Blue green algae bloom!!

[planted86]

hi, anyone here use the antibiotic erythromycin to cure the blue green algae before??

will it have any effect on fishes and plants or my filtration system???

will it kill the nitrifying bacteria along with blue green algae??

i've got discus, cardinal tetra, rummy nose, SAE, oto, White Cloud Mountain Minnow, threadfin rainbowfish..

[wasabi8888]

hi, anyone here use the antibiotic erythromycin to cure the blue green algae before??

will it have any effect on fishes and plants or my filtration system???

will it kill the nitrifying bacteria along with blue green algae??

i've got discus, cardinal tetra, rummy nose, SAE, oto, White Cloud Mountain Minnow, threadfin rainbowfish..

Hi

I have done the antibiotic way together with a black out. so far it has been about 4 days and it looks ok...but it is still too early to say....

I sucked out the BGA and did a black out after that.. at the same time, I dropped 3/4 of a 250mg antibiotic into the tank. I kept the tank covered for 4 days without adding anymore antibiotic...

I took out my apistogrammas but left the otos inside.. after i removed the trash bags, the otos were still ok.

[planted86]

ohh ok... may i know where did you get the anti biotic from?? can i get it from any guardian pharmacy??

[Johnc]

If you do a blackout, you would not need antibiotics. If you use Erythromycin, you do not need blackout. But make sure, you completely eradicate the BGA, or you *may* end up with Erythromycin resistant super-BGA. I say 'may' because i am not sure if this has ever happened or if there is such a thing. But its the theory... It is for the same reason, we must always complete a course of antibiotics.

/John

[wasabi8888]

The antibiotics needs to be prescribed by a doctor.....

And john is not entirely wrong.. if your BGA is not too serious, go with a black out first.... it's hassle free..

[planted86]

thanks...

will try both methods... thanks for the help... will update the results...

cheers..

[barmby]

Keep up your CO2, remember.

[medicineman]

I use erythromycin caplets, cut them in two and insert them shallow into the substrate nearby infected areas. Works well, slowly within two weeks.

Sure it is macrolide antibiotic with spectrum activity that may kill some of your beneficial bacteria as well. Getting one in the right form (use something like tablet or capusle) and using them like I did (slow release, better still as near as possible to the target) may maximise the effect and minimise unwanted result.

[vratenza]

I just survived a serious outbreak of BGA...... my planted discus tank nearly got ruined......... i went the way of erythromycin with 90% water change on 3rd day with increased filtration....... it is satisfying to see the BGA lose their vitality and slowly grey out before being cleared by my suckers.
now my tank is slowly regaining it's former glory...