Api melafix problem

[Shane templar]

Hi has any one every lost fish due to using melafix? Basically about 2 months ago I had a 13 inch Oscar and I noticed a small hole in its dorsal fin and a couple infected scales (at first I thought he might of caught it on some bogwood or the silver dollars might of just nipped him) he was still acting normal and eating anyway I purchased some melafix and dosed as per the bottle instructions but the day after he died! Tested my water and and everything was fine (I do 2 50% water changes a week) I since read on here that melafix can take oxygen from the aquarium so put it down to that even though I have to powerful filters with spray bars and 4 air stones! Anyways left it four weeks and bought 2 baby Oscar’s and put them in and everything was fine for about 10 days then within the next 4 days both of them have died! All my other fish are fine! The only thing I’ve done different in the 2 months was add melafix ( I dosed half the amount on water change day due to the fact that my lfs said they had white spot but it was treated and cured and tbh they had no white spots on them)
Just wanted to know people’s experiences or thoughts on this!
Many thanks

 

[ken31cay]

I used Melafix several times in the past, even overdosed one time for about 3 weeks on Discus, which are very sensitive fish, and it did no harm. My personal conclusion is that it has little to no medicinal benefits, but it also does little to no harm to fish even when overdosed. Because of my own past experience I would look for another cause to what happened to your Oscars if I were in your place and dealing with your situation.

 

[Shane templar]

Thanks for the reply! I read on here that melafix isn’t the strongest medicine so that’s what’s baffling! Tested water today with new nt labs test kit and everything is fine! 0 ammonia 0 nitrites and and between 0-5 nitrates!

 

[Trouser Cough]

I understand you stay ahead of WC's. Whenever I see a hole in a fish's fin my mind immediately wanders toward questions about water parameters.

I have used Melafix (and Pimafix) many times and never noticed it introduced a problem but I have wondered on more than one occasion if it was actually doing anything aside from maybe calming the fish. I def don't think of it as a medication though our friends at API likely consider it so.

 

[duanes]

It may be a species specific bacteria or virus (Cichlids/S American Cichlids) that Melafix (being a relatively weak natural substance) is not capable of curing.
There are many diseases causing bacteria that predominantly affect certain types of fish, and specific antibiotics are needed depending on the bacterial strain (gram neg/gram pos).
Viral diseases are usually immune to any over the counter treatments
Have you added any new fish in the last few months without quaranteening?
Have you used feeder fish in the last few months? Locally caught feeders? Without QTing?
Is viral hemoragic septicemia, prevalent in your area?

 

[SalviniCichlidFan]

I'm just curious: so what does melafix actually cure?

 

[neutrino]

I'm just curious: so what does melafix actually cure?

"formulated to heal bacterial infections such as tail and fin rot, eye cloud, mouth fungus"

It has limited application but can be effective. In other words it's not powerful or wide spectrum, but in my experience it does frequently work for mild external issues and often helps heal external wounds, cloudy eyes, etc. if you're not dealing with a more serious pathogen or infection.

 

[neutrino]

Hi has any one every lost fish due to using melafix?

I haven't.

Ime it can cause fast breathing. I never lost fish over it, but I prefer to dose less than the bottle recommends, which lessens the effect and ime works just as well with the issues I use it for. I'm pretty quick to move on to more serious medicine (rather than increase dosage) if I'm dealing with more than a mild external issue, or if what I'm treating doesn't improve within a few days or looks worse.

 

[Shane templar]

Thanks for the replies everyone
No new fish were added until after after the big Oscar died and even then left it 6 weeks before buying the new Oscar’s!
I only feed northfin and nls and occasionally bugs from the pet shop!

 

[Shane templar]

I’ll be leaving it a few months now before adding any new fish to the tank!