5 replies to this topic

[Brett4Perth]

Several recent posts have discussed various broad spectrum antibiotic cocktails for the treatment of ill fish. I believe this practice should be generally discouraged except in "exceptional" circumstances. Most of these "shot-gun" approaches fail to follow the established procedure for treatment of ill animals (including humans) ie. Accurate diagnosis and targeted treatment.

Fish diagnosis is difficult and at times impossible, even with expensive laboratory diagnostics, so I understand the temptation to "just treat everything". However, this course of action makes several assumptions that I believe are false.
1) All bacteria are bad - false
2) Antibiotics are harmless to fish - false
3) If I can just get the right combo of drugs I can kill all causes of disease - false

At least an attempt to diagnose the problem should be made, and I am not just refering to "bacterial sepsis" or "fin rot", but some best guess at the bacteria that is most likely to responcible. Then the antibiotic/treatment can be chosen that has the highest chance of success. I appreciate that this is beyond the knowledge base of most hobbyists and this is why the use of antibiotics is restricted!!

This post is not designed to be critical, but attempting to stimulate some thought about the broader issues. There will be instances when the use of broad spectrum antibiotics is appropriate and may even be helpful.

Now I will get off my soap-box

PS Yogurt in any form does not kill bacteria, but that is another story.

[BengaBoy]

I totally agree.

which is why I said in my post about trying to source particular medications...

Quote:

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I am not just making up these cocktails. The reason I am trying to source these particular drugs is that very experienced people have used these combinations with success

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but I should have added "for the particular problem and particular fish species I am treating, and my non antibiotic method, which normally works in a couple of days, hasnt worked and the fish have been sick for over 3 weeks now"

Steve

Edited by: BengaBoy at: 3/29/03 6:42:18 pm

[Brett4Perth]

Hi Steve,
If you are still interested in information about these antibiotics I can provide some for you.
Just e-mail me at bbowden@bigpond.net.au
Another source would be "Martindale's" a pharmacology text that most chemist shops would have and might let you read through. This will only give you "human data" and fish tend to respond very differently, but it is a start.

[Thalassic Park]

Hi,
Brad Chadwick from the Ag dept in bently can help with diagnosis and treatment of relatively expensive fish. And its free.

[BengaBoy]

hi thanks for the contact
I have been in contact with Fran Stephens at Murdoch also.

one of the fish seems to have made a full recovery, has been eating well last few days, I still have him in a hospital.
the other fish has started to eat last night (after 4.5 weeks), so next few days should tell what sort of recovery she makes.

Steve

[Thalassic Park]

cool