The aquarist's pharmacy for discus: a complete medication kit

In short

• Minimal emergency kit (approx. €47, RO estimate): Seachem Prime + eSHa 2000 + a vitamin supplement + Epsom salt + a water test kit.
• Complete kit (approx. €113–151, RO estimate): adds Metronidazole, Levamisole+Praziquantel, JBL Punktol, catappa leaves.
• Universal rules: remove the activated carbon + maximum aeration + read the leaflet before use.
• Do NOT combine medications without knowledge — dangerous cumulative toxicity.
• Storage: a dry, dark place, 18-22°C (64-72°F) — check expiry dates yearly.
• Buy from: EU aquarium specialists (Aquasabi DE, Garnelio DE), local fish stores + veterinary pharmacies for generic Metronidazole / Levamisole. Pricing varies by market — Romania estimates are reference values.

What you'll learn from this guide

To raise healthy discus long-term, the aquarist's pharmacy is just as important as premium food or the filter. A serious Symphysodon keeper always has a medical kit ready — you don't wait for the disease to appear before going to look for the medication, you already have it at home. This guide shows you which medications you need (Metronidazole for Hexamita, Levamisole for worms, eSHa 2000 for Columnaris / bacterial gill infections, JBL Punktol for Ich), standard dosages, approximate EUR prices (Romania-market estimates), where to buy in Romania/EU and — as a bonus — a quick symptom → medication table for emergency decisions.

All prices below are approximate EUR (Romania-market estimates) for reference. Check local availability and pricing in your market.

Minimal kit vs complete kit

🐠 Tip: even if you start small, MANDATORY Prime + eSHa 2000 + a test kit from day one. You won't have time to order when a fish is gasping.

Medication categories — what you need

1. Internal antiparasitics ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Metronidazole — for Hexamita and protozoa

Standard dose: 400 mg / 100L (26 US gal) of water, 10 days Storage: 3-5 years in a dry place

Levamisole — for nematodes (Camallanus, Capillaria)

Dose: 1-2 mg / L, 24h, repeat after 14 days

Praziquantel — for cestodes (tapeworms) and trematodes (flukes)

Dose: 2-5 mg / L, 7 days

2. Antibiotics ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

eSHa 2000 ⭐ TOP RECOMMENDATION — broad spectrum

🐠 If you buy a single antibiotic — make it this one. Covers 80% of bacterial cases in discus.

JBL Ektol Bac Plus 250

• For Columnaris, ulcers, Fin Rot
• approx. €17 / 100ml (RO estimate)
• Per the manufacturer

Sera Baktopur Direct

• Active: nifurpirinol
• 1 tablet / 20L (5.3 US gal)
• approx. €11–15 (RO estimate)
• For acute cases

Waterlife Myxazin

• Specific to Columnaris + bacterial gill infections + Fin Rot
• approx. €19–25 (RO estimate)
• Online (EU)

Kanamycin (severe cases / Dropsy)

• Veterinary prescription
• 250 mg / 40L (11 US gal)
• For Dropsy and systemic infections

3. Antifungals ⭐⭐⭐⭐

JBL Fungol Plus 250

• For Saprolegnia on skin / eggs
• approx. €15–17 (RO estimate)
• Per the manufacturer

Sera Mycopur

• Fungal + ciliate infections
• approx. €11 (RO estimate)

Methylene blue

• For fungus on eggs, mildly antiparasitic
• approx. €5 / 50ml (RO estimate)

4. External antiparasitics ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

JBL Punktol Plus 125 — for Ich

eSHa Exit — a gentler alternative for Ich

• 10 ml / 50L (13 US gal), repeat after 3 days
• approx. €9 (RO estimate)
• Safer for discus than pure JBL Punktol

Sera Costapur F

• Malachite green for Ich, Oodinium / Velvet
• 10 ml / 40L (11 US gal), 4 days
• approx. €13 (RO estimate)

5. Support and recovery ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Seachem Prime — INDISPENSABLE

🐠 Always in the house. Never without it. Saves lives in 90% of beginner "crises".

JBL Atvitol — vitamins

• 1-2 drops in food weekly
• approx. €9 / 50ml (RO estimate)
• Essential after treatments + preventive liver support

Seachem Garlic Guard

• Appetite stimulator + natural antiparasitic
• approx. €11 (RO estimate)
• Alternative: fresh crushed garlic (free)

Non-iodized salt (NaCl)

• For temporary osmoregulation, ulcerations
• approx. €1 / kg, supermarket (RO estimate)
• Dose for discus: max 1-2 g/L, max 7 days

Epsom salt (MgSO₄)

• For Dropsy, constipation
• approx. €5 / kg, human pharmacy (RO estimate)
• Dose 1-3 g/L

6. Natural supplements ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Catappa leaves (Indian almond)

• Natural antibacterial + antifungal, tannins help with healing
• approx. €6–9 / 25 leaves (RO estimate)
• 1 leaf / 50L (13 US gal)

Fresh garlic

• Antiparasitic + appetite stimulator
• Cheap household ingredient
• Crushed into food 1-2× / week

Quick symptom → medication table

For fast decisions in an emergency:

🧮 For exact dosing on the net volume (minus substrate / decor), use the treatment calculator.

