Popeye Not Responding to Maracyn II; Please Help

[Kengar]

AS suggested by the title, the case of popeye my saddleback clown has is not responding to Maracyn II. I've had the fish in hospital tank for four days now, dosing at 2x the box-instructed dosage, and it's actually getting worse (distended by about twice the original distance). One thing I was thinking might be going on is the filter might be pulling out the medicine. I am using a hang-on filter with an insert pad (Millenium 2000), and the filter pad has carbon inside of it. I had the pad sitting on top of the bioballs in my fo trickle filter for the last six or more months, where it was "percolating," so I figured the carbon would have been saturated by now. Thoughts on the issue? I also have a small power sponge filter going in the h-tank (which had been running in the fo sump for a while, too) and I have another small power sponge filter still running in the fo sump; maybe I should pull the millenium filter pad and put in the other power sponge filter to eliminate possibility of the carbon pulling the medication out. Alternatively, do you suggest going to a different medication? Thanks for any guidance.

[Kengar]

copy of a response I got on aqualink:

I used to own a LFS, and when my fish would get popeye I would treat it directly with methylene blue. Net the fish, hold him out of the water in the net and place a drop on the bad eye twice daily. I was able to clear it up (if I caught it early) within a week about 80% of the time.

[billsreef]

IMO dabbing on methylene blue is dubious at best.

The carbon in that filter insert would definately pull out the antibiotic, even when old. Odds are you have now created a strain that is resistant to the maracyn II. You definately need to pull that filter insert out, this is advisable with any medication. I would also suggest changing antibiotics, either nitrofuran or kanamycin should work well.

[FMarini]

Hi:
I'm w/ Bill on this one, the carbon in the filter has mostl likely reduced the effective conentration of the antibiotic and whats worse than being ineffective is the possibility of the growth of a drug resistant clone. Never the less, i would change antibiotics. Try another class of agents like those mentioned. Nitrofuran, I also like kanamycin (its potent) and a much different class of agents.
I also saw MaryHM post to you at aqualink. Can't say I have eveer heard of this, but. If you fish is going down the tubes, then it might be a last ditch effort. However if the fish is still eating and acting okay, then stick w/ the antibiotic
frank