How to treat fungal/bacteria infection

[FishArePetsNotObjects]

I saw someone use a black tea bath for an axolotl with either a fungal or bacteria infection,would this work with fish too? Like betta or gourami? If so what type of black tea, I'm not sure if I would use a decfinated black tea like lipton, or have to buy loose leaves? I prefer to try natural methods before using meds because I feel meds can be hard on the dishes bodys sometimes. But it turns out the natural medication for fungal and parasites I was using I'm allergic to.

 

[SparkyJones]

where is the fungal/bacterial infection? If it's skin or if it's internal.
I do not like baths for surface conditions it's overkill. but I don't like under treating either.

you dont need heavy meds, but if it's parasites you need to treat for parasites, if it's fungal, you need to treat with an anti-fungal, and if bacterial you need to treat with a anti-bacterial, naturally, botanically or not, all meds are made from natural items and dosages worked out. even so, sometimes medications don't work either.

just treating whatever and throwing the fixes at it, isn't going to work and you need to know what and for how long you treat things in order to end the problem or it just keeps coming back by under treating it and making it hard to treat the next time.

A lot of things will work for external fungal or bacterial problems, 3% hydrogen peroxide, dip a q tip and roll it over the affected areas avoiding the head (eyes and gills) areas works, taking the fish out patting it dry and applying neosporin to the affected areas works well also for external bacteria or fungus,

heck, clean water from regular water changes and low nitrates helps to avoid those external issues also from starting in the first place.

if it's external parasites like ich, raising temp to 88F and vaccuming over and over for a few weeks can get rid of it, if it's temp resistant and that hasn't ended it, you can remove the fish for 2 days and crank the tank temp up to 96 for 48 hours, this will kill most all parasites in the tank, then let it cool off and return the fish. likely none were attached to the fish, and it shouldn't return.

if internal parasites, you need to treat the fish internally with an anti parasitic, in my opinion, soak food and feed daily. again no reason to treat the entire tank.

I'm not saying you need the "cure in the bottles" or the medications, or even using these particular methods.

But I am saying botanical's, natural and holistic treatments may or may not work, but you really do need to know what the issue is, what you are doing and dosing and why, or you're playing "trial and error" with your fish's lives until you get it right.

most problems caught early and nipped in the bud end right there, trying the wrong things or things that don't work, just allows it more time to get worse and the fish to gt worse and deteriorate also.

Aspirin is Acetylsalicyclic acid, this is in willowtree bark as salicin just refined and concentrated Can you treat a headache with willowtree bark tea? Sure can! Gonna have to drink a few cups or so for an affect.

And it's gonna take a heck of a lot of it if you intend to bathe in it to relieve the headache though instead of drinking it.

Youll likely get other advice from the botanical and natural folks, I'm somewhere in the middle on this, I don't like the medication or the botanical extremes. Just gonna say, if you keep good water parameters and a clean tank you may not have problems, if you can diagnose the problem early and treat it appropriately it likely ends before dragging down the fish. Whether meds or botanicals are preferred, I'd just say, know what you are treating, treat it appropriately and fully.

 

[FishArePetsNotObjects]

I do keep good water parameters,so I dont experience issues to often unless it's with new or elderly fish.It was also a hypothetical question.

 

[RayClem]

Black tea produced from oxidized camellia sinensis leaves does contain polyphenols that do have some antimicrobial properties. You might do dip, or you can add some tea to your tank. However, it will darken the water. If it works, you can use activated carbon to remove the staining.

Although the tea might be helpful, it is impossible to know whether it will "cure" the illness. That depends on what the disease is and the concentration of polyphenols.

There is an essential oil called tea tree oil that is produced from the melaleuca plant. It is different than the tea you drink. It has a high level of antimicrobial chemicals. There is a version specifically formulated for aquarium use called API Melafix. Unfortunately, melafix is not ideal for use with fish that have a labrynth organ like bettas and gourami. It also might not be safe for use with scaleless fish such as corydoras. It is normally added to the entire aquarium, but could be used for a dip as well.If you can get Melafix, it might be more reliable than black tea as the concentration of the commercial product is known.

 

[SparkyJones]

hypothetically then, If you have allergies it's a better outcome if you kill the fish then accidentally killing yourself though anaphylactic shock, worst case it don't work and the fish dies, but you're ok.

(my brother has a severe mango sap allergy he didn't know about, tried cutting down a tree in his back yard and itched from the get go, the more he sawed, the more got kicked up, he collapsed after about 20 minutes of cutting away. Ambulance had to come and save him. LOL! funny now not funny then) Don't play with allergies if it bothers you, leave it alone.

Hypothetically of course.