# Melafix- is it safe!?



## Artarmon (Jan 25, 2010)

Well I wne to the aquarium store today to buy aquarium salt to help fix the small tare in Dorian's tail fin, anyway, they were all out of it there and weren't gettin in another order of it till the end of the month.
So annoying.
Anyway the people there reccomended melafix? Now I bought it but decided to do some research before I used it... and eesh there are so many different stories, some really good and others really bad. :shock:.
So I am really confused.

The reason they say it is bad is because it is too concentrated... now, if I were to use SIGNIFICANTLY less in my tank than what the bottle specifies for the amount of water he is in (it says 5mls per 10 gallon, but if I were to dilute some to a much lower concentration with water before I put it in) will it be okay?


----------



## Rain Drop (Jul 4, 2009)

That's what I do.
It's never negatively affected any of my fish.
I know some members on the board disagree though, saying it's bad for their breathing organ.
I use just a few drops in my 2.25G tank.

As for salts, I think you can use epsom salt.
Not sure though, so someone back me up?


----------



## Artarmon (Jan 25, 2010)

I have a medicine dropper in my cupboard so I got a glass and I mixed 3 drops of the Melafix into the whole glass of water... now If I were to use a couple of drops of the mixed water (which I will leave to sit to make sure the medication is mixed in) would that be alright?
I really don't want to have to buy different medication after I went all the way into the city and paid the money for that one =S


----------



## Rain Drop (Jul 4, 2009)

That might be a little too weak now.
But at the same time, it be a good way to see how your betta reacts to it.
So sure, try that out. Adjust accordingly to how much progress the healing makes.
Also, make sure you put water conditioner into the medicated glass of water too.


----------



## Artarmon (Jan 25, 2010)

Oh I almost forgot that!
Just did that then.
And I can see why people think this is too strong, even with only a few drops in the glass it smells strongly of tea tree. Wow.
And thankyou for the advice, his fins aren't majorly torn, (just a little bit on the ends from when I was moving him the other day, he was really hesitant to get in the cup I was scooping him into) I just wanted to treat it early so it didn't get worse or anything.


----------



## Artarmon (Jan 25, 2010)

Okay well I put the very diluted (and conditioned) stuff in, what signs should I look for that it is having a negative effect on my fish?


----------



## Artarmon (Jan 25, 2010)

http://www.fishlore.com/fishforum/b...ners-read-melafix-alert-read-read-danger.html
Oh gosh =S Reading this thread makes me very nervous about even the very small amount I put in...


----------



## Tinthalas Tigris (Jan 28, 2010)

Artarmon: 

1) Get BETTAfix It is the properly dosed version of Melafix for bettas. ONLY use it for your betta if it is functioning normal, but cosmetically looking bad. Go one drop less than what it recommends. It will be enough. If your betta is doing the "vertical swim" or is on its side, cut the dose in half, add salt, and bring the heat up SLOWLY, not more than 1 degree every hour, max it out at 80 degrees.

2) You can get away with table salt, but I wouldn't do it if your betta is acting terrible. It is wiser just to pick up Morton's KOSHER salt from yoru local grocery store. This is virtually identical to aquarium salt. Really. I use this as well as many others in the hobby, and it works great.

3) clean your bettas water. This is one of the best things you can do for it. Get all the pollutants out of the water, very slowly. If you have the time to nurse it. Take 1/5 to 1/8 of the water out at a time, and return an equal amount of bottled, or treated water. Make sure to return the equivalent amount of salt back to the amount you took out. (if you have 1 gallon of water, and a 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and you remove 10%, you need to add only a couple granules of salt back into the water).

Remember to keep the heat steady, not fierce, just to make the betta comfortable. The bettafix should work for the majority of betta issues, especially what you have pointed out. With your dillution of Melafix, you'll be okay. Just let be what has been done, and do a very small partial water change if your betta can handle it.


----------



## Artarmon (Jan 25, 2010)

Thankyou for your information Trigirs.
At th moment I am doing 100% changes twice a week and 50% changes once a week. And I scrub the tank with hot water, as well as washing the rocks and the plastic plants (that is in one tank). So I am fairly confident that the water is clean.
The fish I am using it on is a very healthy fish, and he doesn't seem to have any serious ailments at all. Only, he has a few tiny tares in the ends of his tailfins (which seem unusually long compared to other bettas).


