# What meds do you keep on hand?



## SweetPoison (Jan 16, 2011)

I have quite a few meds for Fronts and Discus, but I'm thinkin they could be quite different. Also salt is used first with perhaps kicking up the temp ~ before other meds are used ~ 

I sat up my tank yesterday for my community residence ~ and today I am getting my fish! Tank has been up for years with Fronts and Dolphin and Leleupi.

Traded them in yesterday for $198 ~ I cried. And cried. :-(


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## Lupin (Aug 2, 2006)

A few antibiotics like Baytril
salt
praziquantel
levamisole hydrochloride/fenbendazole
clove oil

Gotta have those stuff especially for quarantine and emergencies.


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## SweetPoison (Jan 16, 2011)

Lupin said:


> A few antibiotics like Baytril
> salt
> praziquantel
> levamisole hydrochloride/fenbendazole
> ...


Cool! Thank so much! I have all that, but what is Clove Oil and what is it used for?


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## Romad (Jun 28, 2009)

SweetPoison said:


> Cool! Thank so much! I have all that, but what is Clove Oil and what is it used for?


Clove oil is used to put a fish to sleep if you have to euthanize one :-(


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## SweetPoison (Jan 16, 2011)

Oh. Wow. Interesting. Where would you get that, the grocery store?


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## aunt kymmie (Jun 2, 2008)

SweetPoison said:


> Oh. Wow. Interesting. Where would you get that, the grocery store?


I had to buy mine from the Health Food store.


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## aunt kymmie (Jun 2, 2008)

Lupin said:


> A few antibiotics like Baytril
> salt
> praziquantel
> levamisole hydrochloride/fenbendazole
> ...


A very experienced fish keeper told me, when I asked the same question as you, you don't stock it until you need it, due to expiration dates. I'm looking at my packets of Furan-2. I only had to use 1/2 the box the last time I had to use this particular medication. The packets expire 7/2011, which is right around the corner. Knock wood I won't have to use it and will be able to pitch them out, and when I do that will feel like a waste of money. 
Chances are you already have on hand the meds Lupes is recommending since you were keeping Discus. You probably also have alot of Metronidazole left over, which I know you're not going to need, lol. 
Until I kept Discus my medicine shelf was empty as could be. 
Keeping my shelf empty was easy because if I needed the meds they were easily obtainable in a day. If I lived in "the sticks" or on an island I'd probably stock pile.


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## Lupin (Aug 2, 2006)

Romad said:


> Clove oil is used to put a fish to sleep if you have to euthanize one :-(


It also works as a sedative. I used it to sedate a goldfish for tumor. Surgeries are not advisable though unless you have studied and planned everything carefully.

Clove oil is available as eugenol, toothache drops in pharmacies. Or try Finquel from online store.


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## SweetPoison (Jan 16, 2011)

aunt kymmie said:


> I had to buy mine from the Health Food store.



Good to know!




aunt kymmie said:


> A very experienced fish keeper told me, when I asked the same question as you, you don't stock it until you need it, due to expiration dates. I'm looking at my packets of Furan-2. I only had to use 1/2 the box the last time I had to use this particular medication. The packets expire 7/2011, which is right around the corner. Knock wood I won't have to use it and will be able to pitch them out, and when I do that will feel like a waste of money.
> *Chances are you already have on hand the meds Lupes is recommending since you were keeping Discus. You probably also have alot of Metronidazole left over, which I know you're not going to need, lol*.
> Until I kept Discus my medicine shelf was empty as could be.
> Keeping my shelf empty was easy because if I needed the meds they were easily obtainable in a day. If I lived in "the sticks" or on an island I'd probably stock pile.


This is true! My community tank won't need it? Kym, I have learned so much from you in the short time I have been here and I wanted to say I so appreciate it more than you know, woman. 

This forum is very lucky to have you!


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## SweetPoison (Jan 16, 2011)

Lupin said:


> It also works as a sedative. I used it to sedate a goldfish for tumor. Surgeries are not advisable though unless you have studied and planned everything carefully.
> 
> Clove oil is available as eugenol, toothache drops in pharmacies. Or try Finquel from online store.


umm...No. I won't be attempting any home surgeries.:-D Lupin, I read all of your sticky on diseases ~ 

You are another one. So awesome on this site!! I am glad I found it.;-)


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## aunt kymmie (Jun 2, 2008)

SweetPoison said:


> Good to know!
> This is true! My community tank won't need it? Kym, I have learned so much from you in the short time I have been here and I wanted to say I so appreciate it more than you know, woman.
> 
> This forum is very lucky to have you!


