Aquarium Medication Precautions

When prevention strategies have failed, there is a wide range of pharmaceuticals available to treat fish disease. A visit to our aquarium cure page will reveal an array of therapeutic treatments which may consist of liquids, dissolving blocks, powders or tablets.

Choose the product most specific to your particular problem. It is not recommended that medications are purchased in anticipation of potential sickness. Buying them when needed will allow you to select the most appropriate treatment possible.

Make a list of symptoms and compare them to the various descriptions of fish diseases. Most problems have specific physical changes which are crucial in diagnosis. Prolonged exposure to some aquarium pharmaceuticals can cause infertility. Therefore a broad spectrum product should usually be the last resort, used only when you cannot diagnose the illness. 

All products have a specific shelf life which is another reason to purchase them as required. The containers are best stored in a cool dark place with the cap tightly secured. This will preserve the integrity of the ingredients.

When handling the medications be aware that many are potentially hazardous chemicals. Some have links to cancer making the risk more serious than it may first appear. Never allow the undiluted aquarium pharmaceuticals to touch your skin. Wash thoroughly if an accident occurs. Once administered it is best practice not to expose yourself to the aquarium water. Read the directions thoroughly for any further personal safety advice.

Some medications are also strong dyes. Malachite green and methylene blue are some examples. They will stain your skin or even the rocks, gravel and plastics in the aquarium in some instances. Quite often this discoloration is permanent so it makes a bare hospital tank all the more practical.

Before treatments are administered partial water changes are also recommended. Make sure the water has had time to react with any chlorine neutraliser used. If any neutraliser remains when the medication is added it can reduce the potency of the treatment.

Activated or non activated filter carbon can also remove the medicinal ingredients. These products should be removed from the aquarium before treatment commences. These charcoals can also be used to your advantage once treatment has ceased and the chemicals need to be removed.

Many medications are designed to treat pathogenic bacteria. It may be no surprise that they will kill the beneficial aquarium microorganisms also. Aquarium filters will lose the ability to process ammonia into the less harmful nitrogen compounds. More frequent water changes should be scheduled during treatment to reduce the reduced filter capacity. Extra diligence should also be taken in removing uneaten food and excreted waste from the aquarium substrate. All of these actions can stop your weakened fish succumbing to ammonia poisoning before the illness has been cured.

Treatments can also result in less dissolved oxygen for your fish to absorb. To counteract this you may need to use an air stone to agitate the water surface. This will help ensure the water can experience effective gas exchange with the atmosphere.

Remember to consider your other aquarium inhabitants when using medications. Crustaceans such an shrimp and crayfish or mollusks such as snails or mussels can only withstand a fraction of the dosage that a fish will tolerate.

And finally, be sure to administer the correct dosage. Use a volume calculator to determine the amount of water to be treated and administer the recommended amount of aquarium pharmaceutical using an accurate measuring device.

Disease Prevention | Sanitising An Aquarium | Medicated Fish Baths
White Spot Disease | Velvet Disease | Dropsy
Chemical Poisoning | Fish Health