# Which med is safe for planted tank



## TheFisherOfCichlids1 (Feb 19, 2013)

So I have a Rainbowfish that has what looks like a bacterial infection all over its body so I took it out and put it in my quarentine tank which is a 10g planted. So I have four different medications and I don't know what's safe for plants and snails and effective, the choices are furan 2, rid-ick plus, kanaplex or pimafix what do you guys think? 
Thanks everyone for the help


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## Josiah (Apr 16, 2013)

I have had good luck with Marcryn Plus for bacteria. Metronidazole is also a good.
PKanaPlex is your only bacteria treatment and I wouldn't use it personally.


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## Ras (Nov 7, 2013)

if its just ich google the heat method


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## TheFisherOfCichlids1 (Feb 19, 2013)

I forgot to add I have metro that I can use and I read the things and they all said would work on bacteria which was surprising. I know its not ick I just thought the ick stuff would work its some kind of white blotchy patches either bacteria or parasites because it swims aimlessly in circles


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## DarkCobra (Jun 22, 2004)

Furan 2 is two ingredients, one of which is nitrofurazone. When I purchased nitrofurazone separately, it came with a warning not to use it in planted tanks, but didn't explain _why_. I searched the web and found evidence that it may be a photosynthesis inhibitor, but a mild one at typical dosages. And a single report that it melted vals. I went ahead and used it. So far I have exposed nearly two dozen plant species without issue, but none of those were vals.

The rest of the medications and ingredients are plant safe as far as I know. Including Metronidazole in your latest post.

However, I'd suggest never relying on Pimafix (or Melafix) alone as a curative. I have never had them successfully cure _anything_ by themself. Some people consider them a mild soothing agent at best. But I typically saw an increase in fish flashing/rubbing after use, suggesting they were actually an irritant. Which is worse than useless, and they're the only medications I've ever thrown in the trash. Good clean water is the best healing aid.

If you want to try a single medication first, and you're fairly certain this is bacterial, I'd consider Kanaplex (Kanamycin) the best bet.

Or if fungal, Rid-Ick Plus works pretty well against that. Plus some (but not all) parasites. Note that some say it causes issues with scaleless fish, although I personally haven't had any.

But it can sometimes be difficult to distinguish between bacterial/fungal. And if the fish is declining too fast to take guesses, I have dosed the equivalent of Rid-Ick Plus, Kanaplex, and Metronidazole, _all at the same time_. Which is an amazingly effective cocktail against unknown infections. Although I try not to do that unless truly necessary. Not because I've directly observed any negative side effects, but more on principle. Perhaps it's causing side effects I simply can't see. And if I treat for everything at once, then see the same infection again later, I'm no wiser as to the nature of the infection; so I'd be forced to rely on cocktails again.

Of course opinions on which medications are the best are incredibly varied, these are just mine. Hope they help nonetheless.


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## roadmaster (Nov 5, 2009)

Is times like these that bare bottom quarantine/hospital tank's make more sense than planted ones No?
Is why I never leave my quarantine tank running, for I know me ,,at some point I would be tempted to add life to the tank.(have done so).
I now add a sponge filter to my main tank a week or two ahead of getting new fish so that when fish arrive,,I can simply move the sponge filter to the quarantine tank.add a spare heater,and observe the fishes for a few week's.
If I need to medicate, and meds might destroy bacterial colony present on sponge,,then daily water changes become the order of the day.
This is not too tough in smaller quarantine tank's.
When quarantine is done,,I empty the tank ,clean the sponge filter and everything is ready for next time.
Imagine the difficulty with quarantine if other fishes ,plant's are present.(med's)
Quarantine can be rubbermaid tub ,but would suggest smaller is better and perhap's clear tub rather than dark sides,or clearer anyway.
My two cent's


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## DarkCobra (Jun 22, 2004)

That's an interesting topic, Roadmaster.

I do the opposite, and keep my quarantine tank running 100% of the time. It's set up just like any other tank, with good substrate, ferts, heavily planted, and is a joy to look at. Fish are also kept in it at all times.

Some medications may kill the biofilter, but no worries, as the plants in my QT are fully capable of eliminating ammonia on their own. So far no treatment I've used has harmed the plants. Even copper when I had to resort to it once, with carefully controlled dosing. I don't use extremes of salt or temperature though.

Disease, and possibly the treatments, are stressful to fish. I think quarantining in a comfortable environment helps reduce psychological stress. Having a long-established and complex biosystem might help out in other, more direct ways too. Perhaps this is why I don't see the side effects others do, like those of ick medication on scaleless fish.

Of course, if I ever get a long-lasting pathogen in there which I don't successfully eliminate with medication, then I'm in trouble. So that's a downside. But this hasn't happened yet. I'm persistent (or stubborn), if I fail to diagnose and cure new fish, I'll actually go get more sick fish, and keep trying until I succeed.


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## roadmaster (Nov 5, 2009)

Yes,I have done it both way's, but on more than one occasion,I have introduced pathogen's to otherwise healthy fishes,shrimp's, in what was supposed to be quarantine,and ended up treating all.
I do add some floating watersprite for I have plenty,but seldom anything else in the tank .


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## DarkCobra (Jun 22, 2004)

roadmaster said:


> Yes,I have done it both way's, but on more than one occasion,I have introduced pathogen's to otherwise healthy fishes,shrimp's, in what was supposed to be quarantine,and ended up treating all.


I'm curious, which pathogens did you have this problem with?


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## roadmaster (Nov 5, 2009)

What I suspected was Iridovirus with some Dwarf gourami, and Columnaris with some neon's.


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## DarkCobra (Jun 22, 2004)

Thanks! Yep, Columnaris and neons sure is a nasty combo, but I think I have that licked now (knock on wood). I'll have to look up Iridovirus.

Callamanus is another candidate, but given how long it can persist in a tank and go undetected in fish, I treat all incoming fish for that now, whether they need it or not.


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## TheFisherOfCichlids1 (Feb 19, 2013)

Mkay I will try kanaplex first and see what happens and I keep my quarentine tank planted because it seems like the fish are better off and less stressed when I leave them in there for a month (because ive found a week isn't long enough to tell if they are sick or not), but I don't add any other fish in there altough it is tempting besides quarentine my plants and snails are enough. And I've done that too Unfortunately I introduced columnaris to my main tank even though I quarentined them for a few weeks learned my lesson.... 2-3 fish were dying a day it was horrible.. 
And thanks for the help


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