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Metronidazole


mr troph

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raisehand.gif Hi all just wondering were to buy metro. Is it only available at the vets? Also wich is more affective on Tropheus clout or metro. I don't have any problems with bloat as yet but would like to be prepared as I will be starting a few new colonys soon.

Thanks Todd

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You can buy metronidazole at your local pharmacy, but it is a prescription-only drug. If you know your local GP or vet well, then you might able to persuade them to write a prescription out for you. Tell them what you're using it for, symptoms and what dosages you're going to use and generally they should see that you're going to use it properly and not abuse the drug.

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As mentioned flagyl is prescription only drug. But if u are in Sydney u can get some dimetronidazole from Auburn Aquariums. It is in water-soluble form and i think it is a lot easier to dose than the ordinary flagy which u need to crush into a powder and suspend the particles in waterl. I think some guy on the forum was selling clout a while ago. I think either treatment can work if u recognise the symptoms early. However, i think metro is a less harsher drug.

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I have used clout and metro and think metro is a better drug for Tropheus. Get all the info on metro that you can and take it to your local vet. You will need doseage rates aswell. Your vet should be abe to get you some then

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The good thing about Metro is that it is a far less hasher drug, as Dave has said. If you misdiagnose and treat or overdose a bit with Metro your fish will be fine. Clout is more potent and therefore more risky. Clout also has a habit of turning everything in your tank blue.

Jamie.

PS Sorry Josh, you just beat me.

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Thanks guys

I went and seen the doc today she told me a little about the drug and said it would be cheaper from the vet. Also that human grade metro only comes in a highly concentrated liquid form. So I think i'll go see the vet tomorrow.

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Thanks guys

I went and seen the doc today she told me a little about the drug and said it would be cheaper from the vet. Also that human grade metro only comes in a highly concentrated liquid form. So I think i'll go see the vet tomorrow.

Not quite true, Ive had flagyl antibiotics, active ingredient metronidazole, and they are a tablet.

Absolutely nasty stuff to take I hate to think what it does to the fish, I got strict instructions from both Dr and chemist to NOT take any alcohol while on the antibiotic and for three days after.

cheers

Steph

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The human form should be cheaper as it's more concentrated and it's PBS listed so you get government subsidies. steph is right about metronidazole and alcohol though, there are some interactions that occur and you usually end up feeling pretty crook (throwing up and nausea). I have a feeling your doctor just didn't want to bother sad.gif

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Hey Todd,

I swear by the stuff. I had a mate of mine who didn't have much idea about what he was doing and he had some young Duboisi in one of his tanks. He called me up one day and asked me to come over because the 15 Duboisi he had was now down to 5. I went over and as soon as I looked in the tank I knew exactly what the problem was. He had bloat. I took the rest of the fish and put them in a 2ft tank at home. The one fish that was suffering badly from the bloat died but all the others survived after using 3 treatments of the metro. At the time I got if off my vet. Yes it's expensive, but to me these little buggers are priceless.

Best Regards

Monique Lunn

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An understanding, interested vet is a godsend smile.gif The problem with metro is that it is non soluble so it floats on the surface of the water. The fish will not ingest it so food soaked in metro while they are eating is the most effective. Also you will require quite large amounts and will have to persuade for larger than normal prescription quantity.

It also comes in solution form for IV use in other animals but the quantity again is insufficient. I have used this to inject my T's with success in my one bloat episode dry.gif .

I have used Clout as well but find it a harsh, unpredictable outcome medication and unless used accurately causes more harm than good. A strong appropriate antibiotic, for the strain, is also required for the two pronged attack when treating bloat.

HTH

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I have a feeling your doctor just didn't want to bother

Don't be too hard on the doc, it is illegal to perscribe government subsidised medication except for the approved indications. I doubt treating your fish is one of them. smile.gif

Cheers

Brett

Yeah I understand it's illegal to do so, and that in some cases the doctors license and professional reputation is at stake - that's probably why she didn't bother.

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I dose at 250mg tablet per 40L, but the most common tablet comes in 400mg so I think works out at 1 400mg tablet per 64L

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Does anyone know the dosage rate for Metronidazole?

Take any carbon out of the filters first and introduce the medication directly into the tank. 250mg per 38 litres is the recommended dosage however I have used triple that amount when I had nothing left to lose dry.gif The best way however is to treat while the fish are still eating so that the food can be soaked for a few hours in the solution - this is very early on and most people miss this window of opportunity sad.gif

Treat every second day for 3 treatments, initially preceded by a 30% water change. If the problem persists, take a 3 day break from treatment and start again. Recommended that you not treat for more than a total of 6 treatments.

Treat until all the fish are eating. Sometimes you only need to treat for one or two days.

Metronidazole does not affect the bacteria in your filters. If you use a broad spectrum antibiotic like Furen2 in addition to the Metro as you should when treating bloat, this will kill all filter bacteria as well so have some form of mechanical filtration in place.

HTH

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Hi Me again,

when my vet got me the Metro it actually came in a liquid form not tablet form. So I was just adding it to the water. I did the 3 treatments as suggested and the rest were fine.

Cheers

Mon

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