# Fish First Aid Kit



## KOKORO (Feb 2, 2010)

Hi All

I am in the process of planning my new set up (have not even bought the tank yet but have decided on size and stock list).

At the moment I am making a list of all the things I will need to consider to get set up and work out approximate costs.

I was wondering if someone could give me a list of items I should keep as a general first aid kit for my fish in order to be prepared when the need arises. Do others do this at all??

I was wondering about shelf life though. I suppose things like clove oil would be ok?

Any thoughts?

Thanks!


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## steelers fan (Jun 26, 2009)

table salt
epsom salt
melafix
maracyn
maracyn 2
clout
clove oil
ammo carb


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## KOKORO (Feb 2, 2010)

Thank you


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## steelers fan (Jun 26, 2009)

pleasure!


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## cichlid-gal (Apr 27, 2012)

I would like to *BUMP* this topic and get a little more input please as the topic is over 2 years old and given my readings on the forum I am seeing the use and mention of other various medications like kanamycin (Kanaplex), nitrofurazone (Furan 2), praziquantel, levamisole HCl, and flagyl (metronidazole).

I do not have a LFS that I can get to quickly to purchase medications so my thoughts are that I would like to have a good "first aid kit" available for my fish specifically treatments/medications to have on hand for the most common illness that are encountered by cichlid fishkeepers i.e. parasites, fungus, bloat and anything else that might be common to show up.

Oh, and I notice a lot of medications are packaged by grams...how many grams do you normally need to have on hand? Is it recommended that you dose the main tanks when illnesses break out or just the one fish in a quarantine tank...that would make a huge difference in the amount of products that you need to have on hand.

And here's the original first aid kit post

_table salt 
epsom salt 
melafix 
maracyn 
maracyn 2 
clout 
clove oil 
ammo carb_

To this list, what would you recommend be added or taken away or replaced with another product. Hopefully a few of you out there can guide me to getting a good "first aid kit" setup so that when I do encounter a problem, I'm ready and not in panic mode. Thanks for your help.


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## cichlid-gal (Apr 27, 2012)

found some additional information for myself  ...the one I found is a good thread with lots of info but also is a couple of years old...again, if anything has changed or needs updating, I'd appreciate input

Aquarium Pharmacy
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=212758

I have tanks that have been up and running almost a year without having any issues. But, I know it can happen, illness, equipment failure, aggression...I just want to make sure I am as prepared as I can be without going overboard.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I don't stock anything except clove oil, epsom salt and Metronidazole. The only reason I always have clove oil and epsom salt is that one purchase lasts forever, you can't ever use it all up, LOL. Keep in mind that medications expire. Things like Maracyn and Maracyn2 I can pick up within any 24 hour period because the LFS stocks them. I don't find Melafix or Pimafix very effective.

Equipment failure? Good idea to have a spare impeller.


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## GTZ (Apr 21, 2010)

I keep epsom salt, metro, maracyn, kanamycin, nitrofurazone and methylene blue.


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## cichlid-gal (Apr 27, 2012)

DJRansome said:


> I don't stock anything except clove oil, epsom salt and Metronidazole. The only reason I always have clove oil and epsom salt is that one purchase lasts forever, you can't ever use it all up, LOL. Keep in mind that medications expire. Things like Maracyn and Maracyn2 I can pick up within any 24 hour period because the LFS stocks them. I don't find Melafix or Pimafix very effective.
> 
> Equipment failure? Good idea to have a spare impeller.


In equipment failure I was thinking of that occasion when you go away on vacation and come back to find something has failed or gone wrong with your equipment ...I have spare filters and most of my tanks run more than one filter but I did have a heater malfunction last week and had my spares in use (note to self, double up on spares  )



GTZ said:


> I keep epsom salt, metro, maracyn, kanamycin, nitrofurazone and methylene blue.


Thanks DJ and GTZ...I think my kit will start with the following:

Aquarium or table salt?
Epsom salt 
Metronidazole http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/malawi_bloat2_pt1.php 
Nitrofurazone (useful for control of minor topical skin infections and surface skin infections, can be combined with kanamycin for effective treatments)
Kanamycin (antibiotic...Kanamycin works well combined with Nitrofurazone for an excellent parasitic, fungal, & bacterial infection treatment)
Clout (I had already ordered this and Metro from various readings regarding bloat) 
clove oil (for humane euthanasia I assume?)

As for salt...some articles I read say table salt some say don't add table salt so I'm confused. I don't use salt so I'm unsure ... is "Aquarium Salt" table salt? Is it the salt I should use if doing a salt/heat treatment?

Wondering if Paraguard would be better than the Clout as readings say it is "safer than Clout"


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## metricliman (Sep 3, 2012)

I believe table salt has an anti-caking ingredient, i think kosher salt does not.


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## bibbs68 (Dec 1, 2006)

Table salt; there is iodized and plain salt, you do not want iodized salt.


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