Help! NEED EXPERT ADVICE. The REAL dose for metronidazole

[OrangeG]

I am tired of searching the correct dosage. I have sick fish in my tank and I am following the 10 days metro treatment of 1 gram per 20 gallons (recommended by jack wattley discus - Gabe) My weakest discus which was wasting away started to eat on 4th day of treatment but I see on the 6th day discus are clamping their fins (few of them). Am I doing it right? I really need expert advice on this. Please help.

[Second Hand Pat]

Hi OrangeC, you have the dose correct at 500mg per 10 gallon. Treatment is done over 10 days with a large water change per day (generally 50% or better) and redosing for the entire volume of the tank (vs the water replaced). Some folks raise the temp to help simulate the appetite and feel the heat aids in killing hex etc.

In my experience metro does not seem to hurt the beneficial bacteria in your filter but best to keep a eye on your water parameters.
Pat

[Second Hand Pat]

Hi OrangeC, I reviewed your recent thread history and think filling out the disease questionnaire would be helpful to us trying to assist you. Here's the questionnaire http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showth...lease-complete. I noticed in another thread you had a fish with slime coat issues. Have you mixed fish from different places and perhaps have a cross contamination issue?
Pat

[Vinni Smith]

Higher temp and metro has helped me tremendously.
I used Gabe's dosage of 5g per 100 gal.

I have also used this triple bomb attempt as well.
It also is not supposed to hurt the beneficial bacteria.
https://www.aquariumcoop.com/blogs/a...-aquarium-fish

Hope your fish get better soon.

[OrangeG]

DISEASE QUESTIONNAIRE


Problem

1. Please explain the problems with your fish. When did you notice the problems and did anything unusual happen that you think started them?

● I don't know what started the problem. But I think it could be feeding pellets without soaking (according to a breeder) and also I rearranged my tank recently.

2. Symptoms (i.e. turning dark, excess slime, not eating, clamped fins, flashing, darting, clamped gills,*white/yellow/green poop, hiding,*headstanding or tailstanding, white on tips of fins, rotting or fungus,*blisters/white zits on fish, bloated, cloudy eyes, wounds).

● Some discus were getting thin (the most affected/ weakest one stopped eating) and he was also hiding. On 4th day he started eating. On 6th day of metro treatment I noticed one discus with white poop. Discus were excreting excess slime on first few days of the treatment. But now they are fine. The problem now is that they are clamping their dorsal fins.

3. What medications/ treatments have you already tried and what were the results. Include dosage and duration of treatment.

● I used Metronidazole at 1 gram for every 20 gallons (10 days treatment). Currently I am on the 6th day.

Tank/Water

4. Tank size and ages, numbers and sizes of fish.

● 75 gallon tank with 10 discus (not all of them are adult) and 3 denison barbs

5. Water change regime (What percentage and how often).

● Usually 25% twice a week. I also do 50% sometimes (depending on nitrate). Now, due to medication, I am changing 25% everyday.

6. How long has tank been running? Is it bare bottom? If you have substrate, what type and how deep is it?

● Almost a year and a half. It has very small gravel, almost like sand. It's less than 1 inch deep.

7. Do you age your water? If you do for how long and what is the ph swing.

● No I dont age my water.

8. What type/brand water conditioner do you use? Do you add it to the tank or aging barrel? How much do you use?

● I use Seachem Safe after filling up the tank. I dose for entire tank after each water change.

9. Parameters and water source;

Note: Water Parameters are important in diagnosing problems within a tank. If you don't own test kits for the following information, you can purchase them, test your parameters and post this info as soon as possible.


● - temp : 32°C (for medication) usually 30°C

- ph : High (7.5 to 7.8)

- ammonia reading : 0 ppm

- nitrite reading : 0 ppm

- nitrate reading : 5 ppm

What type of water or combinations of water sources do you use? If it is an RO/tap/well water mix, please list percentages in the mix.

● Tap water - 100%

10. Any new fish, plants or inverts added recently.

● No

11. Please tell us what you feed your fish and how often. This can be critical information for solving the problem so be as specific as you can.

● I feed Tetrabits and hikari bio gold
Also some freeze dried tubifex worms which I dont feed anymore.

[OrangeG]

Higher temp and metro has helped me tremendously.
I used Gabe's dosage of 5g per 100 gal.

I have also used this triple bomb attempt as well.
It also is not supposed to hurt the beneficial bacteria.
https://www.aquariumcoop.com/blogs/a...-aquarium-fish

Hope your fish get better soon.

What was your temp? Was it 82 or higher?

[OrangeG]

Oh yes and one more thing I added epsom salt 2 days ago to clear them out. I dont know if it worked.