Hi! I am currently medicating my Betta's tank with Maracyn 1 & 2 for a case of fin rot. I am following the dosage recommendations on the packaging. The water is disturbingly cloudy!

So, i would like to do a waterchange today - do i need to replace the meds i've removed through the waterchange? I think that the meds have an accumulative effect, so if i do a waterchange, i think i have to add back the meds i removed. I've been using a half a tablet each of maracyn 1 & 2 every 24 hours, over the last 72 hours. This makes 1.5 tablets each of maracyn 1 & 2 in total. So if i take out 50% of the water, should i add back in 50% of the meds? That would be 3/4 of a tablet each of Maracyn 1 & 2 that i would be putting in, in addition to today's dose of 1/2 a tablet each, which would make 1 1/4 tablets each?

Is this right? Math has never been a strong point with me, and i get panicky when it's important! I've included a current pic of the tank - i know that cloudy water can be normal during medicating, but i can hardly see the back wall of the tank!

Thanks so much for all your help!
Dana.

Hi Dana! This is quite a tricky question because these antibiotics are degraded in the aquarium. Erythromycin (maracyn) disappears very fast from the aquarium and minocycline (Maracyn 2) lasts longer. A large fraction of these antibiotics gets attached to the biological film covering all surfaces of your aquarium and to the filters. It is difficult to estimate how much antibiotic is left in the water after 24 hours.

While it is important to maintain the concentration of antibiotics throughout the treatment period, it is dangerous to overdose. Stick to the manufacturers instructions. Usually treatments are in periods of 5 to 10 days with partial water changes at the end of ea/ period. Don't despair! Looks ugly... but hold on, finish the treatment

Hey Dana,

Is this Charlie Parkers tank? Poor little guy...What are your water params? If your readings are safe maybe give it another day to clear up?

Because I am still cycling and had one tank on maracyn for ich I replaced the medication amounts with the removal of water with no problems whatsoever but the tank I'm speaking about also houses pretty large goldies at the moment...

Hopefully somone with experience under their belt with this kinda stuff will be around soon to help!

Wish I could be of more help!

Hang in there!

Kats