication use based on how much information is about medications and their use. HOWEVER in actual application over the years, I rarely use medications, in part based on practicing what I preach in article such as "Aquarium Disease Prevention"."Reference: www.americanaquariumproducts.com/Aquarium_Medication.htmlCarl
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Post by Carl on Dec 17, 2015 18:58:37 GMT -5
I have once more updated the "Aquarium Medications Part 1" article Here is a snip from the article (from the food delivery of medications section): "For internal gut infections that often result in bloating or swim bladder infections, I have found the combination of Metronidazole with Neomycin to be most effective since one is effective against aerobic while the other is effective against anaerobic bacterium. Please be aware that often swim bladder infections have an osmoregulation factor involved too so failure to address this such as poor mineral Cation levels can make successful treatment often impossible.
The use of Medicated Wonder Shells may be helpful to address the above issues in tank as well as supply important mineral Cations often necessary during any treatment and often missing if RO water is used."Reference: www.americanaquariumproducts.com/Aquarium_Medication.htmlCarl
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Post by Carl on Apr 1, 2017 9:58:37 GMT -5
I have updated the "Aquarium Medications Part 1" article. Here is an excerpt form the "Change Water Section" "However we want to be careful to not change TOO MUCH WATER, as this can dilute medications, in particular the use Medicated Wonder Shells or similar slow release medications. Often a reason to change water is to prevent toxic build up of ammonia or nitrites in a treatment tank. However if your ammonia never exceeds .5 ppm your need for a water change for this reason is basically nil. It is also noteworthy, that in a hospital tank in particular, if you have a fish that is not eating and/or being fed, normal respiration will add little to the nitrogen cycle. As an example; I have made medication recommendations to many over the years, in particular non contract (non regular) service customers where by I set up a treatment regimen that in the end failed. In investigating, I found that they were changing 50% to 100% per day with no testing of ammonia to see if necessary. The result is the medications were not at therapeutic levels the proper amount of time to be effective. The bottom line is stick to the 20% water change and only go higher if ammonia/nitrites are climbing. If using a slow release medication, NO water change should be used unless absolutely necessary due to dangerous ammonia/nitrite levels (of course having a seeded sponge filter to introduce during treatments is something I strongly recommend any serious aquarium keeper always have on hand)."Reference: www.americanaquariumproducts.com/Aquarium_Medication.html#change_waterCarl
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Post by Carl on Nov 1, 2017 10:26:51 GMT -5
I have further updated "Aquarium Medications; Part 1" Here is an excerpt (from the section "Remove Carbon & other chemical filter media"): "If you use filter cartridges, the answer is simple in most instances. Simply & carefully slit the back of the cartridge and pour out the carbon so that the mechanical part of your filter cartridge can still be used. You can also simply remove the cartridge, assuming you have other back up filtration without carbon or other chemical filter material. Then after medication is complete, rinse it well in TAP water to destroy bacteria and place it back in (unless it is old, then just add a new one). My personal preference still is to simply to slit the back and remove the carbon. HOWEVER, NEVER simply turn off a filter when adding medication just because there is carbon or other chemical filter media inside this filter. This is the last thing you want to do and will only make toxic effects of any medication likely worse and the medication less effective due to deteriorating water conditions and lack of oxygen from less or no filters running.
Also note that some other types of chemical filter media such as Boyd’s Chemi-Pure or Filstar's Bio-Chem Zorb can also remove medications and should be temporarily discontinued during use of aquarium medication treatments."Carl
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Post by Carl on Feb 19, 2018 14:22:27 GMT -5
I've updated the fish food delivery of medications section of "Aquarium Medications Part 1"Here is an excerpt: Here is an excerpt for the section dealing with food delivery of medications: "For many internal infections soaking medications in food or the use of prepared medicated food is the best coarse of action in freshwater, however marine fish do not usually require delivery of medication via food due to their constant drinking of water around them. I find frozen foods often absorb medications better; such as Blood worms or Brine Shrimp (sometimes FD Brine Shrimp), I soak these foods in a few tablespoons of water with the medication for about 15-30 minutes then add everything to the aquarium or pond. Prepared frozen foods (such as by Ocean Nutrition can be used too. Pellets tend to be worse at absorbing medications, but this can b overcome by longer soaks.
If your fish food falls apart with the soak (flakes and especially high fiber dehydrated crumbles have more issues here), this can be overcome by than pouring "feeding rations" into custom foil pouches and frozen for easy feeding later. I did this for many of my professional aquarium maintenance clients who did not have time or were not willing to prepare medicated fish foods. Even for external infections such as sores, injuries, etc, this may be the more simple coarse of action for very large aquariums or ponds over 500 gallons as "in tank" or fish removal is cost prohibitive or nearly impossible.
These are the medications I find work well for internal infections/infestations when soaked in a fish food "slurry"; Metronidazole, Neomycin, Kanamycin, Oxytetracycline, Piperazine, Praziquantel, and Levamisol. Be careful of over use of Kanamycin in a fish food delivery; do not use for more than 7 days or kidney damage could result, otherwise up to 10 days for the other suggested medications.
For internal gut infections that often result in bloating or swim bladder infections, I have found the combination of Metronidazole with Neomycin to be most effective since one is effective against aerobic while the other is effective against anaerobic bacterium. Please be aware that often swim bladder infections have an osmoregulation factor involved too so failure to address this such as poor mineral Cation levels can make successful treatment often impossible. Reference: Do Fish Drink; Osmoregulation in Fish
The use of Medicated Wonder Shells may be helpful to address the above issues in tank as well as supply important mineral Cations often necessary during any treatment and often missing if RO water is used. Product Resource: Medicated Wonder Shells (patent pending from AAP only)
Generally a dose intended for 2-5 gallons of water treatment will work for a 15-30 minute fish food soak For instance with Neomycin, this would mean .10 grams (or one measure) of the brand "SeaChem Neoplex" per each fish food soak twice per day (usually for 7-10 days)"Carl
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Post by Carl on Mar 14, 2018 12:22:18 GMT -5
I've updated our popular "Aquarium Medications Part 1" article again Here is an excerpt: "Here are some very simple points as to when NOT to medicate your fish (this includes organic remedies, as these too have side effects, despite the popularity and aura of "natural" around these treatments):
* As already noted; genetically weak or old/geriatric fish often do not benefit from medications/treatments, even in hospital or bath treatments. Sometime medications might actually fo more harm such as lowering red blood cell count or damaging kidneys in an already weak fish.
* After two attempts with different treatment regimens (generally no more than 10-14 days of combined treatments), the fish are still not responding, and assuming water parameters are good (including often forgotten mineral Cations), it is generally best to give your fish and aquarium a break of at least 10 days. This break INCLUDES; in tank, fish baths, and medicated foods. This failure could also constitute a virus (or even internal cancer) that is not treatable, a bacteria that is resistant, or simply a fish that has a genetic issue."Carl
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