Stocking your fish emergency medicine cabinet...

[PheonixKingZ]

So one makes drugs and the other sells them

Pretty much....

 

[FishGuest5123]

My son's partner is a pharmacist, my son is a chemist. That confuses a lot of people



(She has a degree in pharmacy, he has a doctorate in chemistry)

Yes, my daughter is a Licensed Pharmacist. My neighbor is a Chemist for Shell Oil Company.

 

[Back in the fold]

You Englishmen really tickle my funnybone. I watch just scads of Brit-coms and various other shows. Watching Doc Martin it took me a long time to figure out Mrs. Tishell. They kept calling her a chemist. Finally figured out she was a pharmacist. So "hey up" you blokes let's all turn off the computers and go watch Benny Hill on the telly. And don't even get me going on Compo Simmonite. Funny stuff. Oh! We were talking about fish meds. That's quite a topic. I think Colin nailed it. Wot?

 

[Fishmanic]

You Englishmen really tickle my funnybone. I watch just scads of Brit-coms and various other shows. Watching Doc Martin it took me a long time to figure out Mrs. Tishell. They kept calling her a chemist. Finally figured out she was a pharmacist. So "hey up" you blokes let's all turn off the computers and go watch Benny Hill on the telly. And don't even get me going on Compo Simmonite. Funny stuff. Oh! We were talking about fish meds. That's quite a topic. I think Colin nailed it. Wot?

Is that your Ram in the avatar photo or is it an online photo

 

[Back in the fold]

That's an online photo. My Rams were never that colorful or that well grown. They spawned several times and raised their young. When they do that I always figure things are really good but mine were kind of anemic and washed out for color. Do you think somebody doctored up that pic ?

 

[Fishmanic]

Colin: what do you recommend as preventative treatment for new fish besides quarantining them? Also how long should you quarantine new fish?

 

[Colin_T]

Minimum 2 weeks in quarantine, 4 weeks is better. If the fish get sick, the 4 weeks starts after they have been successfully treated.

The only thing to use on healthy fish in quarantine is a deworming medication to treat intestinal worms and gill flukes. Praziquantel and Levamisole, or Flubendazole will do this.

If you have livebearers in quarantine, you can add a heap of salt too, and it should get rid of any external protozoans.

 

[The Lumpfish Guy]

Unless I have missed it being mentioned before, but just be careful of the shelf lives of some of these treatments you might not regularly use.

 

[Essjay]

Also any medication - or test kit - that has been opened should be discarded 12 months after opening even if the expiry date is longer.

 

[lyn Pisces]

I presently have Levamisole, Praziquantel, Mardel Quick Cure (malachite green), Aquarium Salt, and API Fungus Cure. Would you recommend any additions to my fish emergency medicine cabinet? My tanks are all cycled for years and fish are presently healthy.

This could be a good topic to discuss properly stocking your fish emergencies medicine cabinet for sudden issues that arise that require immediate treatment.

Perhaps someone can make a list of all recommended meds and the problems that each can address so we have it all in one topic.

Unfortunately I also keep clove oil for humanely euthanizing fish. For humanely euthanizing fish, clove oil should be mixed with a little warm de-chlorinated water first before adding it to the container and water with the fish that needs to be euthanized.

 

[Brinn2397]

Not an emergency medicine but an emergency supply, I have a battery operated air stone, in case of a power outage this gives your aquarium circulation and oxygen!

 

[FishGuest5123]

Not an emergency medicine but an emergency supply, I have a battery operated air stone, in case of a power outage this gives your aquarium circulation and oxygen!

Oh yes, good point! I have a couple too. Need to get more.

 

[The Lumpfish Guy]

Unfortunately I also keep clove oil for humanely euthanizing fish. For humanely euthanizing fish, clove oil should be mixed with a little warm de-chlorinated water first before adding it to the container and water with the fish that needs to be euthanized.

Actually if clove oil is to be used it should be mixed with ethanol first before being mixed with water. Clove oil is hydrophobic so will not readily mix with water unless dissolved in a solvent first. warm water will help, but not as effective as ethanol.
you need to mix 1ml of clove oil with 9ml of ethanol then mix that solution with water

Below are links to the canadian government guidelines and penn state university animal guidelines explaining how to properly use clove oil.

https://www.ccac.ca/Documents/Standards/Guidelines/Add_PDFs/Fish_Anesthetics.pdf

https://www.research.psu.edu/arp/anesthesia/fish-anesthesia.html

 

[FishGuest5123]

Actually if clove oil is to be used it should be mixed with ethanol first before being mixed with water. Clove oil is hydrophobic so will not readily mix with water unless dissolved in a solvent first. warm water will help, but not as effective as ethanol.
you need to mix 1ml of clove oil with 9ml of ethanol then mix that solution with water

Below are links to the canadian government guidelines and penn state university animal guidelines explaining how to properly use clove oil.

https://www.ccac.ca/Documents/Standards/Guidelines/Add_PDFs/Fish_Anesthetics.pdf

https://www.research.psu.edu/arp/anesthesia/fish-anesthesia.html[/. Unless I read wrong, these articles are referring to anesthesia and not euthanasia. Am I correct?

 

[The Lumpfish Guy]

Yes they are referring to that, but the method for creating a stock solution is the same. And all you are doing is overdosing the fish in anaesthetic .

You still need to create the 1:10 mix (1ml clove oil to 9 ml ethanol) to then dilute down again into water, it is the volume of stock (1:10) solution diluted in water which creates the final does for euthanasia or anaesthesia. Clove oil is still Hydrophobic and to be effectively dissolved in water needs to be dissolved in a solvent first.

This is one of the main reasons why it is not approved for use in the UK science world, nor is Benzocane which is also hydrophobic. They don't readily dissolve in water, their anaesthetic effects are highly variable and between and within species and because of the dilution, efficacy can vary within a created batch.

Regardless of whether you are talking euthanasia or anaesthesia, the method for creating the final solution is the same. As I am sure we can all agree this is a serious topic where we don't want the animals to suffer, thus doing this properly and understanding why is essential.

Don't get me wrong, you can euthanize by just adding clove oil into water, but you run the risk of oil adhering to the gills and suffocating without any anaesthetic effects, it not being totally effective, or taking too long and stressing the fish.
For euthanasia fish need to be in an immobile state within 10-30 seconds to reduce suffering and stress. to do this you need to be as effective as possible, thus using the correct method is important.