Naw, I'm lucky to have this forum. If not, I'd be looking at a tank full of algae covered skeletons and dead plants right now, lol.
(Thanks for the compliment, though)

Because on where you are located I know you have plenty of access to any meds you will need, and quickly. If it were me (and it's not!) I would only buy the med as I needed it. 
The one med that I think you should have on hand always is one for Ich. I've had to treat for Ich four times in two years, twice without having added any additional newcomers or plants. My belief is that Ich is ever present in the aquaria and certain fish stress easily and when they do Ich will appear. My clowns are very susceptible. I see that clowns are on your "potential" fish list.
Also, not sure how great your LFS is but Ich on newcomers happens quite often. Do you have a QT/Hospital tank? As a former discus keeper I assume so?? ;-)


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## SweetPoison (Jan 16, 2011)

aunt kymmie said:


> I see that clowns are on your "potential" fish list.
> Also, not sure how great your LFS is but Ich on newcomers happens quite often. Do you have a QT/Hospital tank? As a former discus keeper I assume so?? ;-)



I do have a 20 gal that I can set up on a dime and plenty of filters I can pull from the 125. Kym, can I ask some questions of you on this thread? Or do they frown on hijacking?

What do you use for Ich? I have to toss all my meds ~ they are years old. Ouch.


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## SweetPoison (Jan 16, 2011)

Oh, Crap. This is MY thread.  oops.

Okay Kym ~

I have NO clue how often to feed these little wet pets I am bringing home today. Not a clue. What else...Oh, I think I am only going to get either 12 Tetras or 12 Danos for now and ~ Darn. I forgot what I was leading into.

Let me find my notes!


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## aunt kymmie (Jun 2, 2008)

SweetPoison said:


> I do have a 20 gal that I can set up on a dime and plenty of filters I can pull from the 125. Kym, can I ask some questions of you on this thread? Or do they frown on hijacking?
> 
> What do you use for Ich? I have to toss all my meds ~ they are years old. Ouch.


It's not hijacking, it's your thread!! I use Kordan's Rid Ich +. Byron uses Aquarisol. I can't find Aquarisol locally or I think I would use it. Much more gentle on the fish. I only use Ich meds at half strength because I kept sensitive and also scaleless fish (catfish and loaches). 
Bummer on having to toss all your meds. Meds aren't cheap! :-(


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## SweetPoison (Jan 16, 2011)

Kym ~ 

OKay ~ great PM, btw 

Check it out:

I have Epsom Salts, Salt, Metro, Prazi, Quick Cure. All of these are NOT even open, woman. But I have not used meds for over three years, as my Fronts never needed them. 

Should I just toss all of this? Would you? There are no expiration dates on anything I can see.


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## aunt kymmie (Jun 2, 2008)

SweetPoison said:


> Kym ~
> 
> OKay ~ great PM, btw
> 
> ...


If it was me I'd try to return the unopened meds for store credit. My LFS would let me, not sure about yours. Salt doesn't expire but you're not going to be using it in a tropical tank. I would never put salt in my community tank (I have use Epsom to treat constipated discus, but that's different) and Byron has a great write up why salt is a no-no for nearly all tropical fish. I need to look for that post by him.

If the meds are three years old plus, I would assume most to be expired anyway. Try returning them, all they can do is say no.


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## SweetPoison (Jan 16, 2011)

Okay. Got it. So ~no salt? Seriously? I thought that was just for planted folks? Interesting.


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## aunt kymmie (Jun 2, 2008)

SweetPoison said:


> Okay. Got it. So ~no salt? Seriously? I thought that was just for planted folks? Interesting.


Nope, no salt. Both Lupin and Byron can easily type up as to why (much faster than I can) so, oh yoo hoo, can one of you chime in??


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## aunt kymmie (Jun 2, 2008)

I found Byron's post in regards to salt:

*"Salt* *is* detrimental to freshwater fish and plants in varying degrees. To understand why, we must understand what *salt* does in water.

*Salt* makes the water more dense than the same water without *salt*. The aquarium contains water. The bodies of fish and plant leaves also contain water [just as we do--we are, what is it, 70-some percent water?]. The water in the aquarium and the water in the fish/plant are separated by a semi-permeable layer which is the cell. Water can pass through this cell. When either body of water is more dense, the other less-dense body of water will pass through the membrane to equalize the water on both sides.

Water is constantly passing through the cells of fish by osmosis in an attempt to equate the water inside the fish (which is more dense) with the water in the aquarium. Put another way, the aquarium water is diluting the fish's body water until they are equal. Freshwater fish regularly excrete this water through respiration and urination. This is the issue behind pH differences as well as *salt* and other substances. It increases the fish's work--the kidney is used in the case of salt--which also increases the fish's stress in order to maintain their internal stability. Also, the fish tends to produce more mucus especially in the gills; the reason now seems to be due to the irritant property of salt--the fish is trying to get away from it.

