# Experience with kanamycin?



## Katy (Apr 10, 2012)

This saga is too long to post details but in short I'm about to lose my sweet Imhy And i've gone thru all of the usual multiple times, water changes, AQ salt, antibacterials, antifungals, antiparasitics... He's had all of the above. This has been going on for months. And now he likely has columnaris, but it's worse- today he has labored breathing.

I have him out of meds in clean water with salt, and it may be too late for him. I'm really just trying to keep him comfortable and I don't want him in any more chemical soup with meds. But the one thing I have not tried, which I got recently, is kanamycin. I'm debating trying that as a last resort but I don't want to stress him with it unless I'm convinced it might help. \

Any experience with kanamycin for bacterial infections out there?
Thanks in advance.


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## Pataflafla (Jun 2, 2011)

Kanamyacin is a wonderful medication in my opinion. I've had a 50/50 rate with it, but with the illness I was trying to treat being unkown and very quick acting, I don't think it was the fault of medication.

It was able to save this girl when these ulcers appeared overnight when she was in her cup, but was unable to save her the second time through the same issue.


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## Aus (Feb 3, 2012)

I did a pile of research on columnaris after losing a fish to it - same thing, nothing worked, just nothing - and learned a heap about the various treatments out there. 

The antibiotic most consistently suggested by experienced aquarists was Kanamyacin (Kanaplex, brand name). It's also broad spectrum, so treats not only gram negative bacteria but also other kinds that may cause secondary infections. 

If it was available here, I'd so use it! Sadly, it isn't, so I use Myxazin. 

I have a saga-fish too, who's a bit stunted and weak, and has had everything under the sun but is still kicking 6 months later.. I hope your boy pulls through.


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## Katy (Apr 10, 2012)

Thank you for all your help. Kanamycin is not readily available here either, but I got it online for Imhy, and I have 15 bettas total so I consider it a good investment-

I did go ahead and dose Imhy with it tonight. He's such a fighter, my sweetie- A rescue fish- he's been through so much. Unfortunately i've rarely seen a fish get better once they have labored breathing, as that suggests end-organ damage. They go pretty fast at that point. My tears are mixing with his salty water right now

I'm so praying for him!

Thanks again for the help-


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## Aus (Feb 3, 2012)

I'm not a huggy person. But -- (((hug))). 

I know how that feels. It's hard to go through.. Fingers and toes crossed, though - these fish are so tough, sometimes. He may just surprise you and pull through. I hope so. :-(


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## Katy (Apr 10, 2012)

Thanks! Crossing all fingers too. Been quite awhile since I lost a fish, many months- With as many as I have, I guess that's lucky, but watching it happen is heart-wrenching.

Good luck to all of you out there with 'saga-fish'.


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## Katy (Apr 10, 2012)

Quick update, Imhy looks better this morning after receiving kanamycin last evening. Quite a change, swimming around, begging for food, and most important, the labored breathing is improved. The saddleback features of columnaris are still visible, but hopefully internal damage has been checked... I can probably deal with external disease-

So all fingers crossed, I am going to finish out the kanamycin course.

My issue though is dosing- this one is not as easy to dose as the pre-packaged fish meds. He got 1 scoop/10gal yesterday, supposed to get a partial change and another scoop today, then it says to treat up to 10 days. But I have no idea if that means adding more scoops or leaving him in the 2 (total) scoops...

Ugh! Any thoughts/experience with kanamycin dosing?


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## Silverfang (Mar 25, 2011)

I treated a girl for columnarious with kanaplex, it's dosing was slightly different. It was one level scoop (it was small) per 5gal. I changed her water daily since I had her in one of those reusable/disposable lunch containers.

She was able to beat a round of the fuzzies (gray covering her mouth) once, but it reoccured a week or so later and she wasn't able to come back from it this time.

Kanaplex (and kanamycin since they are the same) is essential. I ordered it online, but I ordered two vials since I've had horrible luck with columnarious.


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