I've read and heard about meds killing off the BB in a cycled tank. Is this true? It seems true, since my 10 gal. QT appears to have crashed. I've been treating new fish for ich, fin rot, and red sores. I've been using Malachite Green and E.M. Erythromyacin. I do atleast 25% WC daily. Anyway, how should I keep my water params acceptable if I'm killing the bacteria when I medicate? I'd like to avoid doing 50% + water changes to keep the tank healthy.
How to keep tank healthy with meds
- Thread starter KYeasting
- Start date
KYeasting, the treatments you chose are lethal to beneficial bacteria. Malachite green is one of the treatments commonly available. Unfortunately, it is also carcinogenic and the trade for this one should have been regulated as it is a health risk to humans handling it.
When you dose malachite green, do a 0.1 solution which is one drop per gallon. Malachite green is lethal in high concentration but it also degrades in water over time and has to be redosed every 24 hours right after the last treatment. Dispose the treated water into the drain, not your garden.
Erythromycin is an antibiotic. All antibiotics can destroy almost all strains of bacteria especially the aerobic ones responsible for your nitrogen cycle. In this case, monitor your water parameters continuously. If you detect ammonia and nitrite rising steadily especially if your pH and temperature are also high, do a water change immediately until ammonia and nitrite go back to 0-0.25. Ammonia is much more toxic in high pH and high temperature.
Your case appears to be a mixed infection of ich and bacterial infections. What you can do is dose 0.3% solution of table salt or aquarium salt which is 3 teaspoons per gallon. Make sure to dissolve the salt thoroughly and add slowly to the tank. Aside from the salt solution, start dosing a combination of Maracyn (erythromycin) and Maracyn 2 (minocycline) to help battle a possible mixed range of bacteria responsible for the infections.
Please keep us updated.
When you dose malachite green, do a 0.1 solution which is one drop per gallon. Malachite green is lethal in high concentration but it also degrades in water over time and has to be redosed every 24 hours right after the last treatment. Dispose the treated water into the drain, not your garden.
Erythromycin is an antibiotic. All antibiotics can destroy almost all strains of bacteria especially the aerobic ones responsible for your nitrogen cycle. In this case, monitor your water parameters continuously. If you detect ammonia and nitrite rising steadily especially if your pH and temperature are also high, do a water change immediately until ammonia and nitrite go back to 0-0.25. Ammonia is much more toxic in high pH and high temperature.
Your case appears to be a mixed infection of ich and bacterial infections. What you can do is dose 0.3% solution of table salt or aquarium salt which is 3 teaspoons per gallon. Make sure to dissolve the salt thoroughly and add slowly to the tank. Aside from the salt solution, start dosing a combination of Maracyn (erythromycin) and Maracyn 2 (minocycline) to help battle a possible mixed range of bacteria responsible for the infections.
Please keep us updated.
I lost the "healthy" fish in the tank a few days ago. She had no visible lesions or any other signs of illness, aside from rapid breathing. I checked the water (which I had just changed less than 24 hours prior) and nitrite was up. I did a large water change and remedicated the tank with erythromycin and tetracyline. I got up the next day and found her floating on the surface with her fins rotting away. Anyway, the other fish that had a large wound on it's side appears to be healing.