Med Packaging Issues / Request

[nabokovfan87]

I just rewatched the "sick fish treatment" video because I was helping answer a question in another thread and wanted to make sure the details I was mentioning were in the video linked to.  Towards the end of the video Cory goes on a bit of a detailed dive into the "treats X gallons" statements that is often used as marketing and logically makes absolutely no sense.

Let's do a quick analysis.

API Erythromycin comes in a 10 pack and requires 4 doses per treatment.  This means you would get 2.5 treatments out of a 10G tank if you actually had issues.  A 12 pack might make a bit more sense when you have a product designed for "one packet per 10 gallons" and your dosage instructions are in multiples of 4.

Fritz directions are:
 

Quote

Add the contents of one packet per 10 gallons of water and repeat every 24 hours for 5 days. Repeat this 5 day treatment only once if needed. 

Day 1: Add the contents of one packet per 10 gallons of water.
Day 2: Add one packet per 10 gallons of water.
Day 3: Add one packet per 10 gallons of water.
Day 4: Add one packet per 10 gallons of water.
Day 5: Add one packet per 10 gallons of water.
Day 6: Repeat this five-day treatment if symptoms improve, but have not completely disappeared. If no improvement has occurred, try our Maracyn® Two and/or Maracyn® Oxy treatments.

For the sake of ease here we have 5 treatments, 1 packet per 10 G for 5 days.  So they offer a 10 pack and a 24 pack.  Call me confused but why isn't it 25?

Then we dive into something like general cure / paracleanse....
 

Quote

For each 10 gallons of water, empty one packet directly into aquarium. Repeat dose after 48 hours. Wait another 48 hours then change 25% of the aquarium water and add fresh activated carbon or replace filter cartridge.

Quote

Use 1 packet ParaCleanse per 10 gallons (38 L) of water and repeat after 48 hours. Perform a water change 48 hours after final dose. See below for instructions on treating tanks smaller than 10 gallons.

Day 1: Add the contents of one packet per 10 gallons (38 L) of water
Day 2: No treatment needed
Day 3: Add one packet per 10 gallons (38 L) of water
Day 4: No treatment needed
Day 5: Perform a 25% water change
Day 6: Repeat this five-day treatment if symptoms improve, but have not completely disappeared.

In summary, 2 packets per week, but you're doing 2 treatments per issue.  So let's call it 4 packets per treatment.  The meds however come in a pack of 10 or 20 packets.

I just don't understand it......

Is there any way this can be fixed in the future?  Does it make sense to design these things for a 10G aquarium (or a 20G aquarium)?

I cannot tell you how much easier it was to dose meds and not worry about having a shortage of meds when I had the big tubs to just add a scoop when need be.

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

On 11/9/2022 at 3:29 AM, nabokovfan87 said:

Call me confused but why isn't it 25?

I bet they want to prompt your reorder.  Same thing how the fish food package says feed 4 times per day.  Or the filter instructions change filter cartridges every X weeks or every month.  Etc.  Revenue.

Edited November 9, 2022 by Chick-In-Of-TheSea

[AllFishNoBrakes]

I think I remember Cory saying in a live stream that they’ve basically maxed out the packaging size, so to add more packets in a box they would have to make new boxes for the packets to come in. Seems like something small to us, but a huge expense to a business. 
 

Also, companies are designed to turn a profit, so ya, having to buy another box of meds for that 1 more packet you need is a strategy to sell more and continue to have a business around. 
 

Assuming you could use it all before it expired, they do offer big cans of pure meds with a scoop for dosing, but that simply doesn’t make sense for most people. 

[nabokovfan87]

On 11/9/2022 at 8:58 AM, AllFishNoBrakes said:

I think I remember Cory saying in a live stream that they’ve basically maxed out the packaging size, so to add more packets in a box they would have to make new boxes for the packets to come in. Seems like something small to us, but a huge expense to a business. 

Then modify packaging?  it can't be this hard. 

On 11/9/2022 at 6:38 AM, Chick-In-Of-TheSea said:

I bet they want to prompt your reorder.  Same thing how the fish food package says feed 4 times per day.  Or the filter instructions change filter cartridges every X weeks or every month.  Etc.  Revenue.

Yeah... I guess, but honestly I'd rather not toss meds away or down the drain or however people deal with it when it's expired.  It's not a good situation if med is purchased and is left unused.

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

On 11/9/2022 at 1:36 PM, nabokovfan87 said:

Then modify packaging?  it can't be this hard. 

Yeah... I guess, but honestly I'd rather not toss meds away or down the drain or however people deal with it when it's expired.  It's not a good situation if med is purchased and is left unused.

Agreed.

[TOtrees]

This is why I prefer a small hospital tank, if I have to treat. Like a 5 or even 2.5 gallon tank. The meds go much farther. I also got a milligram scale, and I'm not afraid to use it. 

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

On 11/9/2022 at 4:40 PM, TOtrees said:

This is why I prefer a small hospital tank, if I have to treat. Like a 5 or even 2.5 gallon tank. The meds go much farther. I also got a milligram scale, and I'm not afraid to use it. 

I thought about doing that. Those scales are only about 8 bucks.