Feeding Metronidazole to fish in reef

ss88

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
May 25, 2022
Messages
339
Reaction score
112
Location
florida usa
Rating - 100%
2   0   0
Anyone here ever use Metronidazole to feed fish in a reef tank?
Noga has different treatment protocols ranging from 25mg/kg to 100mg/kg.
If you did use it in a reef tank, did you also run ROX carbon during the treatment.

I have a situation involving a Halichoeres chloropterus. The specimen was added to the aquarium over 3 years ago. The last addition to the system was over 1 year ago and included a Coris gaimard. The C. gaimard perished last month and never really gained weight, necropsy was inconclusive beside mechanical damage from power head. This was the only fish lost in the system within the last year. Dissection of the intestine showed nothing irregular. Over the last two months I have noticed that the H. chloropterus has been losing weight. I have tried treating with oral praziquantel. Surely its overdosed given the complexity of feeding a community tank, but no ill effects have been noted. That said, I have concluded day 6. (50mg/kg every other day) of the treatment and his condition continues to decline. None of the other 30+ fish in the system show any symptoms. I would like to attempt to treat with Metronidazole but am hesitant given the system is a full sps reef.

I have seen other aquarist use Metronidazole feed in reefs. But how safe is it?

 
OP
OP
S

ss88

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
May 25, 2022
Messages
339
Reaction score
112
Location
florida usa
Rating - 100%
2   0   0
Also to note, all fish in this system went through a 90 day quarantine process involving copper and praziquantel bath. No oral medications given during quarantine process.
 

vetteguy53081

Well known Member and monster tank lover
View Badges
Joined
Aug 11, 2013
Messages
96,822
Reaction score
215,695
Location
Wisconsin -
Rating - 100%
15   0   0
Anyone here ever use Metronidazole to feed fish in a reef tank?
Noga has different treatment protocols ranging from 25mg/kg to 100mg/kg.
If you did use it in a reef tank, did you also run ROX carbon during the treatment.

I have a situation involving a Halichoeres chloropterus. The specimen was added to the aquarium over 3 years ago. The last addition to the system was over 1 year ago and included a Coris gaimard. The C. gaimard perished last month and never really gained weight, necropsy was inconclusive beside mechanical damage from power head. This was the only fish lost in the system within the last year. Dissection of the intestine showed nothing irregular. Over the last two months I have noticed that the H. chloropterus has been losing weight. I have tried treating with oral praziquantel. Surely its overdosed given the complexity of feeding a community tank, but no ill effects have been noted. That said, I have concluded day 6. (50mg/kg every other day) of the treatment and his condition continues to decline. None of the other 30+ fish in the system show any symptoms. I would like to attempt to treat with Metronidazole but am hesitant given the system is a full sps reef.

I have seen other aquarist use Metronidazole feed in reefs. But how safe is it?


I dont recommend it. While it helps with protozoan and bacterial issues, it must be Precise when used and should be used when absolutely necessary
 
OP
OP
S

ss88

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
May 25, 2022
Messages
339
Reaction score
112
Location
florida usa
Rating - 100%
2   0   0
I guess I’m less concerned about the potential for overdosing. The medication seems to have a fairly wide dosage range 25 to 100mg per kg. Although the treatment duration is different for those dosage ranges. The half-life of the medication is rather short. I think 8 hrs if not mistaken in humans. Also I recall reading somewhere that the digestive uptake is limited.

I am however, worried about killing some of my corals.
 

PharmrJohn

The Dude Abides
View Badges
Joined
Mar 19, 2019
Messages
2,877
Reaction score
6,679
Location
Shelton, Washington
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I guess I’m less concerned about the potential for overdosing. The medication seems to have a fairly wide dosage range 25 to 100mg per kg. Although the treatment duration is different for those dosage ranges. The half-life of the medication is rather short. I think 8 hrs if not mistaken in humans. Also I recall reading somewhere that the digestive uptake is limited.

I am however, worried about killing some of my corals.
You are correct on the half-life. Remember that it takes 5 half-lives to exit a system (a human anyway) and be non-therapeutic. Ten half-lives to leave no trace.
 

