| Are Antibiotics Helpful for Fish Diseases? |
| Written by Quinn Baker |
| Wednesday, 02 December 2009 09:12 |
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Anyone who has kept fish for a long period of time has at one point or another had to deal with the unfortunate reality of various types of fish diseases. Even the most well balanced and clean aquariums can run into problems. There are many products available that are made to treat or control various diseases - some of which work better than others. In this article I would like to briefly discuss the role of antibiotics to treat diseases in ornamental fish.
Anyone who has kept fish for a long period of time has at one point or another had to deal with the unfortunate reality of various types of fish diseases. Even the most well balanced and clean aquariums can run into problems. There are many products available that are made to treat or control various diseases - some of which work better than others. In this article I would like to briefly discuss the role of antibiotics to treat diseases in ornamental fish. Always remember that antibiotics are strong medications which should only be used after other types of treatment modalities have proved ineffective. Also it is important to point out that antibiotics only treat bacterial infections and are not beneficial for viral infections. It is a good idea to seek professional guidance when using these medications and be sure to use them in a hospital tank if you can so you don't harm any good bacteria in your main tank. Remove any carbon filtration so the medicine won't be filtered out. Now on with the list. 1) Penicillins: The most common medications in this class include penicillin, amoxicillin, and ampicillin. The penicillins are broad spectrum antibiotics which are effective against gram-positive and some gram-negative bacteria. They can be effective against a number of pathogenic bacteria associated with marine and freshwater ornamental fish diseases including Infected eyes, Fin and Tail Rot, Skin ulcerations, Pop-eye, Columnaris disease, Gill disease and White Body Slime. 2) Tetracyclines: The most commonly used medications in this class include tetracycline, doxycycline and minocycline. The tetracyclines are broad spectrum antibiotics that are most effective against gram-negative bacteria. They can be useful for Fin and Tail Rot, Pop-eye, Gill disease, General Listlessness, Anorexia or other Unusual Behavior and Internal infections. 3) Macrolides: Commonly used to treat Swollen eyes, Clamped fins, Patchy coloration and Heavy or Rapid breathing. This class of antibiotics are similar to the penicillins in spectrum but have a broader range. The most frequently used medication in this class in erythromycin. 4) Quinolones: This class of medication is quite potent and can be effective where others fail because it stops bacterial replication and DNA repair. Ciprofloxacin is the most popular and can be used to fight Vibrios, Furunculosis, Flexibacteria, Aeromonas and Columnaris infection. This concludes my discussion of some of the popular antibiotics used in the treatment of ornamental fish diseases. I hope you have found it to be useful. As always, before starting any medication, check with a fish specialist who can recommend the best treatment. About the Author: Find top quality USP fish antibiotics. Stop by our site where you can find out all about our fish medications. We guarantee your satisfaction! |