Melafix ?

[coryd]

My silver dollars have some ragged looking fins. I have not seen any fin nipping but it is possible the serpaes have been getting at them. Either way, I started the melafix treatments 6 days ago and see no improvement. I really hate medicating a tank to begin with but I'm wondering if I should keep going until the fins are completely repaired or stop after the 7 days?

Also, I have a guppy in my 6gal which has a reaccurin body fungus situation. It goes away after the 4 day treatment with Fungus Cure and comes back a week later. 3 times now. I was thinking of trying the melafix this time? I'm assuming It isn't totally cured each time.
Any advice?

BTW, water parameters in both are ideal.

 

[Inchworm]

Hi coryd

How often do you do water changes and bottom cleanings? How much water do you change each time? What is the temperature of the water?

What you are describing sounds like you have some bacterial infections going on in your tanks. If this is the case, MelaFix might help, but it is only a mild antibacterial. It will do little if the underlying causes are not discovered and resolved.

 

[coryd]

My temp stays btwn 76 - 78. I do 25% water changes and gravel vac every 2 weeks. The only thing I can think of is my test kit is giving me false readings. My amm has always read btwn 0 - .25 and when I could never get it too a clear zero, I brought it to lfs to test and he thought the reagent wasperhaps a little off and although it didnt look like it with my kit, ammonia was actually 0. My tap water tests as just below .25 also so I have just been assuming that my coloring is a bit off. Maybe not. My nitrites are at 0 and nitrates at 20 (never higher than 40).

BTW, the guppies fungus seems to have gone away by itself this time?

 

[Ferris]

My experience with Melafix is that it has always helped fix minor fin damage within a couple of days. If the problem continues it could be finrot and may require a stronger specific medication. Of course, it could just be repeated fin nipping giving the appearance that they are not getting better. Finrot normally leaves a faint black line around the affected area so look for that. If you suspect this is just fin nipping, keep up the Melafix but don't overdo it, a couple of times a week is plenty.

 

[Inchworm]

Hi coryd

For starters, let me point out that your 6 gallon tank is overcrowded. In addition to that, your cory is a schooling fish and should have some companions. If you have room, it would help to move him into your larger tank and get him some. That will make the little tank easier to manage and clean.

I do not know how large your fish are in the big tank so I cannot tell if that is over stocked too. If it is, solving that situation will help your problem.

Next, I suggest you increase your water changes to 40% every week, or even better - at least until your fish have recovered - 25% twice a week. If they have finrot, or other kind of bacterial infection, clean water is the single most important thing you can do to stop it.

How good is your water circulation? Low oxygen content in the water is another factor that leads to an increase in harmful bacteria, and which stresses and therefore weakens the fish. Increased water changes will help this too. Remember that water tests only test for certain chemicals in the water. They are not an indication that you have enough oxygen or that you have too many harmful bacteria.

Your temperature is good.

Now, about those bacteria....... There are many kinds and different strains of them. Some will be helped by some medicines, others less so. Since they are fish and not humans who can have expensive lab work done, we have to pretty much go by trial and error with their diagnosis and treatment. Fortunately, whatever is in there is a slow acting one, so the chances of getting rid of it are good.

MelaFix is a mild antibacterial and a good one to start out with, but if it hasn't done anything in 6 days, it's not likely to. Let your water changes remove it from the water. Take care not to overfeed so that leftover food accumulates on the bottom, and keep the temperature constant.

Perhaps these things will help. If not, or if the severity of the infection increases, you will want to move up to a stronger medicine, probably an antibiotic. If so, Kanamycin or tetracycline are good, and so is Maracyn if it is used in combination with Maracyn 2. If you use any of these, do be sure that the infection is completely cured before you stop treatment. This might mean running them through the course of medication twice. This will prevent any bacteria from mutating and becoming resistant to the antibiotics, which is one of the worst things that can happen.

Good luck, and please let me know how your fish are doing as time goes on.