MnFish1

10K Club member
View Badges
Joined
Dec 28, 2016
Messages
24,330
Reaction score
23,114
Location
Midwest
Rating - 100%
1   0   0
"The medication seems to have a fairly wide dosage range 25 to 100mg per kg. Although the treatment duration is different for those dosage ranges. "

You should be concerned about overdosing. First the half-life in fish is not the same as the 1/2 life in humans. second the sentence does not imply that its safe to dose metronidazole in a wide range. -the key is the higher doses are used only for shorter times.
 
OP
OP
S

ss88

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
May 25, 2022
Messages
339
Reaction score
112
Location
florida usa
Rating - 100%
2   0   0
You should be concerned about overdosing. First the half-life in fish is not the same as the 1/2 life in humans. second the sentence does not imply that its safe to dose metronidazole in a wide range. -the key is the higher doses are used only for shorter times.
True.
 

Jay Hemdal

10K Club member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 31, 2020
Messages
28,685
Reaction score
28,333
Location
Dundee, MI
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Also to note, all fish in this system went through a 90 day quarantine process involving copper and praziquantel bath. No oral medications given during quarantine process.
Metronidazole is effective at reducing loading from flagellates such as Hexamita and Spironucleaus. These are normal gut flora, but sometimes grow in numbers and cause the fish issues. There are other reasons for chronic wasting in fish though - often Mycobacteria which is not treatable.

Metro is one of the few drugs that can be dosed as a percentage in the food and not mg per kg of fish weight.

The usual dose for metro is 1 to 2% by weight of food, bound with Focus or some other binder. However, it is very bitter and many fish refuse to eat it at higher doses.

Have you seen my medicated food article?
 
OP
OP
S

ss88

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
May 25, 2022
Messages
339
Reaction score
112
Location
florida usa
Rating - 100%
2   0   0
The usual dose for metro is 1 to 2% by weight of food, bound with Focus or some other binder. However, it is very bitter and many fish refuse to eat it at higher doses.
Generally my fish are wise to my attempts to feed any type of medicated foods. I normally end up using mostly nori soaked in gelatin as it seems to mask the flavor best.
There are other reasons for chronic wasting in fish though - often Mycobacteria which is not treatable.
Yes I read about this in one of your earlier post. Aquarium Fish: The ‘Eyes’ Have it
Relatively new fish, perhaps 5 years total in captivity.

@Jay Hemdal have you ever used food soaked Metronidazole in a reef tank? Some basic math shows this being a concentration many times lower than normal water immersion therapy. Like 1% assuming zero food was consumed and everything disbursed into water column.

I do have some sacrificial Acro frags I will likely test for 24hrs to see if any ill effects are noted in a control setting.
 

Jay Hemdal

10K Club member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 31, 2020
Messages
28,685
Reaction score
28,333
Location
Dundee, MI
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Generally my fish are wise to my attempts to feed any type of medicated foods. I normally end up using mostly nori soaked in gelatin as it seems to mask the flavor best.

Yes I read about this in one of your earlier post. Aquarium Fish: The ‘Eyes’ Have it
Relatively new fish, perhaps 5 years total in captivity.

@Jay Hemdal have you ever used food soaked Metronidazole in a reef tank? Some basic math shows this being a concentration many times lower than normal water immersion therapy. Like 1% assuming zero food was consumed and everything disbursed into water column.

I do have some sacrificial Acro frags I will likely test for 24hrs to see if any ill effects are noted in a control setting.
I’ve dosed related dimetronidazole in food with no issues.

You’re correct, the 1% in food fed at the typical 3% by body weight ends up being of no consequence to corals.
 

TOP 10 Trending Threads

WHICH OF THESE CREEPY REEF CRITTERS IS MOST LIKELY TO GIVE YOU NIGHTMARES? (PICTURED IN THE THREAD)

  • The Bobbit Worm

    Votes: 47 67.1%
  • The Goblin Shark

    Votes: 4 5.7%
  • The Sea Wolf

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Giant Spider Crabs

    Votes: 1 1.4%
  • The Stargazer Fish

    Votes: 5 7.1%
  • The Giant Isopod

    Votes: 8 11.4%
  • The Giant Squid

    Votes: 1 1.4%
  • Other (Please explain!)

    Votes: 4 5.7%
Back
Top