Medicinal preparations used in aquarium hobby.
Antibiotics are a type of bactericidal agents, although they are usually classified into a separate group. Some antibiotics intended for human treatment are also used in veterinary medicine, including the treatment of bacterial diseases in fish. In most cases, antibiotics used to treat fish are effective against gram-negative bacteria. It is this group that includes the majority of bacteria affecting fish. Inconsiderate and excessive use of these drugs has led to the emergence of an increasing number of antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains. In addition, fish that are regularly exposed to antibiotics have a weakened immune response to pathogenic bacteria.
Many bacterial infections affecting aquarium fish can be successfully treated with other drugs, while keeping antibiotics in reserve for situations where they are truly necessary. Different fish species tolerate certain antibiotics differently. Therefore, avoid excessive doses of these drugs and observe the fish during treatment so as not to miss signs of a negative reaction. Applied for 6 days or more.
Bactericidal agents. Bacterial diseases are treated with bactericidal drugs that kill bacteria. They are used to destroy bacteria on the fish’s body, in their tissues, and in the aquarium environment. Some agents are bacteriostatic, meaning they do not so much kill bacteria as prevent them from multiplying rapidly. Bactericidal agents used to treat external infections are called antiseptics. Agents used exclusively for sterilizing equipment are called disinfectants. They are often toxic to fish and should not be used for treatment, although some are capable of destroying certain parasites. Some bactericidal agents are simultaneously fungicidal (antifungal). Pet stores sell many aquarium bactericidal agents called antibacterial drugs.
Antifungal agents. For the treatment of external fungal infections in aquarium fish, there are numerous chemical preparations available in pharmacies and aquarium fungicides sold in pet stores. These agents are applied topically or in the form of prolonged baths. Systemic (internal) fungal infections are more difficult to combat. Some aquarists seek to compensate for poor hygiene and careless aquarium maintenance (which often lead to recurrent fungal infections in fish) through constant or prophylactic use of fungicides instead of eliminating the problem causing the infection. They cannot be used for prophylactic purposes in polluted water; water quality must be brought back to normal. Moreover, constant exposure to fungicides and other chemicals is harmful in itself.
Anti-protozoan agents. Various agents are used to combat ectoparasitic and endoparasitic protozoa. Endoparasites are much more difficult to destroy because the fish’s tissues provide them with some degree of protection against contact with drugs. Most drugs are ineffective against protozoa living in the blood or tissues of fish.
Anti-parasitic agents for large parasites. Most of these drugs are anthelmintic (anti-worm) agents. They destroy trematodes, nematodes, cestodes. These drugs are given to fish with food; some are effective in the form of baths, especially against fish lice (Argulus). It is very important to complete the recommended course of treatment. Enough time must be given for larvae to hatch from eggs or cysts that are resistant to chemicals.
Disinfectants are sometimes used to treat aquarium equipment and supplies. As a rule, this is done only after an outbreak of a severe contagious disease. This is especially important if the infection was caused by extremely pathogenic microbes (certain types of bacteria and viruses) that could have survived on equipment that came into contact with infected fish or water. As a precaution, used equipment and supplies can be treated with disinfectants before using them. Aquarium disinfectants are chlorine- and iodine-based chemicals. Both groups of chemicals become inert under the action of organic matter, so dirty equipment must be thoroughly washed before disinfection.
In addition, these disinfectants should not directly contact fish or other aquatic animals. Therefore, it is very important to rinse the equipment thoroughly before reusing it. Similarly, one must approach the disinfection of porous items with great caution – for example, certain materials used as substrate or filter media. The fact is that it is sometimes impossible to remove all residues of the disinfectant from porous materials. In this case, the safest way is to replace such materials with new ones.
Ultraviolet irradiation. Used to destroy bacteria in the aquarium, as well as free-swimming parasites, unicellular algae, and sporozoans. It only allows to limit, but not prevent, the spread of diseases. Completely ineffective against pathogens that lead a sedentary lifestyle.
Ozonization. A powerful oxidizing agent. There are commercially available devices that inject ozone into a special separate chamber through which water from the aquarium is pumped. Effective for destroying certain pathogens at the “free-swimming” stage. Also used in comprehensive aquarium disinfection if fish and plants have been removed. Dose: 1-8 mg of ozone per liter of water per minute. Contact time from 2 to 6 minutes maximum.
