Gourami With Missing Fin

[Mikaila31]

i have 2 male sparkling gouramis and one of them has been in a net breeder for around a month because he lost one of his side fins and one of long attena fins. The one on his side was red at first then it went away and i was dosing with some melafix, but then i stopped. His fin hasn't really grown that much and i don't think he is sick but it's hard to tell. So what could i do to make his fins grow back faster, and should i use primafix or melafix?

 

[IovaykInD]

It's going to take time. I would use Melafix, as I've heard of that more often. Keep dosing it and his fin will probably come back, but not anytime soon.

 

[Torrean]

I 2nd the melafix. Make sure to remove carbon from your filter and do a water change every 7 days like the bottle says (I think) Follow the directions and it'll grow back. Don't know if you can find it but earlier this year one of the betta owners (bettamomma I think) bought a tailless betta and grew it's tail back. I'll try to find the link.

link1 http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=83916&hl=lucky
link2 http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=83307&hl=

different kind of fish but maybe it'll help. Betta's require a smaller mixture of melafix so ignore that part.

 

[sylvia]

The ventral fin (antennae as you called them) will grow back fine, as will any other fins, as long as they are not infected and as long as they weren't damaged all the way to the base. However, I suggest you find one of the two males a new home as they probably won't get along long-term - particularly seeing as it sounds like your problem was the result of aggression between the two and the fact that, now you've seperated one, he'll be considered an itnruder once re-introduced. You don't need to use melafix (which actualy does nothing in reality except, debateably, calming the fish). Just make sure the water is very, very clean - frequent water changes, gravel vacs etc.

 

[Torrean]

Really, I've always had good results when I used melafix, I guess The wounds healing up and fins growing back was normal I just attributed it to the melafix. I really thought that it worked. Oh well, It doesn't seem to do any harm so I think I'll keep using it when a fish has an injury until I run out of the stuff. Just out of curiousity what do you base this on sylvia?

 

[Katchan]

Melafix is based on melaluca or tea tree oil, which is a known (proven scientifically and known by native medicine) anti-inflammatory and anti bacterial, I have heard debate about the levels used on the melafix line as to wether they are actually strong enough to act as they should. In my opinion some is better than none.

Andrew