HANDBOOK OF DRUGS AND CHEMICALS

USED IN THE TREATMENT

OF FISH DISEASES
HANDBOOK OF DRUGS AND CHEMICALS
USED IN TIlE TREATMENT
OF FISH DISEASES
A Manual of Fish Pharmacology and Materia Medica

By
NELSON HERWIG
Curator of Fishes
Houston Zoological Gardens
Houston, Texas

With Forewords by

Louis Garibaldi
Curatorial Departments Director
New England Aquarium
Boston, Massachusetts

and

R.E. Wolke, D.V.M.

Comparative Pathologist
University of Rhode Island
Kingston, Rhode Island

CHARLES C THOMAS • PUBLISHER

Springfield • Illinois • u.s.A.
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© 1979, by NELSON HERWIG

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N-ll

Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data

Herwig, Nelson
Handbook of drugs and chemicals used in the treatment of fish
diseases.
Bibliography: p. 238
1. Aquarium fishes-Diseases. 2. Fishes-Diseases. 3. Veterinary
Pharmacology. I. Title.
SF458.5.H47 639'34 78-11764
ISBN 0-398-03852-X. - ISBN 0-398-06388-5 (pbk.)
To the living memory of my father
Walter Nelson Herwig (1911-1969)
 FOREWORD

S had to contend with a broad

INCE MAN FIRST BEGAN to keep fish in ponds and tanks, he has
spectrum of disease problems. By
"trial and error" methodology, a body of knowledge developed
from those trials that were successful. This, in turn, has led to
the development of what can be termed, for lack of a better name,
fish pharmacology. Over the years, many successful, and some not
so successful, disease treatments have been described in a wide
variety of publications. However, many of these articles are not
readily available, are obscure, or have never found their way into
translation from foreign publications. Therefore, professional
fish culturists and amateur aquarists (hobbyists) alike have de-
pended on a handful of "medicine cabinet" remedies. Although
these remedies are widely used with qualified success, fish fanciers
and workers in this field have expressed a need for a comprehen-
sive guide to alternate solutions and remedies.
There are many reference works regarded as indispensable by
professionals in various fields. Writers frequently refer to the
ever-useful thesaurus, chemists use The Merck Index, doctors have
their P.D.R. (Physicians' Desk Reference), and new parents read
Dr. Spock. However, there never has been such a comprehensive
reference work for the fish hobbyist or aquaculturist.
From years of research and review of all the available litera-
ture, Nelson Herwig has produced a reference that satisfies this
need. This amazingly thorough review of the published literature
includes almost every remedy imaginable, including, for the sake
of thoroughness, some of questionable merit (noted as such).
What was begun as a personal compilation of the available litera-
ture has been expanded into a comprehensive reference volume to
the chemicals and drugs that have been used in the treatment! of

vii
Vlll Drugs and Chemicals Used in Treatment of Fish Diseases

fish diseases. Thus, another tool has been added to our resources,
one which will be used frequently and will be well appreciated. It
is hoped that this work will act as a springboard, inspiring others
to contribute to this body of knowledge.
LOUIS E. GARIBALDI
 FOREWORD

F fish raised have varied from

OR THOUSANDS OF YEARS man has cultured fish. The species of
climate to climate and geographic
area to geographic area, but the final result has been the same in
each instance, an endeavor that has brought food and aesthetic
pleasure to mankind. The publication of this book brings to
mind the responsibilities of variouSi professions for the health of
fish associated with such culture.
Contemporary fish culture has reached new heights of produc-
tivity. More and more in the modern world, fish are commer-
cially produced for human consumption and placed in aquaria for
their aesthetic beauty. In both instances the animals are raised in
confined areas with high population densities. Husbandry of this
type may lead to severe disease problems and costly epizootics.
Disease has always been a problem, and the literature sur-
rounding the area is plentiful. The foundation of our knowledge
concerning these diseases was laid by investigators from many dif-
ferent scientific fields: fishery biology, bacteriology, virology,
parasitology, and ichthyology. The foundation is a firm one, and
much is owed to the early and contemporary work of these
scientists.
One notes, however, a startling absence of medically trained
individuals among the ranks of those concerned with fish health.
In fact, the contribution from members of the medical field has
been minimal. The major responsibility for the health and wel-
fare of all animals, both companion and food producing, should
lie with the veterinary profession. There seems to be little ques-
tion that medically trained individuals could make a major contri-
bution towards the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of fish
diseases. The veterinarian, with his knowledge of anatomical
pathology, clinical pathology, and medical techniques, is in a

