Treat For Bacteria And Parasites?

I'm treating for what I think is a parasite with API General Cure.

My 2 platties have a cottony white film over their heads.

On further research, I think this actually may be Columnaris, which from what I understand is a bacteria infection.

I'm 24 hrs into General Cure treatment, so I have to add second dose tomorrow and then wait another 48 hrs for water change.

Can I treat for both parasites and bacteria at the same time?

If I can, what medicine is best used to treat Columnaris? Can I treat the whole tank for this?

 

With General Cure there are 2 antibiotics that you can use along with it. One is API E.M. Erythromycin the other is Maracin. I'm not completely sure, but I think that Maracin is just another brand name for Erythromycin. One of the chemicals in API General Cure is also the main ingredient found in the antiparacitic medication PraziPro. So yes, depending on the antibiotic.

I'm treating for what I think is a parasite with API General Cure.

My 2 platties have a cottony white film over their heads.

On further research, I think this actually may be Columnaris, which from what I understand is a bacteria infection.

I'm 24 hrs into General Cure treatment, so I have to add second dose tomorrow and then wait another 48 hrs for water change.

Can I treat for both parasites and bacteria at the same time?

If I can, what medicine is best used to treat Columnaris? Can I treat the whole tank for this?

 

With General Cure there are 2 antibiotics that you can use along with it. One is API E.M. Erythromycin the other is Maracin. I'm not completely sure, but I think that Maracin is just another brand name for Erythromycin. One of the chemicals in API General Cure is also the main ingredient found in the antiparacitic medication PraziPro. So yes, depending on the antibiotic.

Awesome thanks for the recommendation.

I just read API General Cure for parasites can also be used in conjunction with API E.M.

Perfect! A catchall for everything that might be wrong..... lol

 

Yeah I agree with the above API is your best solution. Do you have them in a quarantine/hospital tank ?

 

Yeah I agree with the above API is your best solution. Do you have them in a quarantine/hospital tank ?

No, unfortunately I do not have one set up. I was going to in the very near future, but probably not soon enough in order to treat.

Bacteria infections are not like parasites, in that only the fish that is displaying symptoms is probably infected, correct? I know with parasites if one fish has something almost all the others either have it or will have it very soon. Is bacteria pretty much on a case by case basis for each fish?

I'm guessing that's why they recommend treating bacteria infections in a hospital tank so the whole tank does not have to be treated?

 

In this case, neither of the products are supposed to harm your biological filter. Just make sure you don't have carbon in your filter, unless the only carbon you have is the little bit that's in a hob filter ter cartridge. That little bit of carbon will have become saturated after about 3 days of use and won't be able to absorb anything else. When treatment is finished, start doing daily ample water changes for a week and then resume your normal changing routine.

No, unfortunately I do not have one set up. I was going to in the very near future, but probably not soon enough in order to treat.

Bacteria infections are not like parasites, in that only the fish that is displaying symptoms is probably infected, correct? I know with parasites if one fish has something almost all the others either have it or will have it very soon. Is bacteria pretty much on a case by case basis for each fish?

I'm guessing that's why they recommend treating bacteria infections in a hospital tank so the whole tank does not have to be treated?

 

No, unfortunately I do not have one set up. I was going to in the very near future, but probably not soon enough in order to treat.

Bacteria infections are not like parasites, in that only the fish that is displaying symptoms is probably infected, correct? I know with parasites if one fish has something almost all the others either have it or will have it very soon. Is bacteria pretty much on a case by case basis for each fish?

I'm guessing that's why they recommend treating bacteria infections in a hospital tank so the whole tank does not have to be treated?

Simple, just go out to Walmart or Target or a dollar store, pick yourself up a little 5 gallon RubberMaid tote and use that as a quarantine/hospital tank. Go to your LFS and buy an $8 Sponge filter for it, and you're good to go. Sponge Filters still need to be cycled of course, but you can throw it in your main tank until it's cycled, then put it inside the tote you bought. I have done this in the past, and it works well.

 

General cure is metronidazole and praziquentel
Metronidazole is a antibiotic used in human medicine to treat STD's, it just so happens to work to kill internal bacteria and protozoa parasites in fish
Praziquentel is a broad spectrum de-wormer, but does not kill roundworms

Neither will have any effect on "cotton wool" like appearance of your fish
In order to diagnoise it and tell you what to do you need to provide pictures or a video for us