More importantly, monitor the ammonia and nitrites. Nitrates actually aren't nearly as deadly as those other toxic by-products. Your fish could tolerate nitrates above 20, even up to 40 to 80, short-term.
More dangerous is a reading of .25 of ammonia and/or nitrites, especially when already sick and in a weakened state.
If you can find Prime by Seachem, a water conditioner, it would be very helpful during this process and beyond, really. Most of the fish gurus here on AC use Prime to remove chlorine and chloramine, but also to help in emergencies by detoxifying ammonia, nitrites, and according to Seachem even the nitrates. Prime is a life saver. It's cheaper than most dechlorinators, as well.
I tried to find more information on Interpet Anti Bactierial #9 regarding water changes. I believe if you do find .25 of ammonia and/or nitrites you need to do a water change. Do the second dose as directed on day four, just after another big water change, perhaps as much as 80%.
What they mean by "dosing is complete" is that the dosing is complete once you have seen that the fish has recovered and you do not need to do further treatment with the meds.
From what you have stated from the directions; you dose the tank with the proper amount for the volume, wait and do a second dose on the fourth day. Then, if the fish hasn't fully recovered at this point, you may start the treatment again on the seventh day after you administered the second dose. So again, you would dose the tank, wait for day four and dose again.
I think that the company assumes that if the fish has gone through two complete series of treatment then the medication is not helping in this particular case.
I have called the customer help phone number on the bottle of products that I've used in the past and have found them usually to be knowledgeable, or, if the number is not on the bottle, you can usually find their customer help number on the company web site. You could ask about the water change policy.
If Tommy does not respond, or doesn't seem to be improving by the second series of dosing, then something else is needed.
You mentioned you have a vet that you may talk to about Tommy. If he's not responding I would go ahead and talk to the vet. He may be able to prescribe an antibiotic that is more powerful than the Interpet.
Of course, cost can be a consideration. I have a Brochis splendens that I've had for a year and a half that cost me $4.99 to purchase, but I've spent around $100 in meds and supplies to treat him for first septicemia, then ich, then septicemia again.
He's recovering, but geeze what a lot of money and work for an such an inexpensive little fish!!! My hubby scratches his head over it.:headshake2:
It's what people do for a pet; not rare in the case of dogs or cats, but maybe not so often for a fish, lol, and it's also sort of an "in for a penny, in for a pound" kind of thing.
More dangerous is a reading of .25 of ammonia and/or nitrites, especially when already sick and in a weakened state.
If you can find Prime by Seachem, a water conditioner, it would be very helpful during this process and beyond, really. Most of the fish gurus here on AC use Prime to remove chlorine and chloramine, but also to help in emergencies by detoxifying ammonia, nitrites, and according to Seachem even the nitrates. Prime is a life saver. It's cheaper than most dechlorinators, as well.
I tried to find more information on Interpet Anti Bactierial #9 regarding water changes. I believe if you do find .25 of ammonia and/or nitrites you need to do a water change. Do the second dose as directed on day four, just after another big water change, perhaps as much as 80%.
What they mean by "dosing is complete" is that the dosing is complete once you have seen that the fish has recovered and you do not need to do further treatment with the meds.
From what you have stated from the directions; you dose the tank with the proper amount for the volume, wait and do a second dose on the fourth day. Then, if the fish hasn't fully recovered at this point, you may start the treatment again on the seventh day after you administered the second dose. So again, you would dose the tank, wait for day four and dose again.
I think that the company assumes that if the fish has gone through two complete series of treatment then the medication is not helping in this particular case.
I have called the customer help phone number on the bottle of products that I've used in the past and have found them usually to be knowledgeable, or, if the number is not on the bottle, you can usually find their customer help number on the company web site. You could ask about the water change policy.
If Tommy does not respond, or doesn't seem to be improving by the second series of dosing, then something else is needed.
You mentioned you have a vet that you may talk to about Tommy. If he's not responding I would go ahead and talk to the vet. He may be able to prescribe an antibiotic that is more powerful than the Interpet.
Of course, cost can be a consideration. I have a Brochis splendens that I've had for a year and a half that cost me $4.99 to purchase, but I've spent around $100 in meds and supplies to treat him for first septicemia, then ich, then septicemia again.
He's recovering, but geeze what a lot of money and work for an such an inexpensive little fish!!! My hubby scratches his head over it.:headshake2:
It's what people do for a pet; not rare in the case of dogs or cats, but maybe not so often for a fish, lol, and it's also sort of an "in for a penny, in for a pound" kind of thing.
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