Kamamycin Sulfate use in Ornamental Fish

Kanamycin Sulfate is one of older antibiotics, first isolated in 1957. However despite its age it is one of the most important tools in the aquarist toolbox. Noted primarily for its effectiveness against gram negative bacteria it also has impact against some farm positive bacteria. Kanamycin is also very versatile in the aquatic environment. While like many antibiotics it is effective incorporated into feed, it has the added benefit and perhaps more importantly its ability to absorbed by the fish across the skin and gill allowing it to enter and be effective against internal disease when the sick fish is not taking food.

Kanamycin is most effective in higher pH environments and tends to be more effective in salt rather than in freshwater. That said is very in either. Always a concern is the impact on biological filtration.

Kanamycin has minimal impact on bio filers especially when compared to on medications, like Erythromycin. Disease conditions like dropsy, pop-eye, columnaris, and septicemia is where Kanamycin Sulfate is most notable.
As with many antibiotics, Kanamycin can have synergistic effects when used in combination with other antibiotics. Two of the most combination are Kanamycin Sulfate / Nitrofurazone and Kanamycin Sulfate/Neomycin Sulfate.

The Kanamycin and Nitrofurazone combination creates one of the most effective and widest spectrum gram negative and gram positive bacteria treatments. It also has a impact across a wider pH range. This combo is noted for its effectiveness against Columnaris and Aeromonas.

The Kanamycin/Neomycin Sulfate combination is another great one for its synergistic effectiveness against difficult cases of Mycobacterium marinum for example.