----------



## BettaxFishxCrazy (Sep 5, 2009)

Melafix and bettafix are two of the most controversial medications. I've heard both good and bad things about it, but more bad than good. Bettafix is just a watered down version of melafix. I would buy aquarium salt. Always use that before you resort to medications because some bettas are more sensitive meds. Since it's just fin rot, the aquarium salt should heal him up nicely with a couple salt baths and adding some salt into his tank.


----------



## ScuitoAmi150 (Nov 19, 2009)

I use BettaFix. I will say that it does not always work, sometimes my fish's fins will heal in a day, sometimes they will take a week. All with using BettaFix. But with torn fins, who can really say that it helped them heal faster? A tear in a different spot will heal at a different time, a tear in the same spot as the first time will probably heal slower. Too many variables. 
But it has never done anything bad to my bettas, and I always add it just in case.


----------



## kelly528 (Aug 31, 2009)

I think a big think that people forget is that Melafix and Bettafix are NOT magic bullets by any means. The _only_ active ingredient in thses madications is Tea-Tree Oil, which is an antiseptic and nothing more. It will not 'heal' or 'grow' anything, simply prevent previously uninfected wounds from getting infected. Glorified rubbing alcohol, if you will.

So if sterilizing a wound is indeed what you want to do, go for it. But for people claiming it heals their fish in a day or a week or whatever, what they are seeing is the power of their own fishkeeping, not some potion that claims to 'fix' their fish.


----------



## 1fish2fish (Sep 10, 2009)

I try to stay away from medications as much as possible. I've found that for torn or bitten fins a week of aquarium salt, daily water changes, and warm temps (82-84*) really helps. When it comes to medications, especially controversial ones, I just try to go a different route.


----------



## LisaC144 (Oct 22, 2009)

I had to medicate my betta when I first got him. He had some sort of internal parasite and eye cloud. I used a mix of Pimafix Melafix AT MUCH LOWER DOSES, and my fish made a full recovery. I was extremely worried that I was going to lose him and just like you, was very worried about using Melafix. I put MAYBE 1/4 the dose in for one week (probably even less), and he's a brand new fish. Now, however, it does say on the instructions not to do a pwc until 7 days later, but I did a pwc every 3 days just to be safe. Hope this helps.


----------



## SmirffyLover189 (Dec 9, 2009)

Artarmon said:


> I have a medicine dropper in my cupboard so I got a glass and I mixed 3 drops of the Melafix into the whole glass of water... now If I were to use a couple of drops of the mixed water (which I will leave to sit to make sure the medication is mixed in) would that be alright?
> I really don't want to have to buy different medication after I went all the way into the city and paid the money for that one =S


Well when my male and female fish got together and tore eachothers fins I used bettafix its kinda like malafix but specifically for bettas at petco its blue and is in the shape of a fish it treats 5gals.its usually right next to the betta fishes at petco and smirffys fins grew back beautifully


----------



## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

I've had no problem with BettaFix but I did with Melafix.


----------



## ScuitoAmi150 (Nov 19, 2009)

BettaRevive is also a really awesome medicine. But maybe too strong for what you are looking for.


----------



## xxabc (Feb 1, 2010)

About Melafix - yes, it does severely affect ALL labryinth fish (so in our case, bettas). Even at normal doses for other fish, for labryinth fish, it's considered an overdose. There's a certain chemical(?) in there that's simply NOT. GOOD. for betta and at normal doses, again, it's considered an overdose for them. 
Especially if you see floating, unconsciouness, other "weird" stuff, do immediate water changes. I wouldn't even try with melafix honestly. I stick with aquarium salt, and daily garlic-soaked foods. And lots and lots of love.


----------



## Artarmon (Jan 25, 2010)

Hey thanks for all the insights everyone...
I went past the aquarium store on my way home from work today- still no aquarium salt in (damn)- and I can't afford to fork out the money for bettafix at the moment (it's only $12 but I really just don't have the moeny unless I wanna go without dinner again- lol).

I guess for now I will make even more regular half water changes to make sure that the environ,ment is clean which will aid the healing process I guess.

-sigh-
Why do so many fish stores reccomend melafix if it does no good for bettas D: I even specifically said I wanted it for my betta and she said it would be the best.
Man I'm annoyed at that...


