other options to paraguard... Help

[sbarbee54]

I think my OEBT have come down with a bacterial infection. I have had 2 shrimp get cloudy and die and all my little babies are starting to cloud up and die. the 2 shops that carry paragaurd in the area are closed for the day.... What else is a good alternative I might be able to find

[GeToChKn]

Do you have indian almond leaves? You can make a tea with them and pour the liquid in. I used that for a quick fix. It may lower pH a bit but a lower pH is usually better for bacteria infections anyways.

[speedie408]

Steve,

Use API Melafix. Its made from a natural tea extract so it's safer to use on delicate shrimp. It works much better than paragaurd. You need to keep utmost cleanliness and temps should stay below 74F. Very important with Tigers.

Nick

[wicca27]

good to know about the melafix nick i keep that on hand all the time

[sbarbee54]

I bought 10 shrimp from someone and I think they brought it in with them

[speedie408]

Bummer bro.... Dose that melafix. It will heal the sick shrimp too. But it takes about 3-4 weeks to heal completely. Follow the bottle instructions.

Stuff smells good too

[ravensgate]

This is good to know. I bought some PAraguard a couple of weeks ago just to keep on hand. I'll have to get some Melafix too. I'd rather be prepared, the nearest pet store to me is 25 miles away, one way.

[wicca27]

you can even double up on the melafix and it wont hurt the shirmp i did it for a while with some of mine. i like the smell to and you can get it at walmart so its pretty handy for any one to get

[Kunsthure]

Originally Posted by speedie408

Use API Melafix. Its made from a natural tea extract so it's safer to use on delicate shrimp. It works much better than paragaurd.

Why didn't you tell me that before? You had me thinking I would have to bleach everything in the tank.

-Lisa

[Jadenlea]

Originally Posted by wicca27

you can even double up on the melafix and it wont hurt the shirmp i did it for a while with some of mine. i like the smell to and you can get it at walmart so its pretty handy for any one to get

It does smell good! Speedy, do you mean you have to dose it for 2 weeks or just it takes 2 weeks to get better ?

[speedie408]

Originally Posted by Kunsthure

Why didn't you tell me that before? You had me thinking I would have to bleach everything in the tank.

-Lisa

Lol because I don't use melafix (used it in the past), I'm cheap. I like bleach much better and it's cheap.

[speedie408]

Originally Posted by Jadenlea

It does smell good! Speedy, do you mean you have to dose it for 2 weeks or just it takes 2 weeks to get better ?

Dose for the entire duration. Follow the instructions.

[Kunsthure]

Originally Posted by speedie408

Lol because I don't use melafix (used it in the past), I'm cheap. I like bleach much better and it's cheap.

Hrmph.

-Lisa

[speedie408]

Lisa,

Remember I said take my info with a grain of salt? Ultimately bleach is best if you want to sanitize the entire tank and not look back on another possible outbreak. Now that we're on this subject, I've only bleached Akadama successfully. I have not tried bleaching any other substrates.

[sbarbee54]

First dose in. I will keep everyone posted. Says does for a week then 25% water change. Repeat if needed. Did a 60% water change first to eliminate most water born bacteria that might have been in there