Metronidazole

[Kendooo]

Hello everyone.
I was wondering if anyone had any experience with this medication (Metronidazole). I recently purchased nine small discus. By the time I received them, their water was about 70 degrees F. I think I raised the temperature while acclumating them way to fast, causing an outbreak of Hexamita. I've heard that this can cause this. Anyway, 6 of them are just fine (eating very well), but the other 3 are not eating anything. They just swim around and occasionally pick at a few of the rocks in the tank. I've read that metronidazole is the drug of choice for this problem. Any help or suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance,

Kendooo

[Pyroman]

A recent reply (http://www.discusforums.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=96#96) I posted has a little information, but basically dimetridazole and metronidazole both treat a wide variety of microbial agents, one being Hexamita.

Dimetridazole is a great all-purpose antimicrobial, but doesn't treat hex very well. Also, Dimet is known to inhibit spawning ability of your fish, especially when doing emergency baths for fish that have progressed symptoms.

But to answer your question, if your fish shows signs of lateral line degradation or hole-in-the-head, you want to effectively treat the fish by itself in a hospital tank. Treat metronidazole at 7mg per litre of water. Every other-day treatment at this concentration after a 25% water change for three days, then continue the 25% water change schedule for another week every other day before returning your fish to the main tank, ensuring water quality is about the same. Some people do a couple additional water changes after the last week with CLEAN cycled tank-water from the tank they will be going back into to re-establish the fish.

You should note a dramatic improvement in your fish after a couple days, and especially once the two week treatment has been completed. If not, do not return to the main tank. Do another week of 25% water changes, and if the fish begins to go downhill again, you may need to run another course of Metro as before.

Be aware that if it's a combination of hex and a bacterial infection, you may need to use a general antibacterial medication, and then re-run the course of metro.

Hope that helps!
- PDubya