----------



## 1fish2fish (Sep 10, 2009)

Do you have Wal-marts in Australia?? Or a store like it? I know here they have aquarium salt in wal-marts.

A stupid petstore employee told me bettafix would help my guy once.. they really don't know what they're talking about. I actually had one guy argue with me when I said that they need to be in heated tanks... I reported him to the store manager.


----------



## Artarmon (Jan 25, 2010)

Hmm no we don't... 
I could imagine they would have it in bunnings warehouse, but I would have no idea where it is.
If the aquarium store near me doesn't get aquarium salt in by the end of the week I think i'll go into the city, I am bound to find one in the mall there that has it.

And that's ridiculous really :l You would think specialist asuarium shops would have people who know what they are talking about when it comes to all the fish there. Or the attendant would ask someone who did know if they were unsure...
I would rather of had the attendant simply say they didn't know than reccomend something that wasn't going to help and make me spend my money on it... Especially since they didn't have what I was looking for in the first place.


----------



## xxabc (Feb 1, 2010)

Employees... you can't really blame them for a job. But seriously, have at least one little fish freak in there and everything would be better ... hahaha 

Have you already used the Melafix? hopefully not?


----------



## 1fish2fish (Sep 10, 2009)

Thats the problem with Bettas.. they're so disposable that most stores.. even specialty aquarium shops sell them in tiny bowls and with all the other commercial junk thats not good for the fish.

It is odd that an aquarium shop would run out of aquarium salt.. thats like a staple in fish keeping.


----------



## Artarmon (Jan 25, 2010)

abc, I only used a tiny tiny dilute quantity... as I said I put a few drops in a glass of water and mixed it around and conditioned the water and then put a few drops of this mix in...
And he is in a 2.5 gallon tank (I finally did the math).
And since then i've also done a water change (I've been very paranoid about it). But little Dorian seems to be getting along fine. 
I don't think I will ue any more of it though.
Just to be safe.


----------



## Artarmon (Jan 25, 2010)

1fish2fish said:


> Thats the problem with Bettas.. they're so disposable that most stores.. even specialty aquarium shops sell them in tiny bowls and with all the other commercial junk thats not good for the fish.
> 
> It is odd that an aquarium shop would run out of aquarium salt.. thats like a staple in fish keeping.


Yeah I know right... 
I just assumed that they knew what they were talking about since they sold all sorts of exotic tropical fish there and I thought that if they knew what was good for them they would too for bettas. I guess the sakes assistants aren't really trained as much as say- the managers- would be in fish care :l

And I thought that was funny too... o_o


----------



## xxabc (Feb 1, 2010)

Thought i'd add this. 

This is what can happen with one little fish freak  

YouTube - Wal Mart takes GREAT care of Betta fish!


Man, I wish I was there.


----------



## Artarmon (Jan 25, 2010)

xxabc said:


> Thought i'd add this.
> 
> This is what can happen with one little fish freak
> 
> ...


Oh wow! That is great!
The fish actually look like they have room to move and they are all looking really vibrant and healthy. :-D:-D


----------



## xxabc (Feb 1, 2010)

I know! It made me happy inside. And jealous. Those should be everywhere. Especially with large chain-store money, they should be able to AFFORD it. 

I'll stop before I go *rantrantrantrant*


----------



## Tinthalas Tigris (Jan 28, 2010)

Artarmon said:


> Hey thanks for all the insights everyone...
> I went past the aquarium store on my way home from work today- still no aquarium salt in (damn)-


You actually can get away with table salt in an aquarium. The iodine is actually good for most tropical freshwater fish. It is the marine fish that cannot have any iodine. 

However, I personally recommend Morton's Kosher Salt. it is sold everywhere, is a raw additive free, natural occurring salt, and my fish - even those unused to brackish waters - are very comfortable in it, as well as my plants.



> Why do so many fish stores reccomend melafix if it does no good for bettas D: I even specifically said I wanted it for my betta and she said it would be the best.




Ignorance. ANy business model that is based solely on sales, it is important to know products that work well on saving fish. Most employees making minimum wage do not think of the specialized differences in products and instead just remember a core product, and not its alternatives. It is unfortunate that we can't easily, nor affordably, take the bettafish forum with us to the petstore in order to research all the products the pet store has at the time.


----------

