Graeme Jackson Posted February 25, 2007 Report Share Posted February 25, 2007 Hi Guys, I too am having problems with BGA. I have read back and see that the answer is Erythromycin. A couple of questions for those who have used it. Where do I get Erythromycin from?. LFS no good. How much do I use? and how often? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted February 25, 2007 Report Share Posted February 25, 2007 It is a prescription only antibiotic so you would need to get it from a vet. You use 2.5mg/litre then the same again after two days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Discusguru Posted February 25, 2007 Report Share Posted February 25, 2007 Yes, get it from a vet. I just recently treated my 600 ltrs planted tank with 6 tablets of ERA tablet and everything cleared up within 2 days. Only use 1 treatment and the BGA never return. ron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DubbieBoy Posted February 26, 2007 Report Share Posted February 26, 2007 I've posted this before and I'm going to post it again because this has come up a few times recently and it really irritates me... Gotta throw my two cents in here... Inappropriate use of antibiotics is what has us in the mess we're in with regard to increasing prevalence of multi-drug resistant bacteria and human health and, IMHO, any application of an antibiotic other than for medical reasons, is inappropriate. This includes the aquarium hobby. Its a prescription drug and any doctor/vet/pharmacist who doles it out like smarties is being very irresponsible. Erythromycin might not be high up on the ever-decreasing list of effective anti-microbials but the principle is the same. In any case, erythromycin is only effective against blue-green algae and even then it will only eliminate the current bloom but will not rectify the cause so inevitably the bugs return, only next time slightly more resistant to the drug. There are other ways of eliminating algae and I think one has to address the cause rather than the result. Dosing with antibiotics removes the symptoms but not the cause, it usually comes back because the initial problem remains. PS - I am not a crank whew, feel better now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
purplecatfish Posted February 26, 2007 Report Share Posted February 26, 2007 I'd like to throw a penny's worth into the ring but as the lowest denomination coin is 10 cents you can have a dime's worth of my opinion and experience for free :lol: . Taking the holistic approach, treat both the cause and the symptoms. I've tested my water to discover that the phosphate level of 5 to 10 ppm (=mg/L) was most likely the cause of the original bloom (that will teach me to skimp on the water changes :lol: ). So several water changes later and some phos-ex the bga was still there :evil: just not blooming so I treated the tank. However I can smell it in my other tanks although I can only just see it on some cambomba. Therefore I'm about to treat all my tanks so that they don't reinfect each other. The effect of this will be to remove all of the bga in my fish room so that if it ever comes in again it will be from another source and the risk of a resistant strain developing is minimal. BUT please note I have identified the source of the bloom first (i.e. me/waterchanges). I'll need to invest in a set of nets and a siphon for each tank which makes cross contamination less likely. Good tank hygiene practices will pay for them in the long run . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted February 26, 2007 Report Share Posted February 26, 2007 I have tried peroxide but had no success this time, so used antibiotics and water changes to try and prevent it coming back. It will always be there so cross contamination is not a problem it is getting the balance right. Like a doctor or vet I only use it as a last resort. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted March 3, 2007 Report Share Posted March 3, 2007 The main reason antibiotic resistence is established is through treating with an insufficient dose or stopping the treatment part way through. This is why Doctors insist you take antibiotics until they are all finished. It is therefore important to use enough ( at least 2.5ppm or mg/l) and to dose again two days later. This will make sure there are no bugs left to become antibiotic resistent. They will return (from the environment) if you do not control the conditions which encouraged them in the beginning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted March 3, 2007 Report Share Posted March 3, 2007 I got it from infected plants and I tried everything to get rid of it but nothing worked. Used Erythromycin as a last resort (and handily I work for a doctor so could get it without prescription) and it worked within 24 hours with no detrimental effects to fish or bacteria in the filter. BG has never returned. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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