Emikon® POWDER FOR ORAL USE

Product benefits:

• Broad-spectrum action: argulosis, lerneosis, ergasilosis, caligosis,lepeophtheirosis.
• Kills small parasitic crustaceans at all stages of development.
• Suitable to process all the age groups of fish in pond, cage and basin fish farms.
• Applicable over a wide temperature range in fresh and sea water.
• Dosage enables uniform drug application to any standard amount of carp, trout or sturgeon food in farm conditions.
• Low bioaccumulation potential.
• No toxic effects on fish and other aquatic organisms.

Composition and pharmacological properties

Emikon® contains emamectin benzoate (2 mg/g) as an active ingredient, as well as excipients: corn starch, sodium carboxymethylcellulose, butylhydroxyanisole.
Emamectin benzoate (i.e., the drug ingredient) is a macrocyclic lactone with a systemic antiparasitic effect against parasitic crustaceans at all the stages of development.
Crustaceans parasitizing in Salmonidae, Acipenseridae and Cyprinidae including Lernaea spp., Argulus spp., Ergasilus sieboldi, Ergasilus briani, Caligus spp., and Lepeophtheirus salmonisaffect skin, gills, fins, eyes and other organs and tissues. This causes delayed growth and death of fish.Along with pronounced clinical symptoms of invasion, this worsen marketable appearance and nutritional quality of fish products.
The mechanism of emamectin action is based on binding of GABA receptors in synapses and h-receptors in muscle cells leading to muscle relaxation causing paralysis and death of parasites.
After oral administration of the drug emamectin benzoate is absorbed in gastrointestinal tract, penetrates into systemic circulation, mucus and tissues. In 7 days of the drug administration peak emamectin concentration is reached. Blood and mucus levels are maintained in trout and carp for 70 and 20 days, respectively. Emamectin benzoate is excreted, mainly, in feces.
As for potential health effects, it's a low-hazard substance (Hazard Category IV). When used in recommended doses, the drug doesn't provide local irritative, resorptive toxic and sensitizing effects.
When the drug is used with food, emamectin does not have a toxic effect on fish and other aquatic organisms. Emamectin has a low bioaccumulation potential. In hydrologic systems a half-life of emamectin is not longer than 3 days.

Indications

Use Emikon® to treat and to prevent Salmonidae, Acipenseridae and Cyprinidae with in crustaceoses (invasive diseases caused by parasitic crustaceans) including lerneosis, argulosis, ergasilosis, caligosis and lepeophtheirosis in fish farms.

Contraindications

Not available. Do not use during a fish breeding season.

Dosage and administration

Perform antiparasitic treatment of fish of all age groups (starting with young fish) in pond, cage and basin fish farms throughout the entire growing production cycle during food consumption. Perform an antiparasitic treatment of Salmonidae at a wide temperature range in fresh and sea water.
Use Emikon® mixed with food once a day within 7 days in the following single doses:
– Cyprinidae – 0.15 g per 1 kg of fish weight;
– Salmonidae and Acipenseridae – 0.05 g per 1 kg of fish weight.
Repeat an antiparasitic treatment according to indications. Treat Cyprinidae and
Acipenseridae as a course in 30 days, treat Salmonidae as a course in 50 days.

In a fish farm prepare the medicinal mixture before use and feed it to fish immediately.
To perform an antiparasitic treatment of Salmonidae and Acipenseridae, prepare a mixture of the drug and food (10 kg of the drug per 1 ton of food).
Using a mixer, mix Emikon® with granulated feed until the powdered drug is evenly distributed on the granule surface. Then, continue mixing and add vegetable oil (or fish oil) (0.5 - 1% of food weight) until the granules are evenly coated with oil.
You can also prepare the medicinal mixture by applying a suspension of the drug in sunflower oil (or fish oil) previously prepared in the above mentioned ratio to a granular feed.
Feed the finished medicinal mixture to fish (5 kg of the mixture/1 ton of fish/day). To perform an antiparasitic treatment in Cyprinidae, prepare medicinal mixture containing 15 kg of the drug per 1 ton of feed.
Pre-mix Emikon® with water (1:10) until lumps are crushed and creamy suspension is obtained. Add it to granulated feed with stirring until it is uniformly moistened.
Dry the finished medicinal mixture to initial moisture content of the feed. Feed the finished medicinal mixture to fish (10 kg of the mixture/1 ton of fish/day).
You can also prepare the medicinal mixture as a mash feed containing 15 kg of the drug per 1 ton of feed. First, mix loose feed or milled (crushed) grain with flour (at least 20% of the feed). Add Emikon®. Add water to the mixture. Continue mixing until dense mash feed is formed. Keep the mash feed for 8-12 hours in a hydrophobic container, then re-mix until a tight doughy mass is obtained.
Feed the finished medicinal mixture to fish (12 kg/1 ton of fish/day) to compensate a partial loss of the loose medicinal mixture in water.
If the feed intake rate in the farm differs from the above values, adjust the drug content in feed so that all fish receive the specified dose of the drug.

Side effect

In general, adverse events and complications are not observed in case of administration as per the package insert.
In case of the drug overdose, fish can demonstrate color darkening, food refusal, decreased mobility and worse reactions to external stimuli. In this case, stop feeding.
Increase water exchange and aeration.

Safety interval

Cyprinidae and Acipenseridae can be caught and consumed in 30 days after the last drug administration. Salmonidae can be caught and consumed in 80 days after the last drug administration.

Storage

Store in a closed original package at 2-25°С. Protect from direct sunlight and moisture.Shelf life is 3 years after the manufacturing date when stored in a closed original container in accordance with storage conditions. Use in 9 months after the first unpacking.

Pharmaceutical form

Emikon® is available in 1-kg and 8-kg polymeric buckets sealed with polymeric lids. Each customer package is provided with the package insert.