Antifungal medicine in australia? Ear fungus problems

Can anyone recommend an antifungal treatment thats safe for axies, that can be obtained in australia??

I have just been through a tough time with my axies. They have managed to aquire a fungal infection on their gills.

I have searched though many posts, and spent alot of time finding out whats safe etc.

I know the usual treatment for this sort of thing is salt baths & refrigeration, and i have been doing these twice a day for close to a week. Thus far the salt baths have only seemed to stunt the problem.

Can anyone recommend an antifungal treatment, or offer me any reasurance that what i'm doing is the right thing?

I have bought a bottle of pimafix, which appeared to be the closet thing to furan 2 i could find, only to find out that it causes liver damage etc (and consequently i havn't used it).

I have tested my water, many times and all results are spot on, other than hardness which was a little down (i have added some aquarium salt to help this).

I know this is my first post and I am afraid of sounding a bit like a newbie, but I have already lost 1 so far (RIP Balls).

Andrew - At the bottom of this page http://axolotl.org/health.htmthere is a list of safe and unsafe medications for axolotls.

Were you mixing the salt baths at 2 teaspoons of salt to 2 liters of water and soaking them for 10 min twice a day?

As far as medications go Furan-2 and Nitrofura-G are recommended often.

I wouldn't bother with the pimafix.

You may also want to purchase some Stress Coat it will help them with their slime coat.

Let us know how things are going.

I have previously had a look through that list of medications. My problem lies with my location.
I have been to roughly 10 pet shops in the area and checked on ebay and unable to find a suitable medication.

From what i have read in other peoples posts Furan 2 is unavailable in Australia. Thats probably why i cant find any.

I will however have a look for Nitrofura-G and hopefully will have more luck.

And yes I have been using 2 teaspoons of salt per 2L of water.

I will also take your advise and pick up some stresscoat.

Just on a positive note my two remaining axies are starting to show signs of improvement. I will keep you posted.

Thanks heaps.

Hi Andrew, I am in Sydney and have used Aqua Master 'Tri-Sulfa Tablets' (Made by aristro-pet Qld www.aristopet.com.au). they worked a treat. Ours too had fungus around the gills. We removed him from tank and put him into pet-habitat with filter. It was a while ago but I think we gave him 2 courses over a few days. He was almost back to normal within a few days. Hope this helps. Cheers, Kim

Thanks for that, I'll definatly give it a go.

It just seems so hard to actually obtain the right stuff here in australia.

Also i think the salt baths are winning the battle even though echo still isn't eating. He is starting to at least sniff some of the things i'm offering him and in my past experiences that is a good sign.

Thanks heaps for every-ones input

Fungal ear infection is an infection of the ear with a fungus. It normally involves the canal that runs from the ear hole to the eardrum (the external auditory canal). The medical term for it is otomycosis.


Typically, the ear starts to look red and the skin on the outer part of the ear becomes scaly. It may start to itch and become quite uncomfortable. You may notice discharge beginning to leak out of the ear.


Fungal infection of the ear is more common in people living in tropical and subtropical countries. It's also more common in people who do a lot of water sports such as SCUBA diving and surfing. It occurs more often in the summer than the winter.


Earwax (cerumen) protects the lining of the ear from fungus so anything that reduces the amount of wax (such as sea water splashing into the ear canal and overuse of cotton buds) will allow a fungal infection to take hold. Eczema of the skin inside the ear can be another risk factor.


It you've just come back from SCUBA diving in Hawaii, your doctor may well suspect a fungal cause for your ear infection. Otherwise, because a fungal infection looks just like an infection from germs (bacteria), it's unlikely to be the first thing your doctor thinks of. Most likely, a fungal infection will only be suspected if your infection does not improve with antibiotic drops prescribed for a bacterial infection.


How is a fungal ear infection treated?
If the inside of your ear looks really messy, the doctor may suggest a clean-up. This has the odd name of aural toilet. It can be done by a doctor or more usually a nurse. It involves gently clearing the ear of discharge using swabs, a suction tube or syringe. This may need to be done several times a week in the first instance. Aural toileting eases discomfort and also helps ear drops to get to the right place. However, it may be a bit uncomfortable while you're having it done, and you may need to take some painkillers.

Don't fiddle with your ear, keep it dry and try to resist scratching inside, however itchy it may be, as this will stop the infection from clearing up. It's not usually advisable to put a cotton wool plug in the ear unless you get a lot of discharge and you need to keep it under control for the sake of appearances.

Avoid swimming until the condition clears up.

Your doctor may prescribe 5% aluminium acetate ear drops. This is also known as Burow's solution. It's not an antifungal but is used to calm down inflammation and help remove any muck in your ear.

