41 replies to this topic

[cation]

To clear up some of the questions I see on the board related to BettaFix and MelaFix, I thought I would explain to anyone interested the difference.

Both medications have only one active ingredient - Melaleuca. This is the active compound in Tea Tree Oil. A little more about Tea Tree:

"The oil of the humble tea tree (Melaleuca alternifolia), one of the great survivors in Australia's harsh climate, is widely used as a medication, although there have been few proper clinical trials to confirm its efficacy.

The only place M.alternifolia occurs naturally is in a relatively small area of northern New South Wales. But there are already a number of plantations producing about 100 tonnes of tea tree oil annually, which is sold to companies that include it in a wide range of products - shampoos, hair conditioners, soap, cream, gel, lotions, even toothpaste. It is also included in liniments, foot balms, insect repellents and germicides.

University of Western Australia microbiologist Dr Tom Riley, and PhD student Christina Carson have found that the oil will kill many bacteria present in a number of common infections, including some of the staphylococcus and streptococcus bacteria. There are also unconfirmed reports that it is effective against cold sores and herpes. Like eucalyptus oil, tea tree oil should not be administered orally.

Dr Riley is confident that tea tree oil is effective as an antiseptic and disinfectant, useful for minor cuts and abrasions, and as it penetrates the skin it is effective for complaints such as acne. It is also believed to have been successfully employed in treating vaginal infections.

Tea tree oil has been used on a small scale as a medication ever since European settlement more than two centuries ago. Aborigines used it - in a non-processed form - as a treatment for headaches, other pain, colds and as an insect repellent."

From The Melaleuca Page.


MelaFix - MelaFix is 1.0% Melaleuca. It is the more concentrated, or stronger, of the two remedies.

BettaFix - BettaFix is 0.2% Melaleuca. It is less concentrated than Melafix, by 80%. This means for every one drop of Melafix, you would need 5 drops of BettaFix to get the same amount of Melaleuca.

Many people believe that MelaFix is harmful to bettas, and recommend using BettaFix. However, knowing what you now know, you can see that MelaFix and BettaFix are the same - you will simply need to dilute one drop of MelaFix into 4 drops of water in order to have the equivilent of one drop of BettaFix. Or, you can simply use one drop of Melafix in place of 5 drops of BettaFix!



Edited to add:

A note on PimaFix - PimaFix, By the makers of MelaFix and BettaFix, is not Melaleuca. The active ingredient in this natural antifungal/antibacterial medication is the active compound in Pimenta racemosa. In PimaFix, the concentration is 1.0% of this compound. Pimenta racemosa, or West Indian Bay, is a member of the Myrtle family. It has been used as an herbal remedy for ages, for things such as rheumatism, muscle pain, neuralgia, dental infections, diarrhea, skin infections, colds & flu, and poor circulation.

More info:

PimaFix is a natural botanical remedy made from Pimenta racemosa Pimenta racemosa (West Indian Bay) oil, providing unique active compounds, which harmoniously work together to attack fish diseases. The active compounds found in Pimenta racemosa not only provide many different modes of action, but also eliminate the possibility of the development of resistant strains of disease-causing organisms. Until now, most antifungal medications resulted in unsightly water discoloration throughout the course of therapy.

PimaFix does not have this disadvantage, providing better viewing of fish during treatment. Treating with PimaFix will not harm the biological filter in freshwater or saltwater aquariums or ponds. PimaFix has no effect on pH. PimaFix is harmless to aquatic plants.

In extreme cases of especially stubborn infections, PimaFix has been designed to work synergistically with MelaFix. Using PimaFix and MelaFix together provides the added benefit of quick tissue regeneration and wound healing

From Company's Website.


I have never used PimaFix, so I do not know if it is safe for bettas. (Edited to add - I have since purchased some PimaFix, and treated some lethargic bettas with it as a general tonic. I used it at about half strength, and eveyone was fine. This is not to say that it is absolutely safe for bettas - just thought I'd update on my experience with it so far.)

[Elisabeth83]

Great info!! It's has really helped me. I've been told that Melafix can't be used on Bettas and I've been told it can be..so I'm glad to finally know for sure that it can be but just has to be deluted.

Thanks cation!!

[cometcattle]

What's pima-fix?

Is it the same?

