Fish Antibiotics – Helpful or Not?
If you own a pet fish or have an aquarium you have probably had to deal with the issue of disease. Keeping the tank clean and balanced helps but even this is no guarantee against the development of disease. Multiple products have been sold to help cure diseases in fish, some good, some not so good. Here I would like to explain the possible uses for antibiotics to treat fish disease.
Antibiotics are powerful medications which should be used cautiously and generally speaking should be reserved for problems that cannot be controlled or cured using other treatment methods. Remember too, that antibiotics are useful against bacterial infections – NOT viral infections. I would also only recommend using them under the advice of a specialist with experience dealing with fish diseases. A hospital tank is recommended so that the medication will not harm the beneficial organisms in your main tank and you should not use a carbon filter during treatment as it will filter out the medication. There are several classes of antibiotics used for treatment of fish disease. The following is a list of medications along with diseases they may help treat.
1) Penicillins: This is the most frequently used class of medication. It includes penicillin, ampicillin and amoxicillin. These are broad spectrum medications which are effective against many types of gram-positive and some gram-negative organisms. They can be effective treatments for Fin and Tail Rot, Pop-eye, Gill disease, Infected eyes, Skin ulcerations, White Body Slime and Columnaris dieases.
2) Tetracyclines: Several commonly used medications in this class are tetracycline, minocycline and doxycycline. These are broad spectrum antibiotics most effective for gram-negative organisms. Often used to treat Gill disease, Fin and Tail Rot, Pop-eye, Anorexia or other Unusual Behavior, Internal infections and General Listlessness.
3) Macrolides: Commonly used to treat Swollen eyes, Clamped fins, Patchy coloration and Heavy or Rapid breathing. This class of antibiotics are similar to the penicillins in spectrum but have a broader range. The most frequently used medication in this class in erythromycin.
4) Quinolones: The most commonly used medication in this class is ciprofloxacin. Because the quinolones block bacterial replication and DNA repair they may be effective against bacteria unresponsive to other classes of antibiotics. The quinolones are synthetic broad spectrum antibiotics and can be effective against many gram-negative and gram-positive organisms such as Aeromonas, Flexibacteria, Vibrios, Columnarmis infection, and Furunculosis.
This concludes my discussion of some of the popular antibiotics used in the treatment of ornamental fish diseases. I hope you have found it to be useful. As always, before starting any medication, check with a fish specialist who can recommend the best treatment.
For a great selection of fresh quality fish antibiotics, visit our site at www.aqua-mox.com for the fish medications you need.
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