A similar preparation that helps with inflammation is 2% acetic acid. This is available on prescription or can be bought from the chemist in the form of EarCalm® spray.
There are a number of antifungal ear drops available which may be useful, such as clotrimazole 1% ear drops or an antifungal/steroid combination such as flumetasone pivalate 0.02% plus clioquinol 1% ear drops. There's no real evidence that one is better than another.

If you've tried antifungal drops for a couple of weeks and you're still having problems, stop the treatment and go back and see your doctor. You may need further investigation and/or referral to a specialist. Hospital doctors have special ways of getting the ear clean and dry, such as inserting a pack made from ribbon gauze, a wick made of sponge that hangs out of the ear and drains it or suction using a tiny tube (microsuction).

What is the outlook for a fungal ear infection?
Providing you're otherwise fit and well and your immune system is working properly, the infection should respond fairly quickly to antifungal treatment. However, if you have a long-term condition that makes you prone to getting repeated infections (such as diabetes or AIDS) it may well come back or become persistent. Also if you're exposed to whatever it was that caused the infection in the first place (for example, you go straight back to water sports again), it's likely to return.

The problem with fungal infections (and other types of otitis externa) is that once the ear canal is infected the defence system protecting the ear may not return to normal and a vicious cycle is set up. This explains why frequently poking around inside your ear with a cotton bud (some people call it 'cleaning out the ear') prolongs the condition.

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Dermatomycoses, also referred to as fungal skin infections, are commonly occurring cutaneous disorders.1,2 These types of infections are typically superficial and can involve the hair, nails, and skin.1,2
The most prevalent fungal skin infection in humans is tinea pedis, commonly known as athlete’s foot.1 Onychomycosis, or tinea unguium, which affects the nails, may occur in conjunction with tinea pedis.1,2 The other 3 most commonly occurring fungal skin infections are tinea corporis (ringworm of the body) and tinea capitis (ringworm of the scalp), which are most prevalent among prepubescent patients, and tinea cruris (jock itch), which is most prevalent among adult men.1,2
The symptoms of these infections vary in severity. Self-treatment of onychomycosis with topical nonprescription antifungals is not approved by the FDA; instead, prescription systemic agents or surgical removal of the affected area is recommended as treatment for this typeof infection.1,2 Tinea capitis also cannot be managed with topical nonprescription antifungals.1 Some fungal skin infections are amenable to self-treatment with topical nonprescription antifungals, however.
OTC Topical Antifungals
The goals of treating antifungal skin infections are to provide the patient with symptomatic relief, successfully eliminate infection, and prevent recurring infections.1 There are several products available to effectively self-treat tinea pedis, tinea corporis, and tinea cruris.1 These products relieve the itching, burning, skin cracking, and scaling that are often caused by fungal skin infections.


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For fungus on the gills, steep a plain black tea bag in boiling water until it cools, pour the tea water into a tub of dechlorinated water, put the lotl in for 15 minutes, do that 3x a day.

Furan 2 is for bacterial infections, not fungal ��

What is a fungal infection?

A fungus is a primitive organism and the fungi can live everywhere in the air, in the soil, on plants and in water. Some fungi are helpful, while others harmful.
Fungal infections, caused by harmful fungi are very common and are not very serious if they are diagnosed quickly and correctly and treated. However, where fungal infections are concerned, once treated, reinfections can easily occur, as fungi can be a tad difficult to kill.
How does fungal infection occur?

Because fungal spores are often present in the air or in the soil, one can inhale the spores or they can land on a person. Thus fungal infections often start off in the lungs or on the skin.
People with weak immune systems are very prone to fungal infections.
Examples of fungal infections include:

• tinea pedis (athlete's foot)
• tinea corporis (ringworms)
• yeast infection
• onychomycosis (fungal infection of the toenails)
• tinea versicolor (fungal infection of the skin)
• tinea cruris (jock itch)

Who is prone to fungal infection?

Those who are prone to fungal infections include:

• people with a genetic predisposition toward fungal infections
• people who sweat a lot since sweaty clothes and shoes can enhance fungus growth on the skin
• people who come in contact with a person suffering from a fungal infection
• people who frequent communal areas with moisture, such as locker rooms and showers, since fungi require moisture to grow and reproduce
• people who are obese as they have excessive skin folds

What are the causes of fungal infection?

Common fungal skin infections are caused by yeasts (such as Candida or Malassezia furfur) or dermatophytes, such as Epidermophyton, Microsporum, and Trichophyton.Fungal infection occurs when the fungal spores come into contact with the skin or are inhaled.



What is the treatment for fungal infection?

For fungal infection, the doctor will treat you based on the type and of fungal infection, you suffer from, and also the severity of the condition. He may prescribe topical anti-fungal medication and oral drugs.

For severe cases however the doctor may require additional methods.


Antifungal medicines are used to treat fungal infections, which most commonly affect your skin, hair and nails.

You can get some antifungal medicines over the counter from your pharmacy or any online pharmacy store but you may need a prescription from your GP for other types.


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