using octozin

[fish_r]

with octozin do i just drop the tablets into the tank or do i crush it up in some tank water then add back to the tank ? also will the lighting on my tank affect the octozin. going to turn my UV off as i read in another thread.
anything else i need to know about using this product ?
have only medicated my fish once and it was a disaster, so just want to be sure ?
also with working out how much water is in my tank, do i measure above the substate to get the correct dosage rates ?
finally will octozin affect my plants ?

sorry for so many questions, but i want to get it right :?

[Bill T]

I crush the tablets to the finest I can & then mush them up in a bit of aquarium water before putting them into the tank.
Never botherred my plants.
I allow about 10% for substrate, rocks, plants etc.
Yes, do turn the UV off.
I kept my light on.
Be sure to rinse out your filter when finished.
Stay alert to ammonium spikes.

By the way, what's wrong with your fish? How come you need Octozin?

[fish_r]

thx for the reply Bill
i have one fish that isn't growing. all my other fish have way out grown it, and it is very skinny, but eats normally like the other fish and is a good colour"so dont think it's hex" i have used prazi a few times now on them by crushing a tablet and mixing with food.
i'm not real keen on using Levamisole and read Octozin is good for internal parasites among other things, so was just going to treat both tanks as a preventative measure.

[taksan]

just drop the tablets in ....UV's off, Chems out, Lights off (is best)

it won't effect your plants or your biofilter or anything else.

[samir]

what is Octozin supposed to do anyway ? I've heard from various sources that it does the same job as metro, but at my place it hasn't done a thing.
I tried it out on two sick fish with white poo (not my fish) and it didn't work. i treated the others with metro and they were cr@pping solids in a couple of days.

[taksan]

I've heard from various sources that it does the same job as metro,

Octozin IS Metro (shhhhhhhhhhhhhhh)

[fish_r]

thx for the reasurance...
will give it a try and c how it goes.

[elvip]

Hi all,
I am sure that Octozin must also contain another antibiotic other than just metro - when I used it in my tank I found it killed off some of my filter bacteria (spike in nitrates, nitrites and ammonia)- so there must be another antibiotic present other than just metro (don't know what it may be though??) - as I have never had metro alone affect my filter bioflora.
So best to use in a hospital tank or disable your main filtration system - as you may wipe out your bioflora!!
Cheers
Elvip

[Bill T]

I also have experienced this ammonium spike following octozin use - nitrites & nitrates could thus be expected to follow?

I think there is a cumulative effect as the spike only occurred after the third dose. It wasn't a huge spike and the tank recoverred within a few days, so I don't think the bio-load was killed off, otherwise there would have been a major catastrophe.

Maybe there is some sugar in their preparation, or some other transporting agent that could be the culprit?

[iro11a]

How long does it take octozin to take effect using it on my discus now which haven't eaten for nearly 3 weeks and so far they are swimming a bit more but spit the food back out once they try and eat the blood worms.

I just put 3rd dose in just then?

Cheers jono

[Merrilyn]

Unfortunately it's not a magic bullet Jono. Hopefully it will help your fish, but it may take a while.

[Bill T]

Well, your fish have been sick for a long time. The fact they are showing interest in food is encouraging, but keep holding your breath! I hope they pull through.
I myself have killed off numerous fish, including discus. I even went so far as to swear I would never again keep discus - lasted about a month.

Apart from some ageing cardinals, I've had no deaths for the past three years & my discus are the talk of the town!

[taksan]

For extreme cases Octozin can be used at up to 4 times the normal dosage rate every as often as every 8 hours for maximum effect.
The Dosage rate on the bottle is extremely low.

[DiscusEden]

Is there any benefit in using it in the main tank rather than a hospital tank? What I mean is, does an infection hang around on the plants, gravel, other tankmates if they are not treated at the same time?

By the sounds, the benefit of using a hospital tank may be in saving the filter having any knocks?

What's the concensus?