Melifix On Betta

[horseten]

I posted this on the betta forum to before i found the emergincy( SP? ) forum, but here goes. My betta has fin rot...and i used melafix on it, i then read that it was poisinus to the fish. He has had 2 doses (different days) and has been acting kinda funky lately. I moved him to an emergency bowl and he has been a bit better, but he wont eat. I will do a 100% water change today too. HELP!! Im worried sick!

 

[fluttermoth]

Melafix is not poisonous at all; it can reduce the oxygen in the water, but that shouldn't be a problem with anabantiods.

I have to say, I'm not a big fan of Melafix; I'd get a 'proper' med for fin rot.

I'm more concerned with the living conditions of your fish; fish kept in optimum conditions very rarely suffer from fin rot/fungus and those kinds of health problems.

Do he have a proper tank with a heater and cycled filter?

 

[upsy daisy]

Melafix is not poisonous at all; it can reduce the oxygen in the water, but that shouldn't be a problem with anabantiods.

I have to say, I'm not a big fan of Melafix; I'd get a 'proper' med for fin rot.

I'm more concerned with the living conditions of your fish; fish kept in optimum conditions very rarely suffer from fin rot/fungus and those kinds of health problems.

Do he have a proper tank with a heater and cycled filter?

What in your opinion is a proper med for fin rot?

 

[fluttermoth]

I always use and recommend Myxazin for anything bacterial in origin.

Melafix (which is bascically just tea tree oil) is great as a preventative; say, for instance, you had a fish that had its tail nipped by some other fish. In that case, a course of Melafix, to promote healing and to stop the fin rot from taking hold would be fine, but once the fish is showing actual symptoms of fin rot (or fungus; they're very closely related IMO), I think you need something that is more targeted in its action.

 

[horseten]

Ok thanks so much guys! Why do you think that he is so weird then? My tank is filterd and heated and he has never done this before. Could it be fishy allergies? He just started to swim intstead of floating at the top, and he wont eat, not even a tasty bloodworm!

Oh and he recently moved to a 10 gallon.

 

[fluttermoth]

It is a bit odd. Do two or three large (60% plus; even 100% if you can) water change (warm, dechloinated water, of course) to get the melafix out of his 10 gallon, put the fish back in and start on a course of Myxazin

 

[horseten]

Ok, thank you so much!

 

[fluttermoth]

You're welcome; I do hope the little chap improves; I haven't kept betta for years, but I was always very fond of them when I did; they're lovely little characters

 

[horseten]

he died

 

[primagen]

melafix is actually problematic for bettas and other labyrinth fish. i don't remember why, but you can do a search. that's why they make bettafix, which is melafix for bettas, gouramis, etc. it has half the concentration of melafix iirc. so if you have melafix and want to use that, just use a half dose, not the full dosage. also, when you're treating fish that are already sick, the last thing you want to do is a 100% water change. that will shock the fish and only cause additional stress. do small partial water changes (like 25%) instead.

 

[fluttermoth]

he died

I'm so sorry

 

[horseten]

Atleast hes not suffering. He looked misreble.