Metronidazole

[TitansFan]

Need to get some help please... Seems some how my fish have ich. I haven't added any fish for over a month and half (maybe it got brought in from water from the frag show??). That's besides the point though right now. I did searches and found some people such as fishdoc and c_stowers have had luck with a drug called Metronidazole. Is this something the critter or fins would carry and what brand name would it be sold under? I take it this is something the fish food would be soaked in?
The fish are not bad right now and still eating like pigs. I thought I would give this a shot first. If it continues to worsen I guess quarantine will be next.
Thanks

 

[fishdoc11]

Seachem metronidazole...the Critter(or fins I assume) can order it for you.
Chris

 

[techrach]

I bought some from aquatichouse.com 5.99 for 5g cheap shipping. It is by seachem and they sugest you use a product called focus with it.

 

[TitansFan]

is the Seachem metronidazole dosed to the tank or soaked with food/Seachem Focus?

 

[crumbletop]

I have a whole vial of it at home in the refrigerator. There is a recipe I got from c_stowers that I think he got from fishdoc. I can't remember off hand what it is. Something like some flake food, garlic guard, metronidazole, and selcon all mixed up and stored in the fridge. You feed that to the fish. I think c_stowers does add focus to that, although I'm not sure focus is necessary. I have all of that stuff except the focus if you need some. I live near cool springs.

 

[TitansFan]

crumbletop I would love to get some from you. I hate to make the fish wait on shipping. I plan togo ahead and order it. Some picked up from you until then should get them going until it arrives. Thanks Much! I work in Cool Springs so shouldn't be much of a problem if I could pick some up today. If you want pm me with details on when would be good for you.

 

[fishdoc11]

Freeze dried brine shrimp works much better than flake food
I like the San Franciso Bay brand.
Chris

 

[crumbletop]

So Chris, what is the exact recipe? Unfortunately, I don't have any freeze dried brine shrimp.

Jack

 

[fishdoc11]

The best I can remember i used:

Metronidazole (~ half a 250mg capsule or a couple of spoonfulls of the Seachem stuff)
Seachem Garlic(any garlic should do)
Selcon
Kent Zoe

Mix those together in a small container (equal parts of garlic and zoe with a little less Selcon) with a lid and then add enough freeze dried brine shrimp to soak it all up. It the should easily last 3 or 4 days in the fridge. Adding focus will supposedly help the medication "stick" to the food but I didn't notice any difference either way when I treated....could very well be a benefit that is not apparent.

hth, Chris

 

[SRT80]

does the recipe go bad? I think I still have some that c_stowers made me awhile back in the freezer when I thought I had ich. Can't remember when it was made, sometime last year.

Steve

 

[c_stowers]

SRT80. The recipe does go bad. If I remember correctly, metrinidizole has a halflife of about 3-4 days in solution. Freezing it should help extend this, but not up to a year.

 

[SRT80]

I think I threw it out awhile back. I'll have to check when I get home. I know my clownfish and hermits loved it though. Guess it was the garlic?

Steve

 

[c_stowers]

Yep..I'd say it was either the garlic or selcon. Probably the garlic though.

 

[TitansFan]

Thanks again Jack. This should get me going hopefully I won't need anymore. I think I will still order some to just keep on hand though.

 

[crumbletop]

No problem. You'll want to treat with this for 2 weeks, I think. The stuff I gave you should last a good 4 or 5 days. I sure hope it helps the fish. Lemme know how things work out.

 

[rcmike]

I'd check you water parameters also if you haven't lately. Most of the time when I noticed ich something was off.

 

[TitansFan]

current reef conditions:
8.4 dKH
400 ppm calcium
nitrite 0.0
nitrate 0.15
phosphate 0.0
pH 8.17
temp 80.5
SG 1.025

 

[Angela Short]

I have some of the pill form from the vet if you need it. Call me in the morning if you want I am not online much. We need to get up anyways.

 

[TitansFan]

Sorry angela I will give you a call tomorrow morning (Friday). I feel dumb now I didn't know metronidazole is a vet medication as well. The wife picked me up a few 250mg pills from her old clinic yesterday.

Update.... So far the the ich has lessened by far. I do not know if I am just between stages or not. The fish all seem to be acting as normal except the gramma. One of the carpenter wrasses has taken to flashing at him. He seems to be hiding behind a powerhead on and off (something I have never seen him do before).

 

[crumbletop]

So how are the fish doing? I hope well...