Lone female diamond tetra

bettababy

Considering the combination of ingredients in that medicated food, I would for sure not be using it unless there was a specific reason to do so... which I don't see to be the case here. That is not something I would feel comfortable using as a preventive treatment for a "just in case" scenario. The best thing to do right now is to watch, wait, and see what happens over the course of the next few weeks. Watch the remaining fish for any symptoms and post if you have any further questions.

GwenInNM

I agree with Dawn, don't treat unless you see something, but watch for the faster respiration. I've read that can be a sign of internal parasites. I believe there are few, if any symptoms, which makes parasites such a tough one to catch. Is that what you decided the first fish had??

I didn't choose that medication because it does say you need to remove live plants and invertebrates too.

bettababy

The reason for the removal of the plants and inverts is because of the diflubenzuron. This ingredient is an insecticide and prevents the growth and development of insects and their larvae. This is the ingredient that makes me a bit uncomfortable about using this with tetras, not all of them handle it well, which means it has the potential to cause more harm than good.

Here again I would like to reiterate my warnings about choosing medications for any fish without knowing and understanding the ingredients and without knowing which fish are sensitive to what specific ingredients. Impulse purchases and "last resort" purchases can be a dangerous thing without some kind of guidance by someone who has the knowledge base and experience with this stuff. Most people select meds based on the packaging/labels which are greatly lacking in information and warnings. Medications should be used based on their ingredients and the knowledge of how specific species of fish react to each ingredient. What is safe for one is not safe for all. There is no such thing as an overall general cure that is safe for all.

Olympia

I find that kind of sad.. Like there should at least be a list of what's safe for what fish.. It would probably be a huge list however.
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bettababy

Olympia, your point about the large list is a valid one. Fish medicine just like any other field of medicine be it human or animal, is a complicated thing. If it were simple enough to accommodate all of those needs on package labels there would be no need for anyone to go to school for years to learn that stuff. (aquatic veterinary medicine, which requires 8 - 10 yrs of school to obtain a degree, depending on specialty)

While I am grateful that here in the states we have such a wide range of availability in way of fish medications, I do also wish there was more regulation of it because it is so easy to misuse, abuse, etc. and there are far too many innocent animals that die each year because people use this stuff without seeking qualified consult first. It is a double edged sword of sorts, which is indeed sad.

The other thing I find sad is that too many people purchase and keep animals with little to no thought to their long term care needs or the expenses involved. It is still common for people to prefer to let their animals die than to pay for qualified medical help. It shouldn't matter if it's a dog, cat, bird, or fish... each life is precious and should be respected. As long as fish are viewed as "disposable pets" this will not change. That's what makes me the saddest of all. The mass number of fish deaths that occur every year are often preventable. Keeping a pet is a responsibility, both moral and financial. I wish there were more protections for the fish.