ix
x Drugs and Chemicals Used in Treatment of Fish Diseases

unique position to assist the culturist. He has been trained to ap-

preciate epizootiological problems and the relationships of large
numbers of animals to their environment. The responsibility to
make a contribution, however, lies with the veterinary profession.
Members of the veterinary profession must recognize this responsi-
bility and join hands with those of other professions who have
and will continue to address themselves to fish health problems.
A major problem to culturists and other scientists concerned
with fish diseases is access to the literature. Much has been
written, but it is literally scattered far and wide and is often out
of date or inaccessible. In addition, one of the least carefully in-
vestigated areas of fish health is therapeutics. Handbook of Drugs
and Chemicals Used in the Treatment of Fish Diseases addresses
itself to both problems. It brings under one cover much of the
knowledge concerning drugs used to treat diseases of fish, and it
does so in a logical and easily accessible manner. It is a careful
work, encompassing years of painstaking research and attention to
detail. Now culturists, hobbyists, and scientists alike can come to
one source to gather information on piscine therapeutics. The
work will serve as a reference for years to come and is in this re-
spect a contribution of some consequence to the field of fish health.
While this book is essentially a compilation of drugs used to
treat fish, it should stand as a challenge to veterinary pharmacolo-
gists and all scientists concerned with fish diseases to advance our
knowledge in the field and to recognize the contributions that
may be made by all, medical and nonmedical scientists alike.

R. E. WOLKE~ D.V.M.
 PREFACE

T does exist.
HE ART AND SCIENCE of fish medicine is in the dark ages, but it
From the rank amateur hobbyist who comes into
the pet store and exclaims, "My fish have all died, how come?," or
says, "I think my fish are sick, I need some fish medicine," to the
academic expert who is the accepted authority and whose best
answer is, "Try it, who knows, it might work," or "Authority No.
256 recommends it in his paper," very few really know how, why,
or even if most drugs and medications work on fish. Confusing
opinions are rampant. It is into this seething cauldron of confu-
sion that I pour this effort. I know not whether it will fan the
flames of controversy or quench the fires of ignorance. But I do
know this: I am no authority. I have not written this book be-
cause I knew the answers, but because I didn't, and in all too
many instances still do not. When I found an answer to my ques-
tions or even the remote likelihood of an answer, I wrote it down.
Soon, people began coming to me for answers to their fish prob-
lems. My "answers" are the product of other authorities' answers
with a smattering of my own practical experience of the past
twenty-two years of fish keeping thrown in for good measure.
It must be noted that there may be some drugs that the reader
feels should have been included. Their absence here does not
infer their ineffectiveness, nor does the inclusion of a drug signify its
endorsement. Being a compilation of my own and others' re-
search, the reader may find discrepancies with his own evidence.
If so, I welcome any comments and criticisms which will enlighten
both our boundaries of knowledge.
N.H.

xi
 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I WOULD LIKE to extend my heartfelt thanks to Mr. Felix Saucedo,

graphics illustrator at the San Antonio Zoo, who in his spare
time with just a few deft strokes of his pen reproduced all the
chemical formulae and graphs contained herein, which had defied
my own best efforts for years.
Also, thanks go to Mr. Joseph Noto, commercial artist, who
stepped in at the last minute with some essential additions and
corrections when Felix was indisposed with a broken leg.
N.H.

xiii
 CONTENTS
Page
Foreword by Louis E. Garibaldi. . . .. . . . .. . . .. . . . . . . ... . . .. .. vii
Foreword by R.E. Wolke.. ... ... .. . .............. .......... ix
Preface Xl

PART I: FISH PHARMACOLOGY

Chapter
l. THERAPEUTICS IN FISH DISEASES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • 5
Types of Therapy Other than Drug Therapy.. ....... 5
2. DRUG THERAPY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . . . . . • • • 11
Original Sources of Drugs .......................... 11
Active Principles of Drugs (Active Ingredients) ...... 13
Forms of Medication (Pharmaceutic Preparations) ... 17
Methods of Administration ........................ 24
Calculation of Dosages and Solutions ............... 37
3. ACTIONS AND USES OF DRUGS.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . 57
Classification by Action or Activity on Fish .......... 59
Antiseptics and Disinfectants ....................... 62
Chemotherapy .................................... 64
Antibiotic Therapy ............................... 75
4. TOXICOLOGy......................................... 82

PART II: MATERIA MEDICA

5. 87
ANNOTATED DOSAGES AND TREATMENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . • • . . .
Introduction ..................................... 88
Annotated Alphabetical Listing of Drugs and Synonyms 92

Appendices ............................................... 209

Bibliography .............................................. 238

xv
HANDBOOK OF DRUGS AND CHEMICALS
USED IN THE TREATMENT
OF FISH DISEASES
 PART I
FISH PHARMACOLOGY
 Chapter 1

THERAPEUTICS IN FISH DISEASES

TYPES OF THERAPY OTHER THAN DRUG THERAPY

E forms of therapy are just as inimportant

VEN THOUGH THIS BOOK DEALS detail only with drugs, other
and ofttimes may be
even more important than medication. My failure to consider
these methods in detail here should in no way be regarded as an
indication of their lack of usefulness in practice.

