What's in your medicine chest?

[Steve G]

Since I don't live near an LFS, I want to stock up on some medications for fish, so I'm prepared for when fin rot or dropsy or a nasty parasite shows up.

 

I have a healthy ocellaris that's eating well, but has a frayed dorsal fin. The only tankmate is a peaceful royal gramma who leaves him alone -- they have a 75g all to themselves, so I assume this is a bacterial infection. I'm thinking of melafix or furan 2 for treatment, but was going to stock up on a few emergency supplies while I'm at it.

 

What do you all keep around for emergencies or what do you recommend as the must-have meds?

Edited March 14, 2007 by Steve G

[Rascal]

Personally I have never used any meds on my saltwater fish. I just try to feed them well and keep H20 quality high.

[Steve G]

Personally I have never used any meds on my saltwater fish. I just try to feed them well and keep H20 quality high.

 

Christian scientist? Pray for the fin rot to heal? That approach hasn't been working for me so far.

 

I would do a freshwater dip, but I don't think it's a parasite.

[extreme_tooth_decay]

Personally I have never used any meds on my saltwater fish. I just try to feed them well and keep H20 quality high.

 

 

Me too. It may sound rough, and I know most people disagree, but I typically believe if I think

a fish is so bad off he needs medication...I might as well flush him.

 

flame away

 

 

tim

[Sugar Magnolia]

What exactly is it you are looking for as far as meds go? Quarentine or no quarentine? QT is best with any kind of disease/parasite. Melafix will make your skimmer go crazy and I really don't know if it really does any good. I've used it before but was not impressed with the results. You really need to try to ID the problem and QT the fish and treat it for that specific disease/parasite.

[Rascal]

Christian scientist?

 

LOL. No. I used to be an agnostic, but now I'm not so sure . . .

 

Anyway, that's just my experience. Not saying it's the right way, it's just been my way so far. IMO stress is the biggest killer of captive fish and sometimes it seems to me the cure might be worse than the disease. But I haven't been at this as long as many and I've probably just been lucky, so feel free to take whatever I say with a grain of (choose your brand) salt.

 

Mostly I was just trying to give this thread a bump.