Reef Discussion

Jimsim

Member
Nov 9, 2013
246
146
NEW SOUTH WALES
Tri-sulfa
Hey guys, just wondering if anyone used this before for white-spot and dammaged fins?
my tank is about 3months still baby, and i'm seeing some dammaged fins on the purple tang, the yellow is fine though.
I've got 400L tank and it is recommended 1 tablet per 40L so i crushed 10 and dumped them in a cup or Tank water and waited a few mins then dumped
them in the sump. Not realising that it also elimiates good bacteria. ha-ha should i be worried about a cycle coming up soon after the 3day mark? note skimmer was taken out for the medication of the fishs and the white spot. let me know if anyone has had or used this product before? cheers
tankmates are CB shrimp, PB, yellow, purple tangs. bicolor blenny, lawnmower
james
 

Sam Parker

Moderator
May 6, 2013
4,802
2,397
Geelong
I have never heard of this product before, but did a search and found this. Seems like good solid (and hopefully educated) advice:

The sulfa drugs are all bacterastatic not bacteriacidal, that is they stop bacteria growing but DO NOT directly kill them. It will not kill the bacteria in your filter but will stop them growing or reproducing. So given sufficent time the filter will die as the bacteria only have a limited life span. Fortunatly filter bacteria are long lived and slow breaders for bacteria so it takes some time for the filter to run down. Using triple sulfa I have found rising levels of amonia after the first week. But how long it takes is very variable. In a lightly stocked tank with heavy planting I did not detect any amonia rise in 2 weeks (I expect the plants used more amonia than the fish produced). Other have reported rapid decline in filters in shop tanks.

Since you have started the treatment you should stick to it. A major problem with use of any antibiotic is how rappidly resistance can develop. If you stop using the sulfa drugs now you are likely to increase the resistance of these bugs to the drug. Similarly neaver UNDER dose an antibiotic it just helps produce antibiotic resistance.

Triple sulfa is effective against many bacteria (but not all) some fungi and many protazoans so it is a very broad spectrum drug. But it is not absorbed well by fish from the water. Sulfa drugs are much more effective when feed to the fish mixed with their food. So if the infection is internal (in the fish tissues) then sulfa drugs in the water will do little. They are effective on superfical surface infections or in systemic infections when given as food.

Check the amonia levels in the tank, hopefuly you will finish the treatment before the filter starts to die. Do not underdose or shorten the treatment to prevent antibiotic resistance developing. Do not more infected fish (i.e. any fish in a tank with sick fish) to a healthy tank as it just spreads the infection. If amonia starts to rise do water changes and use a product like prime to bind the amonia. (If it get really out of hand you will have to stop the sulfa, and do massive water changes but hopefuly that will not happen)
Sam
 

MagicJ

Moderator
Jul 11, 2011
9,650
3,761
Hobart, Tasmania
Tri sulfa is an anti bacterial so it may have some effect on the damaged fins (assuming the damage is caused by a bacterial infection and not just a fight with another fish). You will also suffer some damage to your existing bacteria populations, both good and bad so keep an eye on ammonia levels and the behavior of the fish - be in a position to do a large water change if required.

As for the white spot - I can't see how it would have any effect what so ever. It is a parasite not a bacteria.
 

Fishraider123

Member
May 7, 2020
1
0
Hi, I’m currently using it for couple goldies. I removed the carbon filter as stated. And dosed, now my
Nitrate levels are through the roof sitting at 40-80 nitrite is 0 and ammonia is 0. My infected black moor is constantly at the top of the tank I’m assuming for Columnaris but the nitrate isnt helping.

carch 22 to continue to medicate or water change,
 

Mantis Dundee

Member
Jun 24, 2013
136
32
Quakers Hill
I have just come into Tri-Sulfa myself. Seemed to work really well for my lipstick which had 2 areas of dry white infected looking wounds just behind gills, about the size of 5 cent pieces. Fish was really healthy and eating but it was just not getting better on its own and was getting cranky at cleaner wrasse. I used the Tri-Sulfa, didn't think it had worked and then a week or so later the wounds just disappeared quickly so I think it did trick.
I just bought a long horned cow fish last week and its fins were going very cloudy and rotting, cleaner wrass all over it and very in active. Just dumped second dose of Sulfa in today after 3 days and cow fish is swimming around freely, eating better, fins clearing up and wrasse is leaving it alone.
I am wondering why I have only come across this product now after 18 months in the hobby and having lost fish that I probably never had to loose, seems to be fantastic product. Same thing with mine though, I also have 400l tank, even after only a few days I have ammonia getting towards 0.25. After 6 days worth of 2 doses I will change about 100l of warter and throw some carbon in sump. This is what I did last time because my water was colour of cup of tea and it was crystal clear again within 48 hours.
Also I checked with BluePlanet, the brand of Tri-Sulfa I bought and they said it is fine to leave my skimmer and uv sterilizer on. Only thing needs to be removed is any activated carbon or chemical type filteration. Goodluck
 

Susan Bates

Member
Jan 18, 2015
880
117
I have just come into Tri-Sulfa myself. Seemed to work really well for my lipstick which had 2 areas of dry white infected looking wounds just behind gills, about the size of 5 cent pieces. Fish was really healthy and eating but it was just not getting better on its own and was getting cranky at cleaner wrasse. I used the Tri-Sulfa, didn't think it had worked and then a week or so later the wounds just disappeared quickly so I think it did trick.
I just bought a long horned cow fish last week and its fins were going very cloudy and rotting, cleaner wrass all over it and very in active. Just dumped second dose of Sulfa in today after 3 days and cow fish is swimming around freely, eating better, fins clearing up and wrasse is leaving it alone.
I am wondering why I have only come across this product now after 18 months in the hobby and having lost fish that I probably never had to loose, seems to be fantastic product. Same thing with mine though, I also have 400l tank, even after only a few days I have ammonia getting towards 0.25. After 6 days worth of 2 doses I will change about 100l of warter and throw some carbon in sump. This is what I did last time because my water was colour of cup of tea and it was crystal clear again within 48 hours.
Also I checked with BluePlanet, the brand of Tri-Sulfa I bought and they said it is fine to leave my skimmer and uv sterilizer on. Only thing needs to be removed is any activated carbon or chemical type filteration. Goodluck
How is your tank now, i was told to use it for white spot and turn of skimmer and uv
 
Mar 12, 2014
126
73
Newcastle
wont do a thing for white spot
 

sharlie

Member
Jan 10, 2023
1
0
Tri sulfa is all I use for white spot I'm currently treating goldfish now with it and it's all I've used for two years for it and always have a good outcome I've used it on all ranges of fish from community guppies to Oscars and so on.
Also have only used it for fish that get pop eye just finished dosing my flower horn and he is good as new again yes it take a few weeks with pop eye but he looks grate and healthy again.