Re: [APD] Sulfa antibiotics and plants

["Jerry Smith" <jerrytheplater at hotmail_com>]

Rich Green wrote:

>If one was faced with needing to use a chemical that would be detrimental  
>to
>the plants in order to effectively treat a problem with the fish, why not
>remove the plants?

You have an excellent idea I didn't think of. It didn't even dawn on me to 
take out the plants. This is such an obvious thing to do. I feel really dumb 
not thinking of it. I was treating for Flexibacter Columnaris which I read 
can live for up to 32 days without fish in hard water in an article here: 
http://www.nationalfishpharm.com/articles/columnaris.html 3rd paragraph 
down.

I finished the treatment today, drained 90% of the water and replaced. Added 
Excel, traces, KNO3, KH2PO4. The fish look fine. The duckweed is destroyed. 
There are maybe 20-30 still green plants left. The top was covered 
previously. I can easily get more and at no expense so this is not an issue. 
The C. blassii continues to melt but I am hoping it will recover. The H. 
polysperma really doesn't look injured at all. The C. spiralis looks weaker 
but nowhere as bad as the blassii. I expect full recovery. The Hornwort is 
melted completely too.

>>Are there common things we treat fish for that would attach to the plants
>and SURVIVE that long in a bag? Say a quick Hydrogen Peroxide rinse before
>adding back to the tank??

According to the article I referenced above, the Flexibacter can survive for 
32 days without a host in hard water. Would a simple DI water rinse help? 
How about the H2O2 you suggest or bleach. I don't know what would be 
required to be sure not to re-infest. I sure don't want to risk the fish to 
find out though.

Any further comments would be appreciated.

Thanks

Jerry Smith


_______________________________________________
Aquatic-Plants mailing list
Aquatic-Plants at actwin_com
http://www.actwin.com/mailman/listinfo/aquatic-plants