Good Medications to Keep on Hand
No matter how much effort you put into keeping your saltwater aquarium clean, your fish are likely to be exposed to disease at one time or another. Though you cannot prevent your fish from being exposed to disease, you do have control over how you respond to the situation. Will you sit back and wait for the disease to progress beyond the point of treatment or will you act quickly to begin the proper treatment regimen so your fish stand the greatest chance of recovery? If you want your fish to have the greatest chance of recovering from a disease, you should begin treatment at the first sign of symptoms. In order for this to be possible, you should think about having a few basic medications on hand so that you will have them if you happen to need them.
Common Medications for Fish Diseases
Methylene Blue = This product is an anti-fungal and anti-bacterial agent which can be used to treat many common saltwater aquarium fish diseases including ulcers, mouth fungus and fin or tail rot. Methylene Blue can be used to create a bath by adding one teaspoon of the medication per 5 gallons of water in the hospital tank. Depending on the size of the fish you are treating, you may only need one gallon of water so be sure to adjust the dosage accordingly. When treating your fish using Methylene Blue it is important that you keep the water warm and that you do not overdose the fish – keep the fish on the bath for about 30 minutes and repeat the treatment up to twice a day for as long as needed.
Pimafix = This product is a mild herbal gram negative treatment that serves both as an anti-bacterial and an anti-fungal agent. Pimafix is most effective in the early stages of a disease and it is safe for use on delicate or sensitive fishes. This product treats fungal infections quickly and naturally so you do not have to worry about putting your fish under any additional stress.
Cupramine = This product is a buffered, active copper that is generally deemed safer than copper sulfate and it is highly effective for the treatment of external parasite infections such as Marine Ich. Cupramine is safe for both freshwater and saltwater fish and it is fully ionic and effective at low concentrations.
Stress Reducer/Dechlorinator = Not only should you keep a combination stress reducer/dechlorinator on hand for when you perform routine water changes, but you may also find it helpful in relieving the stress of your fish while they are suffering from or recovering from a disease. These products help to restore the natural slime coating of fish which can help to protect them against abrasions while also helping to reduce their stress in general.
Marine Salt = If you have a saltwater tank, you should already have plenty of marine salt on hand. What you may not realize, however, is that marine salt can be used in the treatment of a number of saltwater fish diseases. Marine salt is particularly effective in treating bacterial and parasite infections to it is a good idea to have an extra supply of it on hand in case you should need it.
Vitamins = In addition to having some of these common medications on hand for the treatment of saltwater aquarium fish disease, you might also want to think about stocking up on vitamins. In addition to improving the overall health of your fish, vitamin supplements can also help promote fin regeneration after an infection and they can help to prevent the development of lateral line disease.
Performing routine water changes and basic tank maintenance tasks is incredibly important in keeping your saltwater aquarium fish healthy. If you do these things, you should have no trouble keeping your tank clean and a clean environment is a healthy environment for aquarium fish. There may come a time when, despite your best efforts, your fish fall ill and when it happens you will be glad that you stocked up on these basic medications.