Methylene blue

[NinjaPenguin]

I've read in a number of places that a small amount of methylene blue in the fry tank helps stop the growth of fungus and other nasties. I've been shopping around for the last couple of weeks and can't find a local supplier other than my local hospital that stocks it. Can anyone suggest an alternative?

The local hospital wants nearly $300 for a litre of it and won't sell to public or in amounts less than 1 litre...

 

[soccerkidbs]

go to your local school bio lab or chem lab and ask for some... we have used it in my bio lab many times

 

[quadpants]

There are a few Ebay stores that have it on the cheap (compared to $300)

But after posting I just realized you are in South Africa so ... no clue

 

[Squawkbert]

Some of the old-fashioned ich cures are just solutions of either methylene blue or malachite green. They're both effective, they both stain permanently.

 

[Nolapete]

You don't need methylene blue. Use pimafix and melafix. Methylene blue was the only antifungal/antibacterial agent available for a long time, but now there's tons of products that do the same thing and don't dye your aquarium silicone blue. Some people like that it will cut the amount of light down in fry tanks, but other than that there's no reason to use it.

Here's an interesting article about using hydrogen peroxide instead http://www.crangels.com/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1140491115/8

Drsfosterandsmith.com has methylene blue here's the link
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=4822&Ntt=methylene%20blue&Ntk=All&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial&Np=1&pc=1&N=0&Nty=1

 

[NinjaPenguin]

I am trying the peroxide for now since I am unable to find pimafix or melafix locally. I've also just realised that the tetra-medica general tonic I use contains methylen blue so if the peroxide doesn't do the trick I'm sure the general tonic will!

Thanks for the tips - much appreciated!

soccerkidbs: go to your local school bio lab or chem lab and ask for some... we have used it in my bio lab many times

I live in a third world country - the kids are not trusted with anything chemical in schools! lol

 

[EahInMass]

Do you use this even after the eggs have hatched? I have Malchite Green, but wasn't sure if I was supposed to use it just when there are eggs still in the tank, or with the fry as well. Any suggestions?

 

[NinjaPenguin]

EahInMass - I tried a half dose of tetra-medica general tonic (malachite green?) in my fry tank with some 12 day old gourami fry - 24 hours later all the fungus taking over on one side of the tank is shrivelled up and dead and the fry are zooming around at high speed!

The batch of eggs spawned yesterday are starting to hatch and the water in my hatching tank is crystal clear thanks to a couple of drops of 40% peroxide - no white/dead eggs visible yet! )

 

[Squawkbert]

I am trying the peroxide for now since I am unable to find pimafix or melafix locally.

I was about to suggest Wal-Mart, but I guess they have not taken over in South Africa (yet).