# Melafix and Pimafix killed my fish



## snafuspyramid (May 27, 2010)

Not only did these products fail to cure any of the (minor) fungal infections my panda corys had, they removed all oxygen from the water, made everything slimy and smelly, and quite quickly killed some otherwise perfectly healthy young angelfish. The pandas are still alive, somehow, but looking sicker every day. Despite an airstone, even the bristlenose had to come up for air. The lemon tetras have completely changed colour to a dull grey, and now spend all their time with their noses at the waterline gasping for air.

It's a sad situation.

Stupid API. I want my money (or better still fish) back.


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## Axelrodi202 (Jul 29, 2008)

That's odd. One time last year, I used both products at once to heal a minor infection that my discus sustained from some small tail fin breakage, and all the fish, including my cardinal tetras and koi swordtails were fine.


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## wkndracer (Mar 14, 2009)

Never lost any fish but I consider both of these products 'tank tea'. (useless)


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## jetajockey (Aug 23, 2010)

You have to be very careful not to overdose with these products, even if they are natural. This is especially true when dealing with labyrinth fish.


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## ridethespiral (Aug 5, 2010)

Did you dose daily? I used pimafix and melafix @ 5mL/10gallon but only the first day, and accordingly for water changes. Pimafix has cloveoil in it, I even used it to put a glowlight tetra to sleep after not getting better after I bought him (there was no suffering at all, he went from freaking out grabbing him from the tank, to calming down and not moving once I put him in)


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## tuffgong (Apr 13, 2010)

I've successfully treated my panda corys with mela/pima for either 5 or 7 days at full dose for a fungal infection. Not sure what happened to your tank.


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## wendyjo (Feb 20, 2009)

It could be that the original illness that you were treating is what's getting your fish, not Pima/Melafix.


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## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

wendyjo said:


> It could be that the original illness that you were treating is what's getting your fish, not Pima/Melafix.


I agree.

I only use these 2 with minor issues, if it's something serious then you usually need to pull out the commercial medications.

You sure you don't have a Columnaris epidemic going? The change in color you're describing sounds like it may be a possibility...


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## Chrisk-K (Oct 12, 2009)

Strange. I never had any issue with Pima and Melafix.


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## Scottso (Oct 2, 2009)

wendyjo said:


> It could be that the original illness that you were treating is what's getting your fish, not Pima/Melafix.


This.

I have only had success with these products. Especially good in my case because they are invert safe too at the recommended dosage.


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## F22 (Sep 21, 2008)

Bad news: you overdosed the tank, and dropped the O2 thus killing the fish. 

Good news: since we found the problem there are new ways to treat for fungal issues, seachem has a line of powder meds that work well and are easy to measure and ensure that there will be no more problems. Seachem metro and kanacyn work well.


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## snafuspyramid (May 27, 2010)

I assume you're right about overdosing (although I did follow the instructions on the bottle). I've never heard of others having any problems either, although I have heard a lot of people describe the stuff as tank tea.

Anyway, I've since done a few water changes and added carbon, and all the fish are back to the normal colours and behaviours, and have started eating again. This excludes the betta, which didn't survive (I've since learnt