[Synirr]

Thanks for the info! My LFS doesn't always have Bettafix in, so I've sometimes been forced to use Melafix (and have lost a betta or two because of it.) It's good to know that I can indeed use it, just in smaller quantities

[semper fi]

using melafix and pimafix in equal amounts is a very well rounded effective med. i use the two together for treating cichlids with fin rot, fungus and open sores.

[jacblades]

bettafix is satan, satan i tell you!

[rollntider]

Ive really had no bad luck with bettafix...

[cation]

I haven't either. I don't really think either BettaFix or MelaFix are the best remedy for serious bacterial infection - those require the "big guns" many times - but they can be effective to regrow fins, in my experience.

[Zombies]

Hmm...I've been useing Melafix for my Betta's blown out fin at the recommended dosage. 1/2 ml for a gallon. Nothing bad happened yet, but i'll dilute it next treatment.

[The-Wolf]

thanks for clear this up Cation
This should be pinned

[.:Nikki:.]

My brother uses Bettfix for HTH, cuts and brusies. While he uses Melafix for other diseases like Swim Bladder Disease, White Spot, Fungus and Fin Damage. He has never has and deaths using any other these medicines and all the bettas have recovered after this

[f250fisherman]

I don't think everyone has a understanding of this. If you look at the directions for both, you only put in a portion of the amount of melafix compared to Bettafix, because the melafix is more concentrated. Don't dilute the melafix. It just takes less. Melafix does not harm your bettas unless you increase the dosage thinking it will help the fish better. Sometimes the person has re applied the med the next day, thinking it has went away or lost it's affect, so now the container with the fish in it has twice the dosage. What if they do it again the next day? It just gets too high a content and basically poisons the fish. You do a 100% water change daily and re-apply the melafix at the normal dose. This way, you have clean water, and the proper dose of melafix. Great post cation.!!
PS..don't mistake Bettafix with Bettamax. Two entirely different things. Bettamax is a med, while Bettafix is not.

[cation]

I don't think everyone has a understanding of this. If you look at the directions for both, you only put in a portion of the amount of melafix compared to Bettafix, because the melafix is more concentrated. Don't dilute the melafix. It just takes less.

This is true. Although we have some young users on the board, who may not yet be fully used to taking fractions or percentages of things, so I figured I would make it easier on them. But I'll mention that in the original post...

[Inchworm]

Hi cation

Thanks for the explanation. It was both interesting and informative.

It's been my experience that MelaFix can be very effective in curing bacterial infections.............or not. From what I have seen, if it's going to work it will result in a dramatic change for the better within just a few days time. If no benefit is evident in that time, it's usually best to move to something more potent. I now keep tea tree oil as a first line of defense, along with a hefty water change, whenever I think I see anything amiss. I'm pretty sure that I've headed off some problems this way.

Instead of using MelaFix, I mix my own which I call Melafake. To make it, mix 1/4 tsp. 100% pure tea tree oil with 8 TBS. dechlorinated water. Shake very well and use it as you would MelaFix. Shake well again before each use.

Pure tea tree oil is a very light, thin substance which will mix with water, if well shaken. When Melafake is added to water intended for use as part of a water change the force of the water coming out of the tap will further agitate it and mix it with the water. It will then mix with the tank water the same way MelaFix does.

Pure tea tree oil costs me $6.95 for 1 fl. oz. at the health food store. Compare the price of making your own with the price of MelaFix and you will see that there can be a tremendous savings.

[cation]

great tip, Inchie! The added benifit of your way is that you can then use it for yourself, too. A little tea tree in lotion is great for dry skin, and it's a super antiseptic.

[pnyklr3]

I've used Pimafix and it is safe on scaleless fish, like clown loaches, as well as delicate species, like tetras and discus fry. I'm not sure if it's safe for bettas (I've never used it one mine; and I don't really want to find out the hard way!) but the concentration is 1.0% Pimenta racemosa.

[Inchworm]

great tip, Inchie! The added benifit of your way is that you can then use it for yourself, too. A little tea tree in lotion is great for dry skin, and it's a super antiseptic.

Hi cation,

That's a very good thing to know with winter coming on.


Actually, I just like to open the bottle and smell it. Ummmmm )

[Cat]

If its just tea tree oil why can't you just buy that to treat the fish be a lot cheaper than melfix?

[cation]

There's no reason you can't, Cat! Just make sure that you get the dilution right and you should have no problem. I believe inchworm posted her recipe for "Melafake" on this thread somewhere...