Melafix? Pimafix? Or both?

[Viper]

I recently bought 5 boesemani rainbows and after a week of quarentine, just put them in the main tank today. After viewing them in the better lighting, it appears as if they may have a mild (as of right now) case of mouth fungus. I didn't notice it under the more subdued lighting of my QT tank. It looks like small "cottony" things hanging off the lips. I'm going to put them back into the QT tank, but should I buy both the Melafix and Pimafix? Or one and not the other?

Is this something that they would be able to fight off themselves with frequent water changes?

 

[Zagz]

It won't hurt them to use melafix and pimafix. You can use them both at the same time. Definately get them out of the main tank though. And watch carefully, it may be columnaris, in which case mela/pimafix will not help.

 

[mfdrookie516]

I actually had really good luck treating columnaris with pimafix and melafix... at least i contributed them to helping with it. If it is columnaris, lower the water temperature down slowly to about 72, add aquarium salt, do daily 50% water changes, and i did a daily dose of pimafix and melafix (but if zagz says it doesnt help, it may have just been the salt, water changes, and lower temperature)

 

[Viper]

I didn't really think about it, but would adding the aquarium salt hurt my snails? I know how if you pour salt on a slug it kills it so would it be the same in an aquarium?

 

[BigJim]

I used aquarium salt to help clear up fungus on my Praecox rainbows. The fungus was gone before I even got a chance to pick up medicine for it.

1tsp of salt per gallon won't hurt your snails. I've used it with mysteries, MTS, and ramshorns without issue. High concentrations of salt will kill your snails, but not 1tsp per gallon.

 

[Viper]

OK thanks. I have since moved them to my QT tank just to be safe while I'm dosing meds and salt. I used the recommended amount on the salt carton which was 1 tbsp per 5 gallons. Being a 50 gallon tank, that makes 10 tbsp, which equals 30 tsps, under the amount that you suggested, so my snails would probably be OK. Better safe than sorry though.