Trouble Finding Medications in the US

Hello fellow Fishlore friends, been a long time since I’ve posted. My betta friend has chronic fin rot issues, and he has always been easily treated with API fin and body cure. The problem is, I can’t seem to get it anywhere anymore! I tried Kanaplex for this bout of fin rot, but it is still progressing. I just ordered Metroplex, hopefully that works, but does anyone have other options for medications? P.S. doxycycline is the antibacterial treatment that’s worked in the past, so preferably something with that in it?

is anyone else in the US struggling to find medications?

(please don’t try to explain how to prevent fin rot in bettas - I’m well aware, and he has a very clean home with excellent food varieties. He is a petco fish with crappy fins. That is all.)

 

Have you tried Mardel Maracyn | Fish Antibiotic | Fish Medicine for Bacterial Disease ?

 

Most of the issue, OP, is the supply chain is all messed up. I noticed amazon and some of my other online places i go tend to be out of stock of a lot of meds. Same with both my LFSs.

Have you tried Mardel Maracyn | Fish Antibiotic | Fish Medicine for Bacterial Disease ?

Kind of shocked they still have in stock!

 

Have you tried Mardel Maracyn | Fish Antibiotic | Fish Medicine for Bacterial Disease ?

I have not, mostly because it’s in the same antibiotic group as kanaplex (-mycin) so I don’t expect it to have better results :\ but I will definitely try it if metroplex doesn’t work…

Most of the issue, OP, is the supply chain is all messed up. I noticed amazon and some of my other online places i go tend to be out of stock of a lot of meds

Honestly, there’s a horrible shortage of everyything right now… I’m having trouble finding houseplant tools like terra cotta pots as well. Garden seeds are out of stock most places. And soil is scarce. It’s absolutely insane

 

I have not, mostly because it’s in the same antibiotic group as kanaplex (-mycin) so I don’t expect it to have better results :\ but I will definitely try it if metroplex doesn’t work…



Honestly, there’s a horrible shortage of everyything right now… I’m having trouble finding houseplant tools like terra cotta pots as well. Garden seeds are out of stock most places. And soil is scarce. It’s absolutely insane

I have some meds in my stash but they have been there for months. Unused. Always better to have and not need than to need and not have.

 

Hi,

I don't know if you have looked at the Wal-Mart pet meds site before, but it is walmartpetrx.com.

I have gotten meds from them before, but they are all going to be in capsule form. I just looked and they do have some doxycycline, but it's a bit on the expensive side. Just FYI, in case you are interested. Since I ordered and have an account, they send me e-mails and sometimes have coupons available.

Hope this helps!

 

they are all going to be in capsule form

Are they marketed for fish or for pets? How do you use a capsule med on fish?

 

The instructions on the bottle will tell you to dissolve the meds into so many gallons of water, etc., along with how many days to medicate. I just broke open the capsules, and mixed accourding to the instructions. If you go to the site, click on the pet meds link (with the cute pic of the pug with an ice pack on his head). Then in the search bar, just type in the meds you are looking for.

You can find some fish meds on the Tractor Supply web site, too. They might have a better price.

Just do a search for Fish Aid doxycycline, if that is the one that you want.

I bought some Fish Flex (cephalexin), a broad spectrum antibiotic, Fish Mox Forte (amoxicillin), and some Fish Ciprofloxacin (another broad specturm antibiotic). I found out about these meds from a member on the site that posted answers about fish disease and how to treat them. Then I just started doing a google search for fish meds, and that's when I found the Wal-Mart site. Unfortunatley, I was trying to fight fish TB, and there is really nothing that can be done for that.

You might want to look at Furan-2. It does treat fin rot as well, and you can get that on amazon. Just something else to look at since you already ordered metroplex.

 

Just do a search for Fish Aid doxycycline, if that is the one that you want.

Thanks so much for this info, it’ll be easier in the future for medication…. Of course walmart pet rx’s doxycycline is also on back order. Figures it’s the only med I’ve found that works on this dang fish! I’ll have to try some of the broad spectrums you listed if metroplex doesn’t work…..

again, thank you!

