melafix
- Thread starter Kigs
- Start date
I've tried it in a reef tank and does seem to be safe, however, I haven't found it particularly useful as a cure. Pop is not typically contagious, it is usually an infection as a result of a wound. If more than one fish have it, there is something else going on.
I'm guessing M2 is not reef safe?Those pesky evil Blennies...yes, it would work for fin damage. Garlic mixed in with their food would be good too - to bolster the immune system. Healthy fish should heal well with good water quality & diet.
Just watch to see that you see no further damage/fungus develop on the fins due to an infection developing. If so, you'll need to react quickly.
Just watch to see that you see no further damage/fungus develop on the fins due to an infection developing. If so, you'll need to react quickly.
Kigs
In Memoriam
I am now officially depressed. He stopped eating completely today and has been just laying on the bottom or hiding in his PVC home. ... 
Breathing's steady and he seems way relaxed. I bought some crushed garlic from stop & shop. I'm going to mix it with frozen brine or formula 1/2 flakes...see if that entices him to eat again tomorrow morning. At this point, I'm not even sure if he will make it through the night.
No fungus from what I can tell and all the water parameters are upto par (ammonia, nitrate, 0. ph 8.0 ) Ugh...
The odd thing is he started doing this AFTER I removed the blenny from the tank. It also started on the day I started adding melafix. (Other weird symptoms include my frogspawn completely withdrawn, along with my pom pom xenia.) Could the melafix actually be having a negative effect on the fish?
Even while the blenny was in the tank nipping at him, he was always active when there was food in the tank...so it makes me wonder. I've done a small water change for the night, but I'll continue the melafix treatment for the next five days.
Breathing's steady and he seems way relaxed. I bought some crushed garlic from stop & shop. I'm going to mix it with frozen brine or formula 1/2 flakes...see if that entices him to eat again tomorrow morning. At this point, I'm not even sure if he will make it through the night. No fungus from what I can tell and all the water parameters are upto par (ammonia, nitrate, 0. ph 8.0 ) Ugh...
The odd thing is he started doing this AFTER I removed the blenny from the tank. It also started on the day I started adding melafix. (Other weird symptoms include my frogspawn completely withdrawn, along with my pom pom xenia.) Could the melafix actually be having a negative effect on the fish?
Even while the blenny was in the tank nipping at him, he was always active when there was food in the tank...so it makes me wonder. I've done a small water change for the night, but I'll continue the melafix treatment for the next five days.
You might be dealing with a different issue than you think. He could have had something else going on that caused him to slow down enough for the blenny to start picking on him in the first place. How long had they been in the tank together prior to the fin nipping issues?
I'd take him out & get him into a QT..try running an extra air line into the QT (ALWAYS helpful & important especially when a fish is on meds). Can't treat him with anything til you figure out what's wrong though..
I would highly doubt the melafix would have that affect on the fish..might be affecting the FS & xenia & I would expect they'd bounce back. If you're concerned, run some carbon to remove the melafix.
I'd take him out & get him into a QT..try running an extra air line into the QT (ALWAYS helpful & important especially when a fish is on meds). Can't treat him with anything til you figure out what's wrong though..
I would highly doubt the melafix would have that affect on the fish..might be affecting the FS & xenia & I would expect they'd bounce back. If you're concerned, run some carbon to remove the melafix.
Kigs
In Memoriam
They were in there for about 2 weeks. I tested the water, and nitrate has gone upto ~10. Also I lost the FS and a small frag of a bird's nest...
Maybe it's a coincidence, but after adding a new bag of chemi-pure, the anthias started to come out more and swim around. I mixed some flakes with crushed garlic, and he showed interest...but never really ate any.
Maybe it's a coincidence, but after adding a new bag of chemi-pure, the anthias started to come out more and swim around. I mixed some flakes with crushed garlic, and he showed interest...but never really ate any.
Kigs
In Memoriam
Kathy, are there any pictures of fungus I could use as a reference? I noticed a small strip of white cotton looking thing on his left side body. I'm thinking it's just bruises or scrape from the blenny? It seemed to have appeared today.
