neo3 - Frequently Asked Questions

What is this medicine?

What do I use it for?

What is the dosage?

What is the duration of the treatment?

What are the ingredients?

What is this medicine?

Neo3 is a combination broad spectrum antibiotic.
 

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What do I use it for? 

Treatment of ulcerative, erosive or systemic bacterial infections, white/grey patches, snout rot, tail rot, internal gas bubble disease, edema, popeye, or swim bladder infections in seahorses.
 

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What is the dosage?

Two capsules per 10 gallons of seawater per day. It is important to change 25% of the water in the treatment tank daily. Change this amount of tank water every 24 hours before adding the two new capsules for that day.

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What is the duration of the treatment?

The recommended course of treatment is 10 days. You must complete the course of treatment, even if the seahorse looks better. Not completing the course of treatment can result in an antibiotic- resistant bacterial strain which can not be cured.

 

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What are the ingredients?

Aminoglycosides:
Neomycin at a strength of 13mg per litre.

Sulfonamides:
Sulfadiazine
Sulfamerazine
Sulfamethazine 

The sulfa's are dosed at a combined strength of 13mg per litre.
 

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Why these particular antibiotics for seahorses?

Antibiotic sensitivity tests against the most commonly encountered bacterial pathogens of seahorses have shown these antibiotics to be an effective combination.

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Why two types of antibiotics?

Sulfonamides are bacteriostatic. That means they inhibit growth and reproduction of the bacteria, rather than actually killing the bacteria. Bacteriostatic antibiotics require something else to actually kill the bacteria. This can be the seahorse's immune system, or another form of antibiotic. Adding a bactericidal antibiotic from another antibiotic group, such as Neomycin, actually helps kill the bacteria.

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Why not use other types of antibotics?

Resistance to older antibiotics - quinolones, tetracyclines, and macrolides such as erythromycin is common.

Many other antibiotics, such as second generation quinolones and tetracyclines, are quickly inactivated in saltwater by interaction with magnesium and calcium.

Additionally there are problems with administering other antibiotics used by veterinarians in public aquaria to treat seahorses: ceftazidime requires injection, and chloramphenicol can cause fatal aplastic anemia in humans.

 

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Do I need a treatment tank?

Yes. This antibiotic will kill the bacteria responsible for converting ammonia to nitrite and nitrite to nitrate and cause a tank crash.

 

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Should I use a chemical filter, a skimmer or UV steriliser?

No. Carbon or other chemical filters can remove the medication from the water. Skimmers by design will remove the medication and other particles from the water, and finally, a UV filter will brea down the medication, stopping it from working.
 

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What size should a treatment tank be?

The smaller the tank, the quicker the water quality will degrade, especially as there is no operational biofilter. Depending on the size of the seahorses and how many are being treated at once, ten gallons is a good benchmark.

 

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Should I use substrate or live rock?

No, don’t use substrate in the treatment tank. It is easier to see and suction out uneaten food, and monitor whether the fish is voiding faeces which would  indicate if the seahorse is eating.

It is also best not to use live rock. This medication will kill the nitrosomonas/nitrobacter nitrogen fixing bacteria, and could kill invertebrates living in the live rock, triggering an ammonia spike.

 

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What else should I do?

To prevent shock to the seahorses, the water in the treatment tank must be temperature matched to within one degree centigrade and pH matched to within 0.2 of the measurements of the tank from which the seahorse is being moved.

Once the seahorse has been moved, it is advisable to lower the temperature of the treatment tank slowly (no more than 2-3 degrees C per 24 hours)  to 68F ( 18 C ) for the duration of the treatment of the seahorse. Although this is lower than the usual temperature range, seahorses tolerate it and it often slows the progress of the disease, allowing the antibiotics and the seahorse’s immune system a better chance of success.

Plastic hitches, fake corals, etc., can be added for the seahorses to hitch to.

It is important the tank is well aerated, so an open airline with an air pump is essential.

A heater or chiller should be used to maintain the desired temperature. Large swings in temperature over short periods of time should be avoided.

Test kits for ammonia, SG and pH (or better, a probe for reading pH) are essential.

Without a biofilter, water quality will degrade quickly. Detectable ammonia should be addressed immediately with a large (25%) water change as even low level ammonia will further complicate matters. A daily 25% water change is mandatory.

The new water used must be mixed with a powerhead and aged for twenty four hours prior to use. Ideally this should also be aerated for twenty four hours prior to adding the salt mix, but this stage can be skipped if the water is needed in an emergency.
 
 

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How do I dispose of the water afterwards?

The waste water from the treatment tank should be placed in a bucket, and treated with 10ml (2 tsp. ) bleach per 10 litres (2.5 US gallons ) of water for 24-48 hours prior to disposal. It is important to dispose of the waste treatment water correctly, or else you could be introducing partially resistant bacteria to the natural water course.

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