 

Also, just FYI,for future reference if you happen to be looking for it, doxycycline is the active ingredient that is in APIs Fin & Body Cure as well. I only know that cuz i looked it up for someone else earlier.

 

Also, just FYI,for future reference if you happen to be looking for it, doxycycline is the active ingredient that is in APIs Fin & Body Cure as well. I only know that cuz i looked it up for someone else earlier.

Yes I was using fin and body cure for him but I can’t find it anymore. That’s why I made this post xD thank you though!

 

Yes I was using fin and body cure for him but I can’t find it anymore. That’s why I made this post xD thank you though!

Chewy may be another place to look as well for the doxy and others if you haven't already. I just think a lot of places will be on backorder like walmart. But hope you get lucky somewhere or other!

 

I hope that the metroplex works for you so you won't have to stress about finding new meds.

The thing that I found about the Seachem products is that the standard dose doesn't give 100% med. The kanaplex is something like 37% kanamycin, so in order to get a decent dose from it, sometimes it is required to give more than the standard dose that is listed on the box.

If you can get some methylene blue, you could do a few dips with it, and that helps sometimes. I have also dipped a betta's fins in hydrogen peroxide as a fin treatment as well.
That gets very tricky in that you will need to net him, and then either swab the peroxide right onto his fins, or find a way to just dip his fins into the peroxide. The fish will not like doing that at all. It is very stressful, but some people swear by it. The last time I tried it, the net I was using was too course, and I ended up doing a little bit of damage to the betta's dorsal fin. Luckily, that part healed, too, along with the fin damage that he had on his analfin. I also used stressguard to help with any problem that I had caused, so that part of his body would be coated and protected from infection.

Again, I would not try this unless you are very, very comfortable with handling your fish in this way. It takes an experienced fish keeper to do this; one small slip and you could end up doing some major damage to the fish, or blinding it by getting the peroxide in the fish's eyes. It takes a very steady hand. Just maybe something else that you can google to see if that is something that you want to try if things become dire.

 

The fish will not like doing that at all. It is very stressful,

He gets the same fin rot issues every couple of months, so as a long-term solution a stressful and tricky dip wouldn’t work and i don’t really feel good enough wi.. Honestly I’m just hoping I get lucky and catch some fin and body cure for sale before this guy dies. And if I do…. I’ll be grabbing like 10 boxes of it! None of my other bettas have had fin issues, even the long flowy ones. I have a special man here… haha.

I don’t see metroplex doing much to slow down the rot, so I added some aquarium salt. Maybe good ol’ salt will be the hero? Psh, long shot.

This is frustrating!

 

I hope the combination of salt and metroplex works for him. It has to be some form of genetic weakness if he keeps getting fin rot, I would think. I have noticed that fin and body is absent from every place that usually has it for sale. If I do happen upon any, I will pm you!

 

I have been having the same problem finding medications and was able to get API Fin & Body a couple weeks ago (still appears to be in stock).

I was looking for Spectrogram or any Furan products to combine with the Kanaplex I was able to find on Amazon. I ended up grabbing Bettamax and Fin & Body so I can try that next on my stubborn fin rot, cloudy eye, and white slimy patches.

 

API Fin & Body Cure a couple weeks ago (still appears to be in stock).

They had it!!!!! Thank you!! I hope it comes in time. 1-9 days shipping…. He’s lost half his fins at this point. They might not come back as beautiful but now at least I know he won’t die from treatable fin rot.

 

They had it!!!!! Thank you!! I hope it comes in time. 1-9 days shipping…. He’s lost half his fins at this point. They might not come back as beautiful but now at least I know he won’t die from freakin’ treatable fin rot.

You're welcome! I realized the link I was trying to post was probably considered an affiliate and accidentally against the rules, explaining why it was acting wonky. After the trouble I've had, I am just happy I could help you find the meds you needed! I think I ordered Thursday or Friday and received it Tuesday, so fingers crossed you receive it quickly as well. I'll be wishing for good outcomes for your betta!