Aquarium Medication FAQ: Safe With Plants Shrimp Snails
Most aquarium medications contain copper, formalin or methylene blue — all of which kill invertebrates instantly and stress plants. Shrimp keepers and planted tank owners need a separate hospital tank and shrimp-safe alternatives like API General Cure, Seachem ParaGuard and prazi-pro. This aquarium medication faq from Gensou Aquascaping at 5 Everton Park covers safe pairing, dosing and removal, and this guide answers the 10 questions Singapore aquarists ask most about aquarium medication.
Which meds are plant-safe?
Seachem ParaGuard, API General Cure (active: praziquantel and metronidazole), Esha 2000 and most antibiotics are plant-safe at standard doses. Copper-based meds (Cupramine, Coppersafe), formalin/malachite green combos (Rid-Ich), and methylene blue all damage delicate plants — Glossostigma and red stems brown within 48 hours. Treat in a separate hospital tank when planted display is involved.
Which meds kill shrimp?
Anything copper-based — instant kill, and copper persists in substrate for months. Formalin, malachite green, salt above 1 ppt, and most ich treatments are shrimp-toxic. Praziquantel-only products like Prazi-Pro are shrimp-safe at half-dose. The treatment range labels shrimp safety clearly — read before dosing.
Are snails affected by medication?
Yes. Copper and any product labelled “kills snails” should be avoided if you have nerite, mystery, or assassin snails you want to keep. Ramshorn and pond snails are typically pest species and many aquarists tolerate the loss. Praziquantel and most antibiotics are snail-safe.
How do I dose accurately?
Calculate exact tank volume — gallons or litres, depending on label. Many meds dose at 1 ml per 40 litres, easy to miscalculate. Use a syringe with millilitre markings, never a household teaspoon. Underdosing breeds resistance; overdosing kills fish. Dose at lights-off when fish are calm and oxygen demand is lower.
Should I remove carbon during treatment?
Yes. Activated carbon, Purigen and chemical filtration absorb most medications within hours, neutralising the dose. Remove during treatment and replace after the protocol completes — fresh carbon helps strip residual medication afterward. Note Seachem MatrixCarbon and similar products on the aquarium equipment section.
How long should I medicate?
Follow label exactly. Ich treatments run 7-14 days because the parasite cycles through different life stages — short courses miss free-swimming theronts. Antibacterial treatments run 5-7 days. Internal parasite treatments often need a second dose 14-21 days later to catch newly hatched eggs.
Can I combine medications?
Rarely safely. API General Cure plus melafix is acceptable for fungal-bacterial mixed infections. Most other combinations stress fish or interact unpredictably. If first treatment fails, complete the course, water change 50 per cent, run carbon for 48 hours, then start the second medication.
What about salt as a treatment?
Aquarium salt at 1-3 grams per litre treats stress, fin rot, and assists with mild ich. Most tetras, rasboras and shrimp tolerate it poorly above 1 g/L. Livebearers and goldfish handle higher doses. Use only sodium chloride without iodine or anticaking agents — Tetra AquariumSalt or API Aquarium Salt are aquarium-grade.
Should I raise temperature when medicating?
For ich, yes — 30°C accelerates the parasite life cycle and exposes free-swimmers to medication faster. For most other treatments, normal temperature is fine. Increased temperature lowers oxygen, so add aeration. Singapore tanks already running 28-30°C may not need additional heating. Browse aquascaping tools for digital thermometers and air pumps.
How do I clean the tank after treatment?
50 per cent water change at the end of the protocol. Run fresh carbon for 7-14 days to strip residuals. Test ammonia and nitrite — many medications stress nitrifying bacteria, causing mini-cycles. Dose Seachem Prime daily for the first week post-treatment. Avoid adding new fish for at least 14 days to let the biofilter recover fully.
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Still Have Questions About Your Tank?
Drop by Gensou Aquascaping — most walk-in questions get answered in under 10 minutes by someone who has set up hundreds of tanks.
5 Everton Park #01-34B, Singapore 080005 · Open daily 11am – 8pm
