Benadryl

[CrayolaViolence]

A friend and I got to talking about off label uses for other meds in coral tanks. I remember someone on here mentioning a heart worm pill for dogs and using it to treat red bugs. I was curious, can you use Benadryl for fish in a coral tank if they are itching due to ich or something else? Does anyone know what, if any used, ivermectin would have in a reef tank. I know ivermectin doesn't dilute well in water, but it's been used for decades to treat everything from parasites (internal) to ear mights. Does anyone know of it's affects against diseases (if any) in fish and if it is dangerous to coral?

Would love to know of some off label uses for other meds to help keep fish, coral, and the tank healthy.

 

[j_mazzy]

you would have to know if the itch response was due to histamine release first, then experiment from there.

 

[Deinonych]

I wouldn't put anything in my tank without documented evidence of its impact. Ivermectin is used against larger arthropods like mites, so it is unlikely to affect protozoans like ich.

 

[Sk8r]

Ich is not itch. The word root comes from ichthys, Greek for 'fish.' The white spots you see are pimples raised by microscopic life that breaks free when ready and infests your sandbed to go round again.

 

[j_mazzy]

right. but if the itch/flashing response is initiated through histamine release you can then experiment with histamine blockers.... though to what end it is helpful... that I have no idea.

 

[Deinonych]

right. but if the itch/flashing response is initiated through histamine release you can then experiment with histamine blockers.... though to what end it is helpful... that I have no idea.

Even if it does work, it's only treating the symptoms and not the underlying cause (infection by C. irritans).

 

[farfromsea]

Apparently most fishes do not have histamine although some do (tialpia for example). (handy chart on page 5) http://www.pnas.org/content/104/49/19434.full.pdf

I wouldn't bother with Benadryl to help relieving itching.

and +1 to previous statements on treating symptoms not cause/ich needing different treatment