medicated foods

[Eddie]

I was just curious, is it not wise to feed medicated foods to healthy fish. Maybe as a preventative for the future. I have some metro bits and de-wormer bits for when the time comes, but should I use the food or wait? :confused:

[RyanH]

My concern with using meds as a preventative is that when the time comes that you actually have a problem, you may find yourself with fish that contain pathogens or parasites that have become resistent to the medication. In this case, you would be pretty much out of luck... and as these pathogens or parasites inevitably spread to other fishrooms, so eventually will everyone else in the hobby.

Meds shouldn't be used unless it is a last resort. JMHO. :)

[ShinShin]

Medicating for the sake of medicating is a really bad practice to begin. As Ryan mentioned, resistance may occur. Another important factor is ALL drugs have side effects, some small, some large. While all side effects are not harmful, many are. A heart medication we all have heard about has a side effect many men can enjoy, VIAGRA. Not many know Viagra was to be used for heart patients.

Many discus die prematurely from liver and kidney failure. Drugs can be very hard on these organs. Over medicating and unnessecary medicating have attributed to many of these deaths.

[Eddie]

Thanks guys, for the info. definitely understand

[roger]

There really isnt anything wrong with periodic mantainence with medicated foods or water treatments. Its just something that if your going to do it your better served doing it as little as possible and for as short a time as possible. If you treat heavily or deal with asian imports then there is a good chance that the nastys your fish have are already resistant to most any med you can get.

A good number of people treat for gill flukes on a semi-regular basis and Ill treat with metro based food about every 6 months. I also know people who treat with Potasium Permangenate on a regular basis.

I guess what Im saying is that if your treating your fish use common sense since both over and under treating can be bad for your fish.
If its under then your fish get sick and dont do well.
If its over then you run the risk of poisoning the fish or developing a resistant strain of nasty.

Peace,
Roger

[Eddie]

Yeah, I was just thinking that, what is the purpose for feeding metro bits in the event the fish has stopped eating due to a problem? Something like that

[brewmaster15]

Medication should always be used wisely, and with a full understanding of the limitations and as Mat and ryan pointed out...sideeffects.

Too many people use meds without first taking the time to read up on them and learn....by reading up, I mean the facts, not just the experineces of fellow hobbyists. It takes a few more minutes to do some digging, but its necessary if you want to responsibly and effectively treat a condition.

JMO,
al

Ps.. basshead..when a fish has stopped eating you would use metro in the water as its absorbed by the gills if it was determined that Hex is the culprit.

[ShinShin]

Does anyone here prophyllactically treat themselves with antibiotics and harsh chemicals? I don't. So, I don't treat my discus that way, either, for the exact same reasons.