Medications Affecting the Nitrogen Cycle
Sometimes medicating your fish can actually harm them. A case in point is where the medication kills the nitrogen cycle, putting your fish under stress from toxic waste in the tank.
A study was performed to determine what effect common medications for fish diseases had on the nitrogen cycle (nitrification). Specifically the study determined the affect on ammonia removal and nitrate production.
The study was published in ATLA 27, 121-135, January/February 1999. "Short-Term Toxicity of Various Pharmacological Agents on the In-Vitro Nitrification Process in a Simple Closed Aquatic System"
No Affect on Nitrification
- chloramphenicol
- copper (II) sulphate
- kanamycin disulphate
- malachite green
- neomycin sulphate
- potassium penicillin G
- tetracycline
- trimethoprim + sulphadoxin (DuoprimTM)
Inhibited Nitrification
- erythromycin
- chloramine T
- levamisole
- methylene blue
- polymyxin B
- ampicillin (Albipen®)
- enrofloxacin (Baytril®)
From the study: "The data presented suggest that separate tank facilities for hospitalization or quarantine are necessary when treating diseased fish with ampicillin, enrofloxacin, chloramine T, erythromycin, levamisole, methylene blue or polymyxin B, in order to avoid ammonia poisoning."
Necessary Disclaimer: Please note that the authors of the study, nor this site, warrant that this information is correct. Please use the information at your own risk.