- Have you tested your water?
- Yes
- If I did not test my water...
- ...I recognize that I will likely be asked to do a test, and that water tests are critical for solving freshwater health problems.
- Do you do water changes?
- Yes
- If I do not change my water...
- ...I recognize that I will likely be recommended to do a water change, and water changes are critical for preventing future freshwater health problems.
Hey everyone, ive been fish keeping for about 15 years now and I was just wondering about your opinions on how effective methylene blue really is in practice.. its cheap and very easy to dose.
Personally, I don't feel its as effective as something like epsom salt. I have used it a few times and i've always thought that its pretty weak/slow and doesnt address the general condition of fish that needs to be good in order for a fish to recover.
I recently adopted (bought) 6 discus and treated them as the stupid fish store had them in a small tank with a chinese algae eater and it was sucking on them frequently. The fish were in a bad way. They had fungus all over them with early signs of ich and sunken bellies.
I did use methylene blue as well as epsom salts, prazipro and raised the temperature to 30c with frequent water changes and 2 repeated treatments.
It was a challenge but after 5 days they started eating like monsters (they didnt like vibra bites though, just staple food), colours were showing and they started getting mildly territorial with each other which imo was a good sign (motivated). It was the first time i had discus and i just found them to be beautiful but boring. So when the fish recovered, and i traded them for a thai silk flowerhorn locally which im deworming with gen cure (just in case).
Imo it was the epsom salt and water changes that cured the discus. And i dont think the prazipro was a strong factor in the mix. Just cautionary deworming.
So far I believe epsom salt is the most natural and most effective thing for treatable diseases with some hard work and allows other medications to work well as the fish's system gets regulated by the salt.
What do you guys think of methylene blue? Is it worth it in comparison to antibiotics or epsom salt? Works better with salt doses? Useless?
P.s. high 5 if you find it more rewarding buying n treating sick fish for your aquarium than just putting healthy fish in your tank to watch immediately. Fish recovery is a lot of fun.
Personally, I don't feel its as effective as something like epsom salt. I have used it a few times and i've always thought that its pretty weak/slow and doesnt address the general condition of fish that needs to be good in order for a fish to recover.
I recently adopted (bought) 6 discus and treated them as the stupid fish store had them in a small tank with a chinese algae eater and it was sucking on them frequently. The fish were in a bad way. They had fungus all over them with early signs of ich and sunken bellies.
I did use methylene blue as well as epsom salts, prazipro and raised the temperature to 30c with frequent water changes and 2 repeated treatments.
It was a challenge but after 5 days they started eating like monsters (they didnt like vibra bites though, just staple food), colours were showing and they started getting mildly territorial with each other which imo was a good sign (motivated). It was the first time i had discus and i just found them to be beautiful but boring. So when the fish recovered, and i traded them for a thai silk flowerhorn locally which im deworming with gen cure (just in case).
Imo it was the epsom salt and water changes that cured the discus. And i dont think the prazipro was a strong factor in the mix. Just cautionary deworming.
So far I believe epsom salt is the most natural and most effective thing for treatable diseases with some hard work and allows other medications to work well as the fish's system gets regulated by the salt.
What do you guys think of methylene blue? Is it worth it in comparison to antibiotics or epsom salt? Works better with salt doses? Useless?
P.s. high 5 if you find it more rewarding buying n treating sick fish for your aquarium than just putting healthy fish in your tank to watch immediately. Fish recovery is a lot of fun.