I have an interesting measurement for fish. Dr. Stanley Weitzman, who is Emeritus Research Scientist at the Department of Ichthyology of the Smithsonian Institute in Washington and an acknowledged authority on characoid fishes, writes that 100 ppm of *salt* is the maximum for characins, and there are several species that show considerable stress leading to death at 60 ppm. 100 ppm is equal to .38 of one gram of *salt* per gallon of water. One level teaspoon holds six grams of *salt*, so 1 tsp of *salt* per gallon equates to more than 15 times the tolerable amount. Livebearers have a higher tolerance (mollies sometimes exist in brackish water) so the *salt* may be safe for them. Use of *salt* for treatment purposes should first consider the level of tolerance of the respective fish in the aquarium; any medication is likely to cause some stress to fish, but those species that are particularly adverse will be significantly weakened further by *salt*.

Plants: when *salt* is added to the aquarium water, the water inside the plant cells is less dense so it escapes through the cells. The result is that the plant literally dries out, and will wilt. I've so far been unable to find a measurement of how much *salt* will be detrimental to plants; all authorities I have found do note that some species are more sensitive than others, and all recommend no *salt* in planted aquaria. 
__________________
Byron Hosking, BMus, MA
Vancouver, BC, Canada



Read more: http://www.tropicalfishkeeping.com/freshwater-aquarium/freshwater-salt-59781/#ixzz1BsbgRj56


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## SweetPoison (Jan 16, 2011)

Very interesting! Thanks for sharing. Pop that article over at SD. I dare you.:lol:


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## aunt kymmie (Jun 2, 2008)

SweetPoison said:


> Very interesting! Thanks for sharing. Pop that article over at SD. I dare you.:lol:


Oh, aren't you the funny one this morning. :lol:

That's one thing I've never posted here, and now that you've called me out on the carpet...when I was treating my RT for the eye injury after I had done the round of Furan-2 my treatment protocol (on the advice of Eddie, and why would one ever disagree with Eddie when it comes to discus???:shock was to do daily 90% water changes and keep salt (ordinary table salt) at a concentration of one tbs per one gallon! It scared me to do this, but I figured my fish was a goner anyway so why not? 
(Keep in mind I was treating for an eye injury, most eye drops are saline based.) 
Long story short, discus recovered and eye was saved.


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## SweetPoison (Jan 16, 2011)

LOL. Yeah. Big advocate of salt over there. I am too, TBH. I have had lots of Discus shipped and it def reduces stress and can be used instead of a harsher medication for lots of issues.


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## aunt kymmie (Jun 2, 2008)

SweetPoison said:


> LOL. Yeah. Big advocate of salt over there. I am too, TBH. I have had lots of Discus shipped and it def reduces stress and can be used instead of a harsher medication for lots of issues.


Well, discus are discus, and with that being said, now that you're doing community tropical you can put the salt away now. ;-)


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## SweetPoison (Jan 16, 2011)

aunt kymmie said:


> Well, discus are discus, and with that being said, now that you're doing community tropical you can put the salt away now. ;-)


I will!


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## iamgray (Jul 16, 2010)

the only medication I keep on hand at home is Super Ick Cure, because as has already been said, if I ever run into a need for anything else, I live in a city where it's easy to run out and get it when I need it. I also have aquarium salt at the advice of someone from the LFS, but when she recommended it to me, she told me to use it as a dip instead of treating my whole planted tank with it... I've used it once, and the fish died a day later and I've never bothered with it since. I work out of town so I keep a couple extra things for my fish there... I keep Super Ick Cure, Pimafix, and Melafix on hand at work.


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## SweetPoison (Jan 16, 2011)

iamgray said:


> the only medication I keep on hand at home is Super Ick Cure, because as has already been said, if I ever run into a need for anything else, I live in a city where it's easy to run out and get it when I need it. I also have* aquarium salt* at the advice of someone from the LFS, but when she recommended it to me, she told me to use it as a dip instead of treating my whole planted tank with it... I've used it once, and the fish died a day later and I've never bothered with it since. I work out of town so I keep a couple extra things for my fish there... I keep Super Ick Cure, Pimafix, and Melafix on hand at work.


Waste of money. Table salt if just fine. But apparently I won't need it anymore!


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## aunt kymmie (Jun 2, 2008)

SweetPoison said:


> Waste of money. Table salt if just fine. But apparently I won't need it anymore!


Agreed, waste of money. I now use my aquarium salt, crushed, for rimming my margaritas!


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## SweetPoison (Jan 16, 2011)

Two great minds think alike.:-D


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