Medicated Food And Meds?

[Yanks15]

Is it common to use medicated food along with meds in the tank? Or is this overkill? Can you over medicate this way and hurt the fish? I added medicated food into a medicated tank without thinking. I did it twice before realizing that it may be a problem. Anyone know?

Thanks

 

[fry_forever!]

It's fine. It even says on the bottle of most medicated food. "You can use this food with any other external water treatments."
So it will be fine. I've done it before.

Good luck!

 

[Yanks15]

Thanks. I started to freak out a little. I didn't want to be the reason why they got more sick.

 

[fry_forever!]

Yeah, no problem. It's perfectly fine, but may I ask, what kind/brand of medicated food do you use?

 

[Yanks15]

I'm treating my tank for columnaris w/ maracyn and maracyn2. I started feeding them Jungle anti-bacteria food. Will this be effective at all or am I wasting time? Should it be a different type?

 

[WILDER]

Don't use medicated food with bacterial meds. You will be overdosing the fish.
Medicated food is good as long as the fish are still eating.
You can only use either the water treatment or medicated food, not both.

 

[Yanks15]

Well Wilder, once again I'm glad you showed up to enlighten me. I couldn't find any relavent articles in a search here against doing it so I figured giving them some couldn't really hurt. I'll halt the med food and resume regular food.

Also, should I be doing wc between med treatment or leave until dosage is complete. Is proper dosage for columnaris 5 days or 10 days?

Tanks again.

 

[WILDER]

If you have to preform a water change during a med course, just add the correct amount of med back to water removed.

If water stats are good no need to do a water change.
Just remove uneaten food.

 

[Yanks15]

Thanks.

 

[WILDER]

Any improvement with the fish.

 

[Tolak]

Is it common to use medicated food along with meds in the tank? Or is this overkill? Can you over medicate this way and hurt the fish? I added medicated food into a medicated tank without thinking. I did it twice before realizing that it may be a problem. Anyone know?

Thanks

It depends on the medication being used.

 

[Yanks15]

Everyone seems to be in good shape. All eating so that's a good sign. They aren't exhibiting any of the symptoms that the others did. Hopefully I caught it in time to knock it out.

Either of you have a thought on how long to dose w/ meds? Maracyn and maracyn2 both say 5 days but I've read in various posts that a 10 day course would be better. I don't want they on meds any longer than they have to be.

 

[WILDER]

Eating a good sign.
Let me know when the 5 day treatment up.
You can do another round if it was a bad strain to make sure it cleared up.

 

[Tolak]

Medicate for 10-14 days, 50% daily water change & remed daily. I know what the instructions say, and I also know what outfits that sell medications commercially say. I can talk, discuss & debate medical issues with them, and they agree with what I am telling you. Yea, I spend money on long distance calls to have extended discussions on medications, treatment plans, and so on.

Jungle anti-bacteria food has different ingredients than Maracyn & Maracyn II, it should be safe to feed them the medicated food while treating with the Mardel products.

 

[Yanks15]

Thanks to both of you. I know that you are both very informed on diagnosing and treating fish problems. Seeing as how I am a newbie, I am relying on folks like you to teach me about these things.

To me, I sounds like the more severe strain that Wilder explained to me was it so I will probably go with Tolak's prescription of at least 10 days of treatment. I have checked my water stats and the med isn't having an effect on them. As much as I don't want to over-medicate, I really don't want to under-medicate and have it come back. I do feel that the meds in the water are enough to fight it and I have read thet feeding them more nutritional food during times of medication can bolster their immunity.(hopefully good info) I plan on a wc before next med to stay current

Again, thanks to both of you. You are a great help to this forum.