melafix treatment for fin rot on black skirt

[donnaR]

Hi there, I have had a very stable aquarium for the last several months, I test my water weekly and do a 25% water change to keep the nitrates in check (20ppm or less). Ammonia & nitrites are 0ppm.

I noticed the other day that one of my skirts has a ragged top fin and tail fin, and the lower fin has a cloudy area on it. I looked up info for finrot and thought maybe that was it so I bought a bottle of melafix today. I did a large water change tonight (around 70%), and now the tailfin has the trademark redness near the base of the tail. I've looked at several pictures of finrot, and this looks exactly like it.

Question about this medication..... it says to add 1 tsp/10gallons, every day for 7 days, and then do a water change. So does this mean by the time I do a water change, there will be 7 tsp of medication in the water? Isn't that a lot? Unfortunately I do not have a quarantine tank as of yet, so I'm also wondering if this will harm my other fish (listed below in my sig). I really want to do this right, any tips for me? I've tried to get a decent picture to post, but I'm afraid I haven't mastered aquarium photography yet, and my pics are not coming out with enough focus on the sick guy that would even give you any idea what I'm talking about. I'll keep trying. Thanks for any advice.......
Donna

 

[Zagz]

I've had success with melafix if caught early enough. I test the water parameters while treating even though sometimes the parameters may not read 100% accurate and do a water change if needed. I don't think I have ever made it 7 days without a water change LOL. The other fish will be fine with melafix. If the fish isn't improving in a few days you may want to look at other medications. Remember to take out the active carbon out of your filter.

 

[donnaR]

Thanks Anne, appreciate it! I took the carbon filter out and put a plain one in. I'll test water in a few days and do a change (I just feel weird about keeping adding meds, and making the concentration of it stronger every day).

If my fish doesn't look better in a few days, do you have any suggestions for another med? How, after months of happiness in the tank, and no "new additions" could this afflict just ONE of my fish?

 

[QTOFFER]

So long as you don't grossly overdose, melafix is safe for all fish except bettas and gouramis (it irritates their labrynth organ). The active ingredient is a volatile oil (smell it? ) that evaporates out pretty quickly. When I treat with Melafix, I do 50% water changes daily and medicate the amount of water I'm replacing. It's not exactly what they say to do on the bottle, and I probably waste some Melafix in the process, but I feel that frequent water changes in conjunction with Melafix works faster than Melafix alone. Also, turning the temp down a degree or two will help retard bacterial growth.

Just keep in mind that Melafix is a very mild astringent/bacteriostatic - great for mild scrapes and fin tears. It is completely ineffective against severe infections. If you start to see cottony growths or angry red streaks, you need to be ready to treat with a proper antibiotic like Maracyn. I also like Jungle Fungus Clear, buit I wouldn't recommend it unless you have a quarrantine tank - it permanently stains the silicone and rockwork blue.

So why 'after months of happiness in the tank, and no "new additions" could this afflict just ONE of my fish?" As they reach breeding age, tetras can become quite mean toward each other, especially if there are more males than females. It's just their nature, but usually the injuries are minor and tattered fins almost always grow back. You may need to gravel vac more often if these minor battle wounds become infected. Dirty gravel is a breeding dround for anaerobic bacteria that cause infections.

 

[Zagz]

With a lot of stronger medications and tetras you may have to half the dosage. I've used Maracyn myself with great success, have never used it with tetra's though. If you need to use it, just read the instructions and it will state whether to be careful with tetras or not. I don't think Maracyn would be hard on the tetras as I have used it with cory cats and they are sensitive to meds for sure. Good luck.
I agree with Qtoffer on the why reasoning. You never think that tetras will be nippy but many of them do become that way. Serpae tetras are another example of a tetra that can be quite nippy once mature.

 

[donnaR]

Well gang, things are looking good. Its been 3 days, and the redness has almost completely gone from the tetra's tailfin. How long should I continue with the treatment? The lower fin looks good now, doesn't have that sort of "foggy" look to it, but the top fin still looks ragged (but its really not too bad compared to some pictures i've seen). Do i treat until the fin is back in perfect shape? The tailfin, has one tear in it, but I'm really glad to see the redness going away so quickly.

I am certainly witnessing some nippiness among these guys, is there any way to determine sex of these guys? They seem kind of territorial lately, each sticking to their corners unless one decides to go pick on another.

 

[donnaR]

just bumping my post......... i'm not sure how long to keep up treatment. its been a full 7 days now, the fish is definitely improved but do i keep treating until fins are back in perfect shape?

thanks in advance!

 

[Wizzard~Of~Ozz]

Thre really is no harm in adding some everyday, if you can stand the smell of teatree oil. it supposedly helps them heal, so why not keep adding it until the fish are all healed up?, also feel free to do water changes as often as you like, just do it before you add it (no sense flushing it down the drain), since you are dosing the same from day 1, there is no harm in changing the water.

Some people put it in QT all the time to help with new fish, making sure they are in good shape. It's a completely organic compound that has no chemicals in it.

 

[donnaR]

Thanks very much Wizz! Yeah, that is some pungent stuff........ I think that adding it to QT is a great idea, when I have the space to set up a QT tank, I think I might consider that too. Tx again,
Donna