Which meds to use?

[caroltan]

Hi - I have used Paraguard, Kanaplex and Sulfathiazole for my ciclids who are not well. The situation started from water contamination from a dead fish, which got embedded in the plants where we found out later. Ever since then, despite of constant change of water, our cichlids have been getting some kind of fungus. Attached are the pics. They are now being treated in a 10 gallon hospital tank. I hope I am using the right meds. Can you please advice? The one with the fungus on the head is not eating at all. That;s why I am using Kanaplex.

[Tech Support HK]

Thank you for your post caroltan. I am sorry to hear about your loss and that your cichlids are not doing well.

ParaGuard, KanaPlex, and Sulfathiazole are all excellent for treating fungal and bacterial infections. However, if all are used at the same time, this can create a stressful situation for any fish. Since the fish are already stressed due to infection, adding all three medications will increase stress further and potentially prolong treatment. The infected fish will respond much better to treatment if one medication is selected.

I would use KanaPlex by itself. KanaPlex works best when it is added to the water instead of using it within a food mix, since the medication is easily absorbed by the fish.

Does the hospital tank have a filter running? Be sure to remove any chemical filtration, such as carbon, during the medication process. Any chemical filtration does have the potential to remove the medication. I would also monitor ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate levels. If these begin to increase, or are already elevated, then I do suggest performing a water change during the treatment process. Since KanaPlex dissipates from the system within 3 days, you can perform a water change 3 days after the last dose without worry of removing any effective medication.

Please let us know if we can help further.

[caroltan]

Hi Thanks so much for the quick reply & recommendation. Will kanaplex alone be sufficient? The infection looks pretty bad. I have tried Paraguard by itself for more than a week, but no changes. That's why I added the others.

Yes, I am using a filter without carbon in the tank.

Again thanks for the reply. It is very much appreciated.

[Tech Support EH]

Kanaplex alone should be sufficient; should you need to do another full round of the medication, then you can do this, but it is best to avoid mixing medications whenever possible.

Best of luck to you, and let us know if you need further assistance.