I find myself mostly in agreement with what Kenny has to say.
Human antibiotics, like tetracycline and erythromycin have no useful place in the aquarium. Adequate dosage is often lethal and underdosing creates strains of bacteria that may not even bother the fish but may do great damage to humans, particularly little babies with underdeveloped immune systems. They are prescription-only in Britain, I think. Soon that may be true here in the US.
When I caught Fish TB, Mycobacterium marinum, we were down to only 3 known antibiotics that were still effective, and there were known resistant strains to all 3! Others had been used too long to undertreat it and the choices were really poor. I had to take 2 pills a day that cost US$6 each for well over 6 months to get my "Fishkeeper's Finger" and the lymph nodes in my right arm back to normal.
Myco is an oddball in that its waxy coating resists almost all known surface-attacking agents. Even bleach doesn't kill it! Only solvents like acetone and alcohol are effective in disinfecting the tanks and objects exposed to it.
I'm now of the opinion that the fish are not worth the hazard, 90% of the time. If they are worth it, dosing in food or by injection is mandatory, usually. Solution of it in their water just doesn't get enough in to do the job properly.
External bacteria, like Columnaris can be treated with antibacterials, like analine or other dyes and salt, without much danger of creating resistant strains. BTW, many folks mistake this for "Mouth Fungus" and it is not.
I have never encountered a real fungus as a primary fish disease. Any necrotic tissue, such as around a bacterial sore, parasite bite or other mechanical wound, will allow fungus to grow. It is not initially attacking living flesh and just doing its proper clean-up job on the rot. Eventually it will invade healthy tissue and help kill, but the primary cause must be found and treated for any useful cure. A little salt and/or methlene blue will get rid of the fungal growth. The fish still almost always die from the primary infection, by then.
BTW. Fungus never ever attacks living eggs. Infertile or bacteria-killed eggs turn white because the yolk turns white. Only later do the fungus strands start to show as the water clean-up process gets rolling. Fungus does not spread to healthy eggs, ever. The world is full of myths in this area.
These myths come mostly from those without any skill with a microscope. They are doomed to remain clueless, I fear.
My favorite antibacterial agent is peat water, soft enough that the pH is down in the 5-6.5 region. This is a most inhospitable environment for the vast bulk of common fish-pathogen bacteria, but tolerated by most fish. Coupled with good aeration, or even addition of chemical oxygenators, a good environment for fish and bad one for bacteria lets their immune systems defeat the invader. Oak leaves seem to help add antibacterial humins to the stained water. Your tropical almond leaves probably do the same. I wonder about malaleuka (sp?) tree extracts?
Use really soft water only if you have zero nitrites, as adding salt can be lethal if the other blood electrolytes (Ca++, Mg++, K+) are missing in the water. [Normally, salt can provide sodium to prevent the suffocating effect of nitrites on the blood (Brown Blood disease).]
Also be careful to gradually acclimate sensitive fish. Some can be dunked right in, but most want an adjustment period of an hour ot two. Adding stress to sick fish seems unwise, to me. Always dip net the fish from the drip-acclimation water to avoid transferring extra bacteria with the old tank water.
That's my US$0.020514 ($0.02, adjusted for inflation).
Wright
01 760 872-3995
805 Valley West Circle
Bishop, CA 93514 USA
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