Whats the best, and/or mildest treatments for bacteria?

[Symphysodon166]

hey guys, can anyone post good Info. on meds for bacteria on here? I had a problem a few weeks back with it and I cleared it up usung naladin. It worked and they are back to normal completely now. It did get into three of my tanks including one that I had a breeding pair of angels with a new brood of fry. The adults got covered in the white slim quickly, with short forward agitated bursts and clamped fins. As soon as I noticed they were also infected I took them out for medication. All the babies were left in and never seemed affected at all by the bacteria, they are all still alive. I have a sep breeding tank with a breeding pair of Discus, and because they fought a lot with the fry on their back- out of jealously for who had them at the time on their backs I guess, I had to take the female out and I put her in the tank with the baby angels. THis was the only place I had to put her that was already cycled, but noe she is sick with apparently the same thing they had a few weeks back. THING IS- SHE HAS HAD FRY FEEDING OFF HER AND IM AFRAID OF USINGF HARSE MEDS TO TREAT HER - WHAT WOULD YOU GUYS RECOMMEND?

[Symphysodon166]

I already add 3 tablespoons per 10 gallons to the tank or rocksalt and am raising the temp, I added melafix today, yesterday though- I treated with Formalin cause I though maybe flukes, their is also an airstone now added- its a 29 gal. barebottom and she is in there by herself, I took out the baby angels- and by the way anyone know why the baby angels wouldnt be harmed? -Jason

[CARY_GLdiscus]

#1.....1 cup of salt per 10 gallons

#2...... melafix

#3...... High dose's of dyes.

#4...... furan 2

#5.......furanase

[Carol_Roberts]

Hi Cary:
How long do you leave them in 1 cup salt per 10 gallons?

[Symphysodon166]

when you say dyes- are you talking about macalite green and/or blue?
Furan isnt available around here I think :-\.

[CARY_GLdiscus]

Hi Carol,
I go 8 to 10 days. And yes blue ,Green, yellow,
Dyes.

When I say green I do not mean macalite green but Maracide.
IME macalite green is very dangerous and should only be used as a last resort.

HTH
TakeCare,
Cary Gld!

[Symphysodon166]

hey Cary , in response to that list of meds u gave, do you try them one at a time on order, or all at once- I am so far using salt and melafix at the same time, not quite as much salt as you posted there, but I have found some furan 2 at a LFS and am going to pick that up later today, she may be doin a little better than yesterday, I know recovery isnt overnite anyway- Jason

[Symphysodon166]

anyone out there? mommas sick and needs your med. advice/ and also does anyone know the longivity of furan 2. This stuff I bought says 1992 Aquaruim pharm, and was price marked in 2001! - Jason

[brewmaster15]

Buy it fresh jason....

Cary gave you a good list of what he thought, ...

all I can do add... I know furan 2 is a great med, that is gentle on Discus. I use it on fry for the first 3 days they are free swimming when I raise them artificially.

I'd use it with the salt and do 50% water changes daily.

hth,
al

[Symphysodon166]

I bought it as fresh as was available of course!! Thats how long it would have been sitting on their shelves not mine! anyone know where I can order sone fresh meds online ??? ???. In the stores around here you would be amazed how long these meds. sit on thier shelves. I guess people around here just let thier fish die. - Jason

[brewmaster15]

for Furan -2 and many other med.... Bigalsonline.com is a good one.

The other good source is Jehmco.com
They don't sell furan -2 , but they sell Methylene blue, and Nitrofurazone.... 2 of the 3 ingredients and a good antibiotic combination in itself.

hth,
al

[fcdiscus]

I believe a cup of salt is 16 tablespoons. Now that is even more salt than I use- and Iam a salt nut! Frank :o

[brewmaster15]

Hi frank,
When I measured it 1 cup was between 12-13 level tablesspoons.... I use the 1tablespoon/1gal myself. The one cup method is about 20-30% more salt Than I use. But I do know some that use it. and It seems like alot but its really not... You could probably go higher without to much problem for a few days.

hth,
al

[bristoldiscus]

What you described sounds more like a water quality prob,what made you think it was bacterial?!!! ???

Hi,

i buy my Furan-2 from FTFFA.

Why is tetracyclene hcl not a good med for bacteria?

When using dyes i guess you have to take the sponges out.

However i did treat one tank with methylene blue and to get the water color back to normal took a long time.

I changed 50-70% water every eight hours.

Is it dangerous to leave discus for this period of time without sponges in the tank?

Is it ok to put the sponges back in the tank even if you have little traces of blue?

sorry lots of questions

thanks

alex

[Symphysodon166]

bristoldiscus, its not water quality- Im a bucker carrying freak! every day I heat and treat at least 40 gals of new water for my tanks, and thats carrying in buckets downstairs from where I have an RO unit set up. I live in an apartment and I have a job, making it impossible to put up a better effort for water qaulity. LOL. I knew it was bacterial because I had had a breakout in one of my big tanks that spread, long story- but she had whitish slim all over her- its bacteria. ::)

THANKS ALEX, AND AL, AND ALL YOU OTHERS

[brewmaster15]

Hi Alex,

No problem with the questions...

The best way you can tell how the fish are doing without the sponges is to check ammonia levels. If I am doing a 4 hour potassium Permanganate treatment in a tank... I tak my spoonges out... gently ring out the water and store them ina plastic bag so they don't dry out. if you are doing huge water changes every few hours you may not need the sponges to handle the ammonia.

a little methylene blue will not harm the sponges bacteria. I never pull the sponges when using furan 2... The concentration of meth Blue in it doesn't seem to impair the filters. If you are concerned... run some carbon in the tank to clear out the excess dyes.

Tetracycline HCL.... its not that ist not a good a medicine to use for bacteria.. Its more a problem with absorption and to a degree bacterial resistence because its so widely used. The absorption problem is because this med is not chemically designed to be taken in by the gills and cells. If The fish has an external probelm like a scrap thats fine... but if its internal or really infected.. the med isn't absorbed well. It also has a very strong attraction for calcium (which is why it can't be used at all in salt water tanks), Lastly... it can't be added to the food., as food interfers with its absorption. If a tetracycline class of drugs is required... Oxytetracycline is the one needed. Its readily absorbed, can be added to food, and is a newer drug...so less resistence in bacteria.
HTH,
al

AH,

now i understand, because in "Fish Health" i've read that oxytetracyclene hcl is very effective against bacteria.

I believe the author mentioned they use it with salmon.

Is oxytetracyclene hcl on the market?

thanks

alex