Can I use Metronidazole with Blue Botias?

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SciFyDi

Aquarium Advice Regular
Joined
Apr 1, 2017
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73
I need to treat a syndontis catfish and two blood parrots for fin rot and possible ich. I have three Blue Botia loaches in the tank they seem unaffected. Is it safe to use Metronidazole with them in the tank? If not what meds are safe for them?

Thank you
 
Not positive about the Loaches and the Metro.

The number one thing to do is get the water in perfect condition.

A good number of water changes to start before medication, with the water temperature matched, erring on a touch more warm than cold.

If you haven't been doing very many water changes recently then do some pwc back to back like 20%. And then maybe after a couple hours some additional back to back water changes.

The idea being to get the old water freshened up and remove a bunch of old stuff and gently / more slowly, replace with the newer, less TDS filled water as to not shock the fish.

Identify whether you have the ideal water for the Loaches from your tap. Knowing that can really make a difference for their wellness too. Like not having very hard water.

Low / infrequent water change amounts allow TDS to build and it can really stress the fish over time.

Also topping water off with treated tap water will increase all the stuff in the tank and the minerals and things in the tank do not evaporate but compound. And distilled or RO is recommended for top offs in between water changes. Or just do more frequent regular water changes and not need to refill for evaporation.

What are your tank parameters now?

Ammonia
NitrIte
Nitrate

pH

GH
KH

TDS
 
Thank you for the reply and for sending over the loach info.
I had written an earlier post and didn’t get any answers so I called Seachem. I will paste the previous post at the bottom here with pics. Seachem told me that Metroplex or Kanaplex was fine but if I was worried to do half the dose.

I gave the tank its weekly water change two days ago and added the half dose of Metroplex. No one seemed adversely affected by it. Loaches seem fine and happy. However I don’t see a difference in the blood parrots or the catfish. The catfish had a big white thread hanging off one of his whiskers. Today I noticed that whisker has snapped off. They are still coming to the top to beg for food and have good appetites. I did a 20% change today and gave the second dose of Metroplex. I will continue the small water changes.

Tank parameters are still the same but with the super high Nitrates. They seem like maybe they have gone down a bit from last picture? I don’t understand this with the frequent water changes I’ve been doing.We recently switched to the city of Houston’s main water supply so this might have something to do with it. I have a GH kit somewhere but can’t seem to find it

Ph 7.6ppm
Ammonia 0ppm
Nitrite 0ppm
Nitrate 80 ppm

Here is the original post:

I noticed some lesions on my blood parrots the other day. The smaller fish has always had some scarring on him since the day I got him. I noticed some white flecks in the tail that’s why I am concerned. The big one has what looks like ulcers on his face. Nothing on the body of these two.

I was laid up with a kidney infection and had two instances where I went about three weeks without doing a water change. Normally I do 60% a week water changes. That’s why I’m wondering if this is fungus. I was hesitant to treat with meds because of blue loaches .Sorry if the pictures are blurry I can’t get the camera to focus with fish moving around so much. I will try to get better pictures if needed.

Another thing I’m wondering about is the Nitrate? I did a 70% water change two days ago I don’t know why it’s so high? I’m wondering if it’s not just from Houston tap water. As you can see by the filter picture we have hard hard water. I have mineral deposits all over the equipment. Can that affect the nitrates?

55 gallon tank a little over three years old. Two blood parrots, three blue loaches and a syndontis catfish. Don’t notice any fungus on the loaches. One marine land 375( I think) and 1 top fin filter that came with the tank. I don’t have the box but same size as 375 and takes the same double filters. Currently trying to fix Magnifllow 220 canister which recently broke. Tank usually gets 60-70% gravel vacuum every week with tap water treated with API stress coat. Tank kept at 79-80 degrees.

Thank you again
 

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More pics

More pics of blood parrots
 

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