Marketed for ulcers, abrasions and wounds for Koi, this kit is actually one of those 'best kept secrets' that every aquarist with fish over a few inches in size, be they tropical or coldwater, will want, writes Nathan Hill.
Inside the box you get a professional assortment of bits, with not just treatments but also the safety gear and applicators you’ll want when using.
Gloves, swabs and even a spray applicator are all part of the bundle. I’d be ecstatic if a pair of goggles ever found their way in as well, but as it stands there’s no way I can knock what Kusuri have put together here.
You get six chemicals in the pack, all directly related to the treatment of surface wounds in fish. Raised scales, fight injuries, post infection lesions, parasite wounds and a host of other surface maladies are well within the scope of what is included.
First of all you have Masuizai, which is a fish sedative based on the ingredient 2-phenoxyethanol and is the current vogue method of anaesthetising fish. In a worst-case scenario, 2-phenoxyethanol is also the most humane method to euthanise dying fish.
Next is Anti-Bac, an iodine-based medication that can be used to directly treat ulcers as well as bacterially raised scales. Some keepers even report good results using this chemical in tandem with water-soluble treatments to deal with finrot, though this is not mentioned on the packaging.
Roccal Wound Cleaner is included, using the active ingredient benzalkonium chloride, which has been extensively used as a biocide in an antiseptic role, as a cut cleaner for humans as well as an ingredient in hand sanitising. Used in the same sense on a fish’s wound, further infection can be plugged early on.
Top coat sealer is a tincture of benzoin-based antiseptic that helps to form a sealing layer over wounds (hence the name) and is destined here to be used in tandem with my favourite product of all, Orahesive Powder.
Orahesive is nothing more than a watertight sealant, which is sprinkled on to a wound directly after treatment. At the first hint of water, it forms a resilient, almost gelatinous skin that helps to stop osmotic stress as well as keep medications locked against the infected site. Having used the powder countless times, I can attest to just how good a seal it forms underwater.
Verdict
As a complete kit, I couldn’t imagine being without it. Kusuri’s topical kit carries so many chemicals that I would want immediate access to in an emergency. I’d recommend it to anyone who had fish, let alone fish that were prone to fighting and/or physical injuries. It may not exactly be cheap, but it’s still cheaper than a couple of dead Malawis.
Price: RRP £52.45 for an eight-piece kit. More info: kusuri.co.uk