Fish and Paracetamol

[RossyBoy]

I've hard this myth that if you put a Paracetamol tablet in your tank once a month it helps to promote fish health.

Now.. i'm NOT planning to try this for obvious reasons, but is this JUST a myth or is this genuine lol?

Just curious...

 

[Jchillin]

Safe to say, I've never heard of this myth, let alone what Paracetamol is. Perhaps where you heard this and providing some info on it would help.

 

[RossyBoy]

Ahh sorry.

I forget, I am in the UK. Erm let me see Paracetamol is a painkiller tablet used by humans.
Other names i could find for it were acetaminophen, tylenol.

It's similar to ibruprofen in its effects.

and this is a bit of an English Myth i think?

 

[Jchillin]

No problem, that does help explain it. From a personal perspective, I cringe at the thought of adding any types of meds to the tank, that would include acetaminophens.

The only way to know if it is a myth is to challenge the source it comes from. What are the benefits/drawbacks, etc. Usually, if enough people repeat something that is not valid, it either remains a myth (something we don't need in aquaria) or somehow becomes implied fact.

 

[Fishyfanatic]

I've never heard of using tylenol in fish tanks and I wouldn't trust it to even test. I would be curious to know if it works though.

 

[RossyBoy]

Yer. I personally would never stick any medication into a fish tank!!

But, i do know of somebody who stuck an ecstasy tablet in his friends tank. Apparantly the fish survived but were swimming round going crazy for a few hours.

It's very cruel though, shouldn't be done and i don't condone any medication not intentionally made for fish to be put in.

 

[coldmachineUK]

I'm from the UK also and I have to point out that it's not some 'national' phenomenon/myth! I've never heard of that before at all...either through personal friends/hobbyists or via any forum I've participated in.

My goodness, we may not have pythons widely on sale but we're not exactly living in the dark ages when it comes to the hobby

I think it would be extremely harmful to add a medication designed for humans to a a fish tank where the occupants are many many times smaller and different anatomically. I can't for the life of me think of what possible benefits it would provide either. Paracetamol is an analgesic (numbs pain) used for things like headaches. As far as I know, I've never had a fish with a headache before...!

 

[RossyBoy]

OK . well perhaps not where you live, but it's a myth where i live.

 

[adam2233]

you can use paracetamol in a tropical fish tank only 1 and you have to grind it down as fine as pos when you change the water, all it dose is help minimize infection in the water, iv been doing it for three years because i got white spot and a friend told me about this so i gave it a try and never had a problem since all my fish are fit and healthy and plus the tank stays cleaner for longer not much mind but

 

[adam2233]

OK . well perhaps not where you live, but it's a myth where i live.

you can use paracetamol in a tropical fish tank only 1 and you have to grind it down as fine as pos when you change the water, all it dose is help minimize infection in the water, iv been doing it for three years because i got white spot and a friend told me about this so i gave it a try and never had a problem since all my fish are fit and healthy and plus the tank stays cleaner for longer not much mind but

 

[Samzter]

I'm from the uk and I've never heard this either. Where abouts are you?

 

[adam2233]

im in the uk

 

[jlk]

Do not use acetaminophen in a fish tank. Acetaminophen induces hepatotoxicity in mammals due to its metabolites. In fish, its not quite as extensive due to the metabolites following a different pathway but it still can induce liver necrosis. It has not been extensively studied due to acetaminophen not occurring in natural environments, only in experimental settings.

http://tpx.sagepub.com/content/33/1/75.full

 

[molliwopp]

you can use paracetamol in a tropical fish tank only 1 and you have to grind it down as fine as pos when you change the water, all it dose is help minimize infection in the water, iv been doing it for three years because i got white spot and a friend told me about this so i gave it a try and never had a problem since all my fish are fit and healthy and plus the tank stays cleaner for longer not much mind but

This sounds absolutly bonkers to me! Im in the uk, never heard if it before now nore would i ever consider it without some heavy facts supporting it. The tank stays cleaner, i wouldn't of thought so adam and that might be a placebo effect. Your water should be clear anyway, if not, up your water change routine.

 

[severum mama]

First of all, this is not something I would EVER try.

Secondly, this thread has been resurrected from 2007. Closed.