Melafix Alert For Labyrinth Fish....all Please Read

[crushingmyself]

The following fish should not have MELAFIX used at any time for any illness as it causes an interference with the Labyrinth organ and the ability to use it.Â

Perch
Combtail
Ctenopia or Ctenopoma
Betta
Gourami
Paradisefish
Pencilfish

http://www.jeniera.com/Hideaway/melafix.html

I realize that this article deals mostly with Bettas but if you read closely you will see that it mentions that it states that Melafix affects all fish with Labyrinth organs which are the fish listed above.Â

If you have any of the above fish and are treating them with Melafix please do immediate 90% water changes and use carbon to remove all traces of the medication

[dev]

While this is far from new information, I can confirm that a sensitivity for Melafix have been reported in Betta and other labyrinth fish for a few years now.

While Aquarium Pharmecuticals denies that Melafix (and even Bettafix that has the same active ingredient: Melaleuca) will cause any harm to any fish, it is now widely believed that any medication containing Melaleuca should be avoided for labyrinth fish.

A 90% water change is not reccomended, it could easily do more damage than what your are trying to prevent. Doing this to fish who are already weak from disease could kill them.

If you are worried about having used the wrong medication, do one or more 50% water changes (one a day) and use a carbon filter - or move the fish to a different tank.

[kimmers318]

Interesting, thanks for the information, I had not heard that before. I did treat a gourami once who got himself caught up in a decoration and scraped up pretty bad and he seemed to have no adverse side effects at the time. But it was only a few weeks to months later that he bloated up really bad and I lost him. His bloating did not make his scales stick out, and he was eating and pooing fine, but for some reason just looked like a person who is retaining fluid does.
Any suggestions as to what to do for nipped fins, topical injuries, etc for the labryinth fish?

[Lady Hobbs]

Excellent find. Goes to show we can't just arbitraterly recommend Melafix for every single problem that comes along. I only used it twice. Once for mouth fungus on a bala shark and once for a wound on my angelfish. Neither time it worked anyway.

[Rue]

I hadn't heard that! Thanks guys!

[rollie]

i used melafix to treat betta, that peoples bring me because they are sick.

it works great for me, and i will contione to used it.

i see nothing wrong with it.

plus they tell me that melafix(what it make from) is being look at for treating peoples, to.

[cocoa_pleco]

i used to give all my tanks a weekly dose of melafix and nothing ever got harmed, no gouramis or bettas or anything. anyway, good info!

[gm72]

When I got my daughter's betta we treated with Melafix with no adverse side-effects.

Dev has, again, an outstanding point. Doing a 90% water change for a tank with already weakened inhabitants is a horrible idea. 50% yes, add some carbon maybe to remove the meds, but NOT 90%. I can think of only a very few instances where such a huge water change would be beneficial.

[Nolapete]

Excellent find. Goes to show we can't just arbitraterly recommend Melafix for every single problem that comes along. I only used it twice. Once for mouth fungus on a bala shark and once for a wound on my angelfish. Neither time it worked anyway.

Anytime that melafix doesn't work on fungus, try pimafix as there is probably a bacterial infection as well. I have used them together for years.