Useless Meds

[Hellfishguy]

How many of you have spent a fortune on various medications, only to have the fish die anyway?

 

[BigManAquatics]

Well, helps if you use the right med for what needs to be treated. Second, make sure of what you are treating before using meds. I always make sure to keep ick meds around, but usually not much else. It is far easier and cheaper to prevent most diseases than it is to treat them. Food for thought.

 

[Hellfishguy]

You’re exactly right. Malachite Green and Levimasole are very effective, but products containing tea tree oil are usually ineffective at best or actually harmful to some species. Prevention is easier and cheaper.

 

[BigManAquatics]

You’re exactly right. Malachite Green and Levimasole are very effective, but products containing tea tree oil are usually ineffective at best or actually harmful to some species. Prevention is easier and cheaper.

My wife keeps melafix around i think, don't know that it ever helped anything her platies have had or if she has even used it! Ich meds have worked great though...she had a major breakout few years ago, spread to a 2nd tank even.

 

[Fisch]

I am the same way. Fresh water on a regular base prevents a lot of diseases.

 

[Hellfishguy]

Trying to treat dropsy is a useless endeavor. Once the fish starts to pinecone, it’s too late to save it.

 

[BigManAquatics]

Trying to treat dropsy is a useless endeavor.

Not always, though it is a high percentage that doesn't.

 

[Hellfishguy]

Epson salt seems to ease the swelling, but 95% of the time clove oil is the only solution.

 

[LowConductivity]

How many of you have spent a fortune on various medications, only to have the fish die anyway?

100% agree with this, specifically “antibiotics”. I get better results with $1 worth of potassium permanganate and salt, than $100 worth of Kana and nitro when dealing with the bad bacteria

 

[Shambhalaubie]

How many of you have spent a fortune on various medications, only to have the fish die anyway?

I have recently spend TONS of money on various medications. Any I can get my hands on, as I live in Canada so when I do find them, they are VERY expensive (fish medication is BANNED here)! I have had two of my cherry barbs become bloated, get a red lump on their side (which I am sure is due to kidney failure) followed by dropsy, pine coning, death - in that order. Two in like the last month! I managed to get ahold of a bottle of API Melafix, however it did not save the most recent one. She was already too far gone . It seems by the time I notice the swelling, get them into the hospital tank, ect - they are already past being able to save. I have never dealt with a lot of disease before, other than Ick, and that was when I could buy medication at my LFS. Now, it is so costly, and difficult to find.

 

[StarGirl]

I have recently spend TONS of money on various medications. Any I can get my hands on, as I live in Canada so when I do find them, they are VERY expensive (fish medication is BANNED here)! I have had two of my cherry barbs become bloated, get a red lump on their side (which I am sure is due to kidney failure) followed by dropsy, pine coning, death - in that order. Two in like the last month! I managed to get ahold of a bottle of API Melafix, however it did not save the most recent one. She was already too far gone . It seems by the time I notice the swelling, get them into the hospital tank, ect - they are already past being able to save. I have never dealt with a lot of disease before, other than Ick, and that was when I could buy medication at my LFS. Now, it is so costly, and difficult to find.

Aw sorry about your fish. Melafix is just essential oils in water. It does pretty much nothing, I dont know how they are able to sell it as a med personally.



Im on the keeping water clean to prevent it, medicating as a VERY last resort team. Although I do have to say I have never owed a 150$ Discus or saltwater fish. It is very seldom once a fish stops eating that it recovers.

 

[Shambhalaubie]

Aw sorry about your fish. Melafix is just essential oils in water. It does pretty much nothing, I dont know how they are able to sell it as a med personally.



Im on the keeping water clean to prevent it, medicating as a VERY last resort team. Although I do have to say I have never owed a 150$ Discus or saltwater fish. It is very seldom once a fish stops eating that it recovers.

Thanks, the females were my favorites. Now there is only two with three males, so the ratio is off.

I have used Pimafix in the past on a platy with some sort of white fungal growth, and it did work! However it seems the success of treatment with these "medications" are a hit or miss so to speak. It is frustrating to figure out what to do.

 

[MacZ]

With what your case sounds like, there is nothing that is not on prescription in any country that would help. Do you have a thread for the problems?