Melafix Just Turned My Tank Cloudy!

[fourthtimelucky]

Well, I left the guppies unsupervised for a fortnight and gave them a quarter of a Tetra holiday block (reccomended on the pack to leave a whole one in but I had read bad things about them and didn't want to risk fouling the water). My friend came in and did a water change for me halfway through. However, I guess they got a bit hungry & scrappy because today I noticed that one of them was looking a bit raggy round the edged. No sign of fungal growth or discolouration, just a couple of 1-2mm splits in his tail.

Anyway I have done a thorough cleanup of the tank and been doing water changes every couple of days for the last week just to make sure the water is nice and clean, and just now I added some Melafix to assist with his healing as I am worried he might get an infection. My friend swears by it for her bettas.

So I dosed the tank as recommended on the bottle after doing a 50% water change and in the space of about ten minutes the water has gone from crystal clear to very cloudy. Is this normal? Did I OD the tank? About to test the pre- and post-change water so will put them up in a mo but right now feeling pretty frantic!

 

[fourthtimelucky]

Has anyone had this happen to them? Have done a 50% water change since adding the melafix and it is less cloudy but still worried I may have killed my filter. Any ideas?

 

[knt5005]

You took the carbon out of the filter, correct? I don't seem to recall my water becoming cloudy after using Melafix. Maybe a smidge cloudy due to the medication, but never anything too bad.

 

[Spooky76]

Sounds more like a bacteria bloom than melafix. Ive used melafix for ages and it doesnt do that.

I suspect youve change too much water and its now in a cycle again. Did you clean your filter when you did the change ?

It will clear in a day or 2 if its bacteria bloom. You can still treat with melafix during it.

 

[raptorrex]

Well, I left the guppies unsupervised for a fortnight and gave them a quarter of a Tetra holiday block (reccomended on the pack to leave a whole one in but I had read bad things about them and didn't want to risk fouling the water). My friend came in and did a water change for me halfway through. However, I guess they got a bit hungry & scrappy because today I noticed that one of them was looking a bit raggy round the edged. No sign of fungal growth or discolouration, just a couple of 1-2mm splits in his tail.

Anyway I have done a thorough cleanup of the tank and been doing water changes every couple of days for the last week just to make sure the water is nice and clean, and just now I added some Melafix to assist with his healing as I am worried he might get an infection. My friend swears by it for her bettas.

So I dosed the tank as recommended on the bottle after doing a 50% water change and in the space of about ten minutes the water has gone from crystal clear to very cloudy. Is this normal? Did I OD the tank? About to test the pre- and post-change water so will put them up in a mo but right now feeling pretty frantic!

well melafix is an anti bacterial agent, it may well have damaged your filter colony, though this is far from common. i would suggest large and often water changes, you may have to see your tank through a mini cycle.

 

[fourthtimelucky]

It cleared up a couple of hours later. I'm fairly sure it wasn't a bacteria bloom -- happened literally within ten minutes of putting in the melafix, and I hadn't cleaned out the filter or anything. Dosed again yesterday and no cloud this time.

I will just keep a close eye on my water parameters I guess.

 

[DarkEntity]

well melafix is an anti bacterial agent, it may well have damaged your filter colony, though this is far from common. i would suggest large and often water changes, you may have to see your tank through a mini cycle.

Melafix and Pimafix are two of the meds that dont touch your bacteria at all

 

[fourthtimelucky]

well melafix is an anti bacterial agent, it may well have damaged your filter colony, though this is far from common. i would suggest large and often water changes, you may have to see your tank through a mini cycle.

Melafix and Pimafix are two of the meds that dont touch your bacteria at all

Have dosed again today and no cloudiness at all although a couple of my plants look a bit ropey. Fingers crossed then eh!?!?

 

[three-fingers]

Just checking, but did you have any carbon in your filer that you removed?

 

[fourthtimelucky]

Just checking, but did you have any carbon in your filer that you removed?

Nope.

Tank has been fine ever since & fish condition has improved. Mysterious.

 

[djceri_g]

I think that using Melafix, Primafix in your tank that has recently been salt added to the water it might cause cloudiness. #im sure it says on the bottle,?

 

[Squidman]

On the label of the melafix bottle it should say to remove the carbon filter.