I think I also know why he is so reluctant to swim. I noticed that while suspended in the water, he doesn't like to use the damaged fin much...or can't use it as much causing him to swim lopsided rightward. I'll try to use some garlic w/ frozen brine tomorrow.
I just did a small water change yesterday, so do you think I should wait few more days untill I do another one? I'm starting to think that the process of blenny removal caused the spike in the nitrate from all the detrius blowing around from the LR. I'm not so sure if I should continue the melafix treatment since I threw in a bag of chemi-pure in the back.
I think I also know why he is so reluctant to swim. I noticed that while suspended in the water, he doesn't like to use the damaged fin much...or can't use it as much causing him to swim lopsided rightward. I'll try to use some garlic w/ frozen brine tomorrow.
I just did a small water change yesterday, so do you think I should wait few more days untill I do another one? I'm starting to think that the process of blenny removal caused the spike in the nitrate from all the detrius blowing around from the LR. I'm not so sure if I should continue the melafix treatment since I threw in a bag of chemi-pure in the back.
I've never used Melafix. So far, I have been very lucky with fish. Either they are healthy, jump out of the tank, or just disappear.
I'm wondering if your bottle of Melafix is old, or possibly wasn't stored correctly.
It seems odd that adding Chemipure made a difference.
I think I'd probably give up on the Melafix, and concentrate on getting your sick fish to eat. The best way I know to get a fish to eat is by offering it live food. We don't have many options available to us, so live means brine. Baby brine (yolk sack still attached) is far more nutritious, but not always easy to find. Get some live brine, and load it with Selcon. This should get him at least eating enough to sustain himself.
The Anthias is in a hospital tank now, right?
I'm wondering if your bottle of Melafix is old, or possibly wasn't stored correctly.
It seems odd that adding Chemipure made a difference.
I think I'd probably give up on the Melafix, and concentrate on getting your sick fish to eat. The best way I know to get a fish to eat is by offering it live food. We don't have many options available to us, so live means brine. Baby brine (yolk sack still attached) is far more nutritious, but not always easy to find. Get some live brine, and load it with Selcon. This should get him at least eating enough to sustain himself.
The Anthias is in a hospital tank now, right?
I have seen some fish react negatively to melafix. IME it's the panacea that it claims to be.
As for the white cotton, that is a classic description of fungus. The only thing that really works reliably on fungus is malachite green. It generally only occurs as a secondary infection to a wound. Once it gets that foothold it usually only gets worse without being medicated, so it's time for that QT. If you can't find a bottle of just malachite green, Rid Ick and Quick Cure both contain it. Follow the bottle directions for dosage and treat daily for a full week.
As for the white cotton, that is a classic description of fungus. The only thing that really works reliably on fungus is malachite green. It generally only occurs as a secondary infection to a wound. Once it gets that foothold it usually only gets worse without being medicated, so it's time for that QT. If you can't find a bottle of just malachite green, Rid Ick and Quick Cure both contain it. Follow the bottle directions for dosage and treat daily for a full week.
Kigs
In Memoriam
I've been hesistant of moving him to a QT since he seemed so stresssed out. After hearing what you guys say, I think it's about time to set one up just for him. My other QT is filled with fish that were banished from the main display.
After checking out different pictures of bacterial infections, only thing that resembles what he has can be seen in this picture taken from SWF forum but only on his fin where the blenny seemed to have nipped it down hard.
I also noticed his left eye clouding up somewhat, with a small irregular shaped 'patch' of gray that seemed to move around within his eyes as he moved his eye. Classic case pop-eye? or another infection?
Good news is that he came out to eat some flakes but after few bites, he retreated back down to his PVC again.
After checking out different pictures of bacterial infections, only thing that resembles what he has can be seen in this picture taken from SWF forum but only on his fin where the blenny seemed to have nipped it down hard.
I also noticed his left eye clouding up somewhat, with a small irregular shaped 'patch' of gray that seemed to move around within his eyes as he moved his eye. Classic case pop-eye? or another infection?
Good news is that he came out to eat some flakes but after few bites, he retreated back down to his PVC again.
Similar threads
