Meet Snickers. He’s called a “Freshwater Lionfish” but in reality he’s a little brackish toadfish. I believe his specific identifier would be “ Batrachomoeus trispinosus”.
Snickers is going to help demonstrate why it’s important that as fish keepers, and store owners are responsible with the ability to sell medications for fish, that normally require a prescription for people, or dogs/cats. There is a loop-hole essentially that allows for companies to make things like fish grade penicillin. I say fish grade, because the dosing is supposed to be specific to fish.
Why would it be useful to have access to such things? Well Snickers here shipped in with an awful face scar looking thing, that was completely fungal looking, but also appeared to have been rooted in a really odd bacterial infection. The longer he was with us, the more of his face it would cover, eventually claiming one eye. The first product that seemed to work was maracyin, but what ever he had was determined, and it came back very quickly even after doing proper dosage. We went through everything we use standard, initially. Multiple medication attempts to get him better.
Finally, we decided to use fish-pen (which is penicillin). We had to dose every day for a period of time, and as you can see it worked! Snickers got his appetite back, he face and one eye is now completely normal and he’s just the cutest little ugg-face ever. One of my co-worker is hoping to set up a tank and bring him home soon.
The thing is, this success story might not have been possible if we didn’t have access to the stronger medications. Unfortunately there are people out there that are going to pet-stores, buying out all of their stock of drugs like this and using them for personal use, or for their cats or dogs. This by itself is likely illegal, but it is also dangerous. One of the things I fret about time to time is if this loop-hole will one day be closed due to this.
I personally go out of my way to ask questions, and I make it a point to explain to each buyer exactly what they need to know. That this is not safe for human consumption, or cat, or dog. I’ve also refused to sell it when the person couldn’t even cough up the name of the species they were treated, or symptoms of any type. It has only happened a few times, but I am always wary when people request these products.
Anyway hope you all enjoyed this post, and Snicker’s delightedly silly face.
