Loaches Online Forum

Hi !
Some of my barbs suffer fungus disease. I want to cure it with Sera Mycopur (contains acriflavine and copper sulfate), is this safe for my Botia's ? (kubotai and striata)
With best regards,

Robert

No reactions... Does nobody have an idea ?

General recommendation is to treat Loaches with medicines at half strength.
I know the Loaches are not the target here, but since they are in the tank, that is the strongest you can use the meds.

Alternate method:
Move the sick fish to a separate tank and treat with the full dose. This would also be safer for your beneficial bacteria in the main tank.

OK.... my 2c:

Firstly, I would not ever treat loaches with Copper-containing medications, not half-dose, not 1% dose. The specs for mycopur say

100 ml of
sera mycopur
contain:
acriflavine 210 mg
cupric chloride 11.8 mg
cupric sulfate 71.9 mg
aqua purificata ad 100 ml

http://www.akvaryumculuk.biz/sera_mycopur.pdf

All loaches are sensitive to copper, there are at least two mechanisms of how copper harms them, and making exact predictions is not possible -- some species are considerably more sensitive than others, and pH is a factor.

So, if anything, Diana's plan B.

But let's go to the beginning for a moment: just what are you treating? Just what is "fungus disease?"

Is this flex (columnaris) per chance? Then you can use a medication that does not contain copper... kanamycin or furan2 would usually work... just watch the cycle. If antibiotics are not available on your end, acriflavine alone tends to work, and it is safe to fish (not to the biofilter!)

or is this true fungus? Uncommon, but happens.... this is considerably trickier to cure, but still copper is not needed.

Thanks for your answers !

I don't know if it was true fungus... But I could handle it with salt. Now it's allright !

Fantastic! congratulations!