Can i use Melafix with Sterazin???

[pcam86]

Hi, I'm currently treating my tank with Sterazin for parasites (contains formaldehyde) and i was just wondering if its possible to use Melafix at the same time as one of my angelfish has a bad side fin. it seems like its clamped together on just the one fin and he doesn't use it much.

 

[WILDER]

It should be ok, but maybe start off with half the dose.

 

[Bloo]

It says not to use Melafix with anything.
Never ever mix meds.

 

[WILDER]

You can but you have to no what you are doing, you can use melafix with quite a few things, even antibiotics.

 

[Bloo]

Well I'm sorry Wilder how would someone "know what they are doing" if they clearly haven't done it before - hence asking the question
Mixing meds - especially when the instructions explicitly says not to mix meds - is a dangerous thing to do and not worth trying.

 

[WILDER]

Your entitled to your opion, the medicine companies are all covering themselves that all,but alot of fishkeeper use melafix to treat the outside bacteria, and antibiotics for the inside treatment.

 

[Bloo]

Your entitled to your opion, the medicine companies are all covering themselves that all,but alot of fishkeeper use melafix to treat the outside bacteria, and antibiotics for the inside treatment.

[snapback]877101[/snapback]​

Fair enough - Well I'll speak from my experience then
I've tried mixing meds before with the result of dead fish. Funny enough, fish that weren’t even affected by the 2 diseases - these were the strong and healthy fish.
I'd only treat whatever the predominant disease is - if dealing with two.

 

[WILDER]

I do agree it's not advisable to mix meds, only in an extreme emergency, then only in a quarantine tank.

 

[Bloo]

OK , please forgive me for playing Devils Advocate - BUT- using something like Sterazin which is for external parasites - would you not treat an entire tank then to make sure the parasites are not lurking in the water or are on other fish, but not yet visible ?
With stuff like external parasites, it takes quite a while for them to become visible to the naked eye - surely by then it's a lot lot harder to treat and also one fish at a time ?

 

[WILDER]

Yes i would treat the whole tank for parasites, but if another fish has other things going on and needed another med, no i wouldn't mix in the main tank, only in a hospital tank, so you are not putting all the fish at risk, plus it not interferring then with your bacterial colony as two meds could wipe it out.

 

[Bloo]

OK thanks

 

[Cian McLiam]

I've mixed melafix with other meds before, especially white spot and fungus treatments. Its basically natural plant chemicals that dont interact with pharmaceuticals in my experience.

As a general rule mixing meds is a very bad idea but in the case of melafix I find its ok once there is plenty of oxygen in the tank.

 

[black angel]

I'm going to stir the pot even more and say he doesnt even need to use melafix. If the fin isnt ragged then theres no point as melafix is only an antiseptic. Sounds like the fish just doesnt want to use it for some mechanical reason, not because its frayed and liable to infection.
How does the base of the fin look, is it red at the join? If you are treating for parasites, do you know what kind and what are the fish doing to suggest using it?
It may be clamped to its side because something is irritating it.

 

[Cian McLiam]

I used to add a touch of melafix to help heal the wounds the parasites leave and prevent them getting infected or fungus growing. Maybe it did nothing but I never had a problem with fungus and bacteria using it..

 

[Bloo]

Sorry to harp on about this (and yes I understand it works for some who appear to to be lucky) but I just think when a medicine very explicitly states NOT to mix it with any other medication - it just really shouldn't be mixed