Where to buy

Specialized online stores (EU shipping)

Local aquarium stores

• Advantage: see the product, ask immediately
• Drawback: limited stock, sometimes higher prices

Veterinary pharmacies

• For: generic Metronidazole, generic Levamisole, Kanamycin (prescription)
• Advantage: much cheaper (~5-10× less)
• Procedure: introduce yourself as a fish keeper, many accept without issue
• Note: some need a prescription (Kanamycin, strong antibiotics)

Human pharmacies

• For: Epsom salt (magnesium sulfate), clove oil, calcium gluconate
• Very cheap

Universal rules of use

✅ Remove activated carbon BEFORE any treatment (it absorbs the medication)

✅ Maximum aeration — all treatments lower dissolved oxygen

✅ Read the full instructions before use — every product has specifics

✅ Do NOT combine medications without documented knowledge — cumulative toxicity

✅ Isolate the sick fish when possible (a hospital tank)

✅ Complete course — do NOT stop because "it seems better" on day 3

✅ 50% water change + new carbon at the end of treatment

✅ Note dosages and dates — a reference for the future

✅ Check the expiry date yearly

✅ Store in a dry, dark place, 18-22°C (64-72°F)

Medications to AVOID for discus

❌ Pure concentrated malachite green — toxic at high doses, discus are sensitive

❌ Concentrated methylene blue in the main tank — permanently stains silicone / decor

❌ Non-prescribed human antibiotics (amoxicillin, ciprofloxacin etc.) — completely different doses, resistance risk

❌ Copper products at concentrations >0.15 ppm — discus are very sensitive (Sera Med, API Aquarium Salt with Cu)

❌ Furan-2 / nitrofurazone at human dosing — dangerous

❌ "Natural" miracle treatments (homeopathy, aloe vera) — loss of critical time

Correct storage — keep the kit active for years

Average shelf life (stored correctly):

• Sealed powders: 3-5 years
• Opened liquids: 12-24 months
• Sealed liquids: 3 years
• Tablets: 2-3 years

Emergency kit vs Complete kit — comparison

Minimal emergency kit (approx. €47, RO estimate) — MANDATORY recommendation

1. Seachem Prime — ~€15 / 100ml
2. eSHa 2000 (antibiotic) — ~€13 / 20ml
3. JBL Atvitol (vitamins) — ~€9 / 50ml
4. Epsom salt + aquarium salt — ~€6
5. API Master Test Kit liquid — initial purchase (~€47) or strips as a backup

Standard kit (approx. €94, RO estimate)

Adds on top of the minimal:

• Metronidazole powder — ~€8 / 10g
• eSHa NDX (Levamisole + Prazi) — ~€15 / 20ml
• JBL Punktol Plus 125 — ~€11
• Catappa leaves 25 pcs — ~€8

Complete kit (approx. €151, RO estimate)

Adds on top of the standard:

• Pure Praziquantel — ~€17 / 10g
• Sera Baktopur Direct — ~€13
• Waterlife Myxazin — ~€23
• Kanamycin (via vet) — ~€9–19
• JBL Fungol Plus 250 — ~€15

Final checklist — pharmacy setup

• ☐ Bought the minimal emergency kit
• ☐ Labeled with purchase + expiry dates
• ☐ Stored in a dry, dark place, 18-22°C (64-72°F)
• ☐ Prepared a liquid test kit (NOT cheap strips)
• ☐ Noted the symptom → medication table on the cabinet door
• ☐ Yearly check of stock + expiry dates
• ☐ Adjusted the kit by experience (after 6-12 months)

What to do next

📚 Continue learning:

• Hexamita and HITH — Metronidazole in action
• Ich (white spot) — JBL Punktol + temperature
• Oodinium (Velvet) — JBL Oodinol + copper
• Columnaris — eSHa 2000 + how to tell it from fungus
• Saprolegnia (fungus) — Methylene blue + JBL Fungol
• Constipation / swim bladder — Epsom + peas
• Internal worms — Levamisole + Praziquantel

🔧 Practical resources:

• Treatment dosage calculator — automatic for all medications
• Aquarium volume calculator — true volume for dosing
• Aquarium treatments — shop
• Water care — shop
• Visual diagnosis — at the first signs

🐠 Final tip: The best pharmacy is the one you never have to use — focus on prevention (quarantine, stable parameters, a varied diet) and keep the medication at home only as insurance. Beginners spend wrong: they buy 10 medications, no water test kit. Reverse the priorities: water test kit first (90% of "diseases" are bad parameters), then Prime + eSHa 2000, the rest when you have the experience to use them correctly.