Tiger Barb Fins.. Ripped up. Melafix

[Gundy]

I've got 5 Tiger Barbs setup in their own 10g tank. And noticed a few of them today have small rips on their fins. Nothing major, or affecting their swimming - but I picked up a bottle of melafix a couple weeks back to treat shell rot on one of my crayfish setups.

The bottle mentions to remove carbon from the filter - IF POSSIBLE. How much will this affect a small treatment to help speed up the heal on the fins? The filter is nasty and I'd rather not tackle tearing up the filter to dump the carbon out. Like I said, its not a BIG wound, but I don't want it to get worse - and since I already have the medication I'd figure to give it a shot.

Any info?

 

[rich311k]

If the carbon in the filter is more than two weeks old it will not matter anyway.

 

[Zagz]

Rich is correct, carbon only stays active for a short while.

 

[Gundy]

Awesome, so I don't have to worry about it now anyways?

Just curious, why would filters have carbon in the first place if it spoils so quickly?

 

[Zagz]

Carbon helps to remove medications out of the water and is useful but not necessary all the time. Filter floss works as well, is much less expensive. Like anything else they are out to make money. I like many members here use carbon only to remove meds from the water.

 

[Gundy]

SO basically just treat them for the indicated time (7days) then put in new carbon to get the melafix out?

 

[Zagz]

Melafix is very mild, you can use the carbon to remove it or regular water changes will remove it. For melafix and pimafix, I don't use carbon to remove the meds.