Regulation of Activity as Therapy

Regulation of activity by increasing or decreasing a fish's
movements by physical restraint, expansion or reduction of swim-
ming area, removal or addition of objects or decorations in tanks,
and increasing water flow, thereby forcing swimming movements,
may all be at times considered as forms of treatment. However,
these methods are little used as a form of treatment other than to
provide stimulation of blood circulation, remove noxious or toxic
substances from the body through increased respiration, or prevent
parasites from becoming attached. Therefore, no further con-
sideration of these methods will be given in this text.

Physiotherapy
Physiotherapy of fish diseases is obtained primarily through the
use of heat, i.e. raising the temperature to speed up the life cycle
of pathogenic organisms so that a drug may act on a particular
stage of its life cycle. Conversely, lowering the temperature to
slow down the life cycle of a pathogenic agent until more appro-
priate treatment can take effect may also be an important type of
therapy. Massage of the body parts is generally never attempted

5
6 Drugs and Chemicals Used in Treatment of Fish Diseases

in fishes and should probably be discouraged at all times, with the

possible exception of stripping in the case of an egg-bound female.
Ice may be floated in plastic bags in overheated aquaria to pre-
vent anoxia or brain damage caused by heat stroke. There is evi-
dence to indicate that some disorders-forms of exophthalmus, for
instance-may be alleviated by placing a sick fish under long wave
ultraviolet light for several hours each day (Bevan and Zeiller,
1960) .

Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy is usually not thought of as being possible or is
of limited concern in treatment; however, provisions for the psy-
chological needs of a fish may be therapeutic (Gr. therapeutikos-
healing, curative, alleviative) or prophylactic in nature. Provid-
ing suitable hiding places or specific types of plants may be ex-
ceedingly important, preventing both anaphylactic shock and/or
tissue trauma caused by the fish fleeing into solid objects or glass
walls. It is also possible that some types of drugs may affect or
alter a fish's normal behavior patterns. Careful observation is
indicated when treating fish diseases. Turning off the lights and
allowing a fish to rest in the dark or putting an opaque screen
around a tank may be all that is required for recovery from acute
shock.

Surgery
Surgery of fishes is at present confined to the body surfaces.
Removal of external parasites with forceps or clipping a diseased
or injured fin is pretty much the extent to which surgery can at
present be carried out safely. However, internal surgery of the
visceral cavity has been successfully performed experimentally,
and the time is soon coming when rare or endangered fishes will
be able to undergo extensive abdominal surgery. Tumor re-
moval by surgical means is not now uncommon. Nodules produced
by the viral disease lymphocystis may be surgically excised, which
is the only effective treatment known in this case.
 Therapeutics in Fish Diseases 7
Diet or Nutritional Therapy
Diet or nutritional therapy is yet another aspect of treatment
that is often not regarded as a ways and means of preventing or
correcting disease conditions. Yet nutritional diseases and dis-
orders, particularly the avitaminoses, are a major reason for the
lowered resistance leading to the outbreak of diseases by pathologi-
cal organisms, as well as being debilitating or fatal in their own
right. An entire encyclopedia could be written on this facet of
diseases and therapeutics of fishes. Technically, the vitamins
themselves are drugs. They are not included in this work be-
cause of their intricate interrelationship with food and nutrition,
and it is felt that other sources can provide more of the essential
detail necessary for their thorough coverage. However, a study of
nutritional disorders, particularly in diseases of the liver, should
not be neglected.
Regulation of Environment
The regulation of environment as therapy primarily entails
water quality and its management by physical, chemical, or me-
chanical means. Adequate and well-managed filtration systems
either with or without carbon or charcoal would fall under this
heading. Its importance in preventing the occurrence or inhibit-
ing the spread of disease cannot be overemphasized. A diatomace-
ous earth filter in aquaria can remove bacteria, provided a proper
grade of filter media is used (see Fig. I-Ia and I-Ib) , and some
types of bacteria will adsorb to activated carbon granules. An-
other form of environmental regulation therapy would include
the planting of reeds in a pond or of sticking bamboo stakes in
the bottom for the fish to scratch themselves against in order to re-
move parasites (Hoffman and Meyer, 1974). All are forms of
therapy utilizing the physical environment. Water pollution and
toxins can also be placed here as a major source of disease and dis-
orders of fishes, and their elimination or control can be considered
a form of treatment. Toxicology (Gr. toxikos-poison; logos-
knowledge of) of fishes is still in its infancy, but it is a rapidly
growing area of study by environmental ecologists. I have for the
most part arbitrarily placed it outside the scope of this book, al-
though it will be discussed briefly in a later section.
8 Drugs and Chemicals Used in Treatment of Fish Diseases

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Immunization
Immunization is a very complex aspect of fish medicine. The
natural production of antigens and antibodies and their induced
production through the use of vaccines and serums is an interest-
ing study. Much has been done in this area, particularly in the
viral diseases of Salmonidae used as food. The methods and pro-