Treatment Options

[Marc Daniels]

I have been reefing for 20+ years and have seen a multitude of posts across the various forums regrading sick fish and how to treat them. In many cases the hobbyists are taking a stab in the dark regrading cause…be it fungi, internal/external parasite, bacterial or viral. So, the attempted cure is again just a stab in the dark, especially when there is not something visibly obvious like ich.

So, what is you favorite QT/hospital tank treatment for;
Fungus:
Internal Parasite:
External Parasite
Bacterial:
Viral:

What is you favorite in tank/reef safe treatment for;
Fungus:
Internal Parasite:
External Parasite
Bacterial:
Viral:

 

[Crabs McJones]

Our resident fish disease and treatment expert @Humblefish has a whole forum dedicated to the treatment of different illnesses found here
In that forum he has laid out every disease and treatment. It's a great read if you have time
But to answer your question:
Fungus:Kanaplex
Internal Parasite: Metronidazole
External parasite: depends on what it is, usually copper or chloroquine phosphate
Bacterial: Kanaplex

I don't know of any real "treatment" for a viral infection other than to keep the fish well fed with vitamin enriched food and keep pristine water conditions.

I don't ever treat in the display. Always in a hospital/qt tank

 

[Rython]

Yeah, if there were reef safe treatments for those things that were effective, no one would ever quarantine.

In QT:
Fungus :Never had to
Internal Parasite: Metroplex, in the water and mixed with Focus and food
External Parasite: Flukes - Prazipro or API General Cure, depending on the fish species (GC is gentler), Chelated Copper for most everything else
Bacterial: Nitrofuracin Green

 

[Rython]

I do agree with the OP though, a good percentage of the time I know something is wrong but I don't know exactly what. That's why I think it's important to stay active on the disease forums when you're stocking. You will notice patterns with certain species and that helps narrow it down.

If something pops up in the DT, I usually assume it's a bacterial infection, and probably gram positive. That's just based on the assumption that my quarantine protocol should have significantly reduced the risk of most other things.

 

[Humblefish]

So, what is you favorite QT/hospital tank treatment for:

Fungus: Kanamycin (although fungal infections are rare in saltwater fish) / Trade name: Seachem Kanaplex

Internal Parasite: Praziquantel (treats intestinal worms) + Metronidazole (treats internal flagellates) / Trade name: API General Cure contains both medications.

External Parasite: Chloroquine phosphate or Copper Power

Bacterial: Nitrofuracin Green Powder / Kanaplex + Furan-2 + Metroplex or Neoplex + Sulfaplex (or API Triple Sulfa) are good alternatives.

Viral: No proven/effective medications exist for viral infections in fish. Best bet is to attempt to put the virus into remission by feeding vitamin-enriched foods and maintaining pristine water conditions.