Meds of choice

[DavidH]

Would it be possible for some of you guys or gals that have be keeping and maybe breeding discus for awhile to list you meds of choice for various diseases...

thx Dave

[Ardan]

Hi Dave,
Here is some of what I have used or would use.
Epsom salt for bloat
Kanacyn for bloat that doesn't get resolved with deworm or Metro and the bloat has lasted a while

Metronidazole for hexamita
I would use panacur if yellow feces

Praziquantel or flubendazole for flukes

Have used formalin for flukes

salt for fungus (if doesn't work within 5 days go to furan2 and maroxy as is possibly bacterial)
I use pipzine in food for deworming.
I have used fluke tabs and have used discoworm, but prefer to use other meds now.

Prazi for tapeworm.

Potassium Permanganate or salt as a dip for external parasite

High heat for external parasite

Have used Clout but prefer others.

I have used other antibiotics on a very limited basis for external bacteria (maracin, tetracycline, )

would use melafix to regrow fins after bacteria was under control.

hth
Ardan :sunshine:

[ChienHsu]

Hi Ardan:

About using the salt, my question is which one?  aquarium salt or regular one without iodine or else?

Thanks

Chien

Chien,

Any non-iodized salt will do - rock, koser, pickling, or non-iodized table salt all work. NaCl is NaCl

[brewmaster15]

You  know Mat, everytime you say that I think of JimQ, that and  when some talks about discus and roses! ;)
-al

[brewmaster15]

I had posted this else where but  heres my list, recently expanded...

...was never a boy scout but I believe in always be prepared...  

Epsom salt for bloat/blockage  
Seasalt(or sodium Chloride  for fungus and columnaris  
Metronidazole...hexamita  
flubendazole... worms  
fenbedazole....worms  
Fluke tabs and clout for externals  
Formalin for externals and fungus  
methylene blue for dips in combo with formalin  
Furan-2 mild antibacterial  
Gelatin to make medicated foods...  
hospitol tank cycled sponges
Praziquantel for tape worms
 (High grade acetone   as a solvent)
Potassium Permanganate
bleach ( the best sanitizer of equipment)



and of course good clean water , and lots of it.  
 
For the novice in all this with a few fish , I'd recommend stock piling none of these meds except water. All are readily availible and if you have them you might be tempted to use them with out really knowing what you are treating. This has probably done far more harm than good to discus. I would wait until you have a probelm then get what you need after thoroughly determining what you are up against.  
 
For most people-I mean fish, meds are inevitable. Use them wisely. oh , and stay away from medicinal cocktails that treat everything under the sun. Shot gun medications usually destroy you bio filter, and harm the fish. Use the right tool for the right job!
Take care,  
al  

Ps one other suggestion... ask for help when you don't know  what you are up against even if its a confidential  IM  to someone  you trust, and  then stick by whatever  treatments you decide on. half treatments are often no better than no treatments...  

[ChienHsu]

Dear Al:

Thanks for the list.  Also, I feel the other difficult decision is when should stop the treatment.  For example, to cure tail rot (I thnik one of my discus has and the symptom is its tail fin becomes shorter and it shows a white part at the end of tail fin ONLY) I use salt (1 tsp per 5 gallon) for four days already.  I know you had suggestions to use furan-2 if salt does not work.  But, how can I know whether the salt has cure the problem or should I start to use furan-2?  Can you give us more detail.  

Thanks

Chien

[Ardan]

Hi Chien,
You can use non iodized salt at 1 Tablespoon/ ONE Gallon for a week to see if that helps, if it doesn't help, you can try the furan 2. (often the increased salt helps)
hth
Ardan

[ChienHsu]

Dear ARdan:

Thanks.  I have a stupid question.  I need to add 1 Tablespoon/One gallon PER Day or I should maintain the salt concentration in the tank for 5 days?

Thanks

Chien

[Ardan]

Hi Chien,
Just maintain that level.
That is, the only time you add more salt is add more salt to "the water change water"(the water you put back in) at that rate 1 tblsp/1 gallon.
If you want, or if you have more about this case we can start a new thread and get more input, especially if it continues and you want to switch to antibiotics.

hth
take care
Ardan :sunshine:

[DavidH]

Thx for all the great responses....it seems that most dewormers are those that have to be mixed in food!
I know some of us are feeding CBWs as a main food, any idea on dewormers that can be used directly in tank.

Thx Dave

[neighbour]

Epsom salt for bloat/blockage  
Seasalt(or sodium Chloride  for fungus and columnaris  
Metronidazole...hexamita  
flubendazole... worms  
fenbedazole....worms  
Fluke tabs and clout for externals    
Formalin for externals and fungus  
methylene blue for dips in combo with formalin  
Furan-2 mild antibacterial  
Gelatin to make medicated foods...  
hospitol tank cycled sponges  
Praziquantel for tape worms
 (High grade acetone   as a solvent)
Potassium Permanganate
bleach ( the best sanitizer of equipment)

Can anyone tell me the dosage!?
especially on fenbedazole for deworm

[Ardan]

Hi neighbor,
Here is a link on fenbenzadole in the food with dosage

http://forum.simplydiscus.com//index.php?board=4;action=display;threadid=1138
Dave, dewormer in the water
Flubendazole can be used in the water(may have a toxic effect on fish)
Prazi in the water, usually for tapeworm, check this link
http://forum.simplydiscus.com//index.php?board=4;action=display;threadid=1024

Usually the meds are more effective and faster acting in the food.
hth
Ardan :sunshine:

[DavidH]

Thx Ardan,
guess this might be a plus for feeding beefheart rather than CBWs, mine are kinda hooked on the C BWs....

Dave

[brewmaster15]

Hi Dave ,
if  you are feeding a mix of foods, you can add  the dewormer to any of them. Flubendazole and fenbendazole are best in the foods.  If you make beeefheart, make a batch as you would , split it and  treat half with dewormer that way the fish will readily accept  it..   You can add a dewormer to any prepared foods, just use a binder like gelatin  to hold it together

or....
If your fish accept flake....

http://www.rockymountaindiscus.com/Specials.htm


hth,
al

[DavidH]

Thx Al, they do eat flake..

Dave

[pigeon]

has anyone uses "BEFURAN" before? it is for anti-internal and external bacteria...just wondering what type of chemical or medicine it contains?