# Melafix and Bettas?



## Psylk87 (Apr 18, 2012)

What are your thoughts on Melafix and Betts? Is it safe? Is it a bad idea? What is your experience? Does it also apply to Pimafix and Stress Coat by API?

I am having a little scare with my betta and trying to decide if this is worth buying. Also do you have experience with it with other fish?


----------



## MattsBettas (Dec 18, 2012)

Not a great idea... The main ingredient (tea tree oil) can potentially coat the bettas labyrinth organ and kill it.


----------



## RowdyBetta (Feb 1, 2013)

I didn't know any better before and it killed my already ailing betta.


----------



## Polkadot (Feb 10, 2013)

I used Bettafix once early on believing it to be a good safe product,then when I read up on it that night & that it could harm the labyrinth organ I panicked big time! I immediately took my little boy out of his tank and replaced the water,but that wasn't enough as the Bettafix was stuck all over everything in the tank like some sort of honey & the smell from the tea tree oil in it was very strong.I basically had to start the tank all over again & took everything out to clean it thoroughly.THANKFULLY my little boy Peanut was fine & I found that all he needed was some API Stress Coat.So just from my own experience I would not recommend using Bettafix or Melafix.But Stress Coat I would definitely recommend highly,that is a great product & very safe and gentle for bettas.


----------



## colouratura (May 20, 2013)

I'll also vouch for the API Stress Coat. Worked great in helping tears in my betta's fins heal up (along with aquarium salt).

I have never used Melafix or Bettafix but most of what I've learned warns against using them. 

They both have tea tree oil as the active ingredient. The difference is that Melafix is at a 1.0% concentration and Bettafix is at a far lower 0.2% concentration.

Bettas can tolerate tea tree oil to an extent but there's the risk of it damaging their labyrinth organ. Then your fish basically suffocates and dies(would apply to fish like Gouramis too). The idea with Bettafix is that it's percentage of tea tree oil is safe if instructions are followed but you still read frequent cases of a betta dying after this 'safe' version was administered. Whether it was totally the fault of the tea tree oil, the owner or the little fish just being too sick to handle it, who's to say for sure. If someone uses it, use with caution.

Pro's and con's to pretty much any medication.


----------

