Stella Posted January 31, 2008 Report Share Posted January 31, 2008 As some of you know I am writing a book on keeping native fish. One of the banes of keeping native fish is BLUE GREEN ALGAE :evil: I am wanting to include a quick note that blue green algae is also killed using Erythromycin (rate of 400mg per 100lt) and that it can be obtained by prescription from a sympathetic doctor/vet/dentist or similar. Thing is, are they actually *allowed* to prescribe it for this? I am concerned that my book should be squeaky clean when it comes to the legalities. (I am getting some from a pharmacist I know who has some about to expire, but he needs a prescription, which my dentist-employer wrote, so there is a paper trail to cover his butt) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted January 31, 2008 Report Share Posted January 31, 2008 I tried a wee while ago to get some from my local vet for control of cyano but the answer was a definate no. I was told that antibiotics had come under greater control recently and they could only prescribe for a particular problem with a particular animal. Antibiotics are prescription only and to obtain them has been a challenge for many years. Basically the rules have to be bent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted January 31, 2008 Report Share Posted January 31, 2008 My boss (a GP) says yes they can do scripts for Erythromycin for that purpose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella Posted February 1, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 1, 2008 My erythromycin arrived today. I knew it was liquid not tablets.... What I didn't know was it is: BRIGHT PINK Cherry Flavoured and contains aspartame and phenylalanine.......! Oh and it is completely useless in a month. I think it will make the water a little cloudy. Oh well, it was free, will give it a go. And I have any number of contacts through which I can get tablets next time. Caryl, how much does it cost to fill a typical script for E-mycin? I can either buy it for $21+gst from Pharmacy Wholesalers or get a script from work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted February 1, 2008 Report Share Posted February 1, 2008 Costs vary around the country as Drs all have different charges. It is whatever a standard script costs you when you go to your Dr plus the chemist fee (which varies according to age, PHO and whether you have aCSC) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted February 1, 2008 Report Share Posted February 1, 2008 I would be careful using liquid because it could have other aditives to make it taste better including sugar which may cause a bacterial bloom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted February 1, 2008 Report Share Posted February 1, 2008 I was thinking the same Alan. The pills have a coating on them too. I dissolve the pills in water first as they take a while to break down (the coating is for exactly that purpose). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella Posted February 2, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 2, 2008 It doesn't contain sugar, the aspartame and phenylalanine is fake sugar. I have no idea what else is in it, so I am dosing just one tank first to see how it goes. Fish are behaving as normal. You don't know what is in the tablets either, it certainly isn't pure E. Tableting agents, probably a lactose (milk sugar) filler, a harder coating who knows what else. I suspect fish are unlikely to be lactose tolerant Tablets would be a little easier I imagine, especially with the short expiry on this liquid stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted February 2, 2008 Report Share Posted February 2, 2008 I suspect the only difference would be the cherry flavouring. Both are Erythromycin ethyl succinate and both are gluten free! I assume you know the suspension must be kept refrigerated. You can also get Erythromycin stearate (also gluten free) but do not know how this differs from the ethyl succinate. Neither Dr was able to hazard a guess for me :-? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted February 2, 2008 Report Share Posted February 2, 2008 The advantage of the tabs is the vitually forever shelf life and the pre measured dose. The tabs are not that soluble but I would suspect that is mainly the carrying agent. I think a warning on the proper use of antibiotics and their use as a last resort would be in place. If the balance of nutrient that caused the outbreak is not corrected it will return. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rufus Posted February 5, 2008 Report Share Posted February 5, 2008 My boss (a GP) says yes they can do scripts for Erythromycin for that purpose. Just to let you know, if you lot came to my clinic asking for erythromycin, or anything else for that matter, for your algae/fish I'd do one of two things - kick you out and ask you not to darken my door again. - refer you to the shrinks. Are you sure doctors can prescribe for things like that? I haven't been registered in NZ that long but I thought prescribing for any use other than the patients medical condition was a big No No. Having said that I'm not a GP and they probably have a lot more freedom than I do ...... Mind you who would know the drugs weren't for the patient as long a the doses weren't stupid? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted February 5, 2008 Report Share Posted February 5, 2008 It is the opposite in the USA. People buy pet drugs to treat humans cos they are cheaper :-? They would only prescribe a small number and they can't be used to make other drugs. In my case, the Dr knows me well, I doubt they would do it for strangers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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