success rate????
- Thread starter starr8
- Start date
it sucks doesn't it...all the meds and pet store employees lead you to believe that if you do this or that it will cure up anything that is wrong. I think the outcome is usually the same though.....you'd think someone would have come up with better resolutions for sick fish since it is such an ongoing pet hobby. I get attached to my fish when I've had them for a long time. They are just like other pets to me.
ich battle in process
i guess it really depends on your devotion to your fish and their health. It also depends on the fishes comfort and happiness level. my dalmation sailfin molly had fungus and a horibble case of ich and was on the verge of going belly up! :sick: but i found exaclty how to treat it and was persistint with the treatment and he looks 100x better now and is on the road to recovery! :dance:
i guess it really depends on your devotion to your fish and their health. It also depends on the fishes comfort and happiness level. my dalmation sailfin molly had fungus and a horibble case of ich and was on the verge of going belly up! :sick: but i found exaclty how to treat it and was persistint with the treatment and he looks 100x better now and is on the road to recovery! :dance:
Frank the Betta had a parasite and then a fungus. I treated him with melafix and anti-fungal and a little salt and he is very healthy and happy today.
He's the only fish I've needed to treat so far.
He's the only fish I've needed to treat so far.
Groundling
My betta, Groundling had popeye which in turn went fungal. I've treated him for 6 days now with Melafix and he looks SO much better! The fungus is gone and I had originally thought he might lose the eye, but even that is coming along nicely. I have a full stock of different meds, but I never use them anymore. Melafix and Pimafix is all I use, and I swear by them. Nice thing too is that you don't have to worry about medicating a community tank, because this stuff won't hurt the other fish.
Smiles, marli
Oh, and the only fish disease I haven't been able to cure is dropsy.
My betta, Groundling had popeye which in turn went fungal. I've treated him for 6 days now with Melafix and he looks SO much better! The fungus is gone and I had originally thought he might lose the eye, but even that is coming along nicely. I have a full stock of different meds, but I never use them anymore. Melafix and Pimafix is all I use, and I swear by them. Nice thing too is that you don't have to worry about medicating a community tank, because this stuff won't hurt the other fish.
Smiles, marli
Oh, and the only fish disease I haven't been able to cure is dropsy.
The reason for the low success rate of treating fish with diseases is due to two important factors.
First, it is due to difficulty in identify the diseases.
Second, due to lack of specific medication. Almost all medications sold are generic medcine design to treat diseases caused by parasites, fungus, virus and etc. If you were to compare this with mdecine sold for humans, you will understand. Each disease must be treated sperately. Infish, identifying this disease is the hardest thing. It is not enough to simply say that "my fish have fungus" infection. There are various diseases caused by fungus and they are all different and have to treated specifically for that pathogne that cuased that disease.
Rohn
First, it is due to difficulty in identify the diseases.
Second, due to lack of specific medication. Almost all medications sold are generic medcine design to treat diseases caused by parasites, fungus, virus and etc. If you were to compare this with mdecine sold for humans, you will understand. Each disease must be treated sperately. Infish, identifying this disease is the hardest thing. It is not enough to simply say that "my fish have fungus" infection. There are various diseases caused by fungus and they are all different and have to treated specifically for that pathogne that cuased that disease.
Rohn
Basically I agree w/rohnds. We are not parasitologists, diagnosticians, and fish vets.
That said, my cure rate for Ich is very near 100%. That does not bother me at all.
My cure rate for parasitic roundworms in wild-caught puffers was quite good, maybe 2 of three. But the primary med I used is no longer available.
Other than that, I rarely attempt to treat other infections. If I see a suspicious fish I do not buy it. If it develops a problem in QT I return it or sacrifice it. I've learned the hard way.
That said, my cure rate for Ich is very near 100%. That does not bother me at all.
My cure rate for parasitic roundworms in wild-caught puffers was quite good, maybe 2 of three. But the primary med I used is no longer available.
Other than that, I rarely attempt to treat other infections. If I see a suspicious fish I do not buy it. If it develops a problem in QT I return it or sacrifice it. I've learned the hard way.
90-95% on all dieases, parasitic infections etc here. Key is in identifying the problem properly, get a GOOD book on the subject first of all. Then do not get caught up in thinking that you can only use meds marketed for fish to cure things. There are plenty of resources out there that will tell you how to safely treat a problem with another type of "med". For example, one of the most effective internal parasite treatments is as follows, 1g Panacur (horse dewormer) ground into powder and mixed into 1lb of beefheart or shrimp. Feed for 5 days or untill the fish stop eating which ever comes first. Then 1g Metro mixed into 1lb of food fed for one week. Wait two weeks, then another round of Panacur for 3 days. Water temp should be elevated up to the upper limits of the fish being treated as well, for discus I elevate the water temp up to 92 during the panacur treatment.
For most bacterial problems 1 cup of salt per 20gal of water, along with Maracyn or Maracyn II will take care of it.
Ich, same salt dosages, Raise water temp, and add quick cure at the dosage they reccomend.
First and foremost though, water quality is almost always the reason why fish get sick, weekly water changes should be considered a minimum. At the first sign of discomfort in a fish, do a water change. Sometimes you can nip things right in the butt then and there and avoid having to treat the tank.
For most bacterial problems 1 cup of salt per 20gal of water, along with Maracyn or Maracyn II will take care of it.
Ich, same salt dosages, Raise water temp, and add quick cure at the dosage they reccomend.
First and foremost though, water quality is almost always the reason why fish get sick, weekly water changes should be considered a minimum. At the first sign of discomfort in a fish, do a water change. Sometimes you can nip things right in the butt then and there and avoid having to treat the tank.
hmmm.. kinda hard determining success rates of meds
it depends on a lot of factors i guess..
ive had sick fish die even if treated, and ive had sick fish recover even without medication.. kinda weird huh?
maybe prevention is still better than treatment.. i dont know
it depends on a lot of factors i guess..
ive had sick fish die even if treated, and ive had sick fish recover even without medication.. kinda weird huh?
maybe prevention is still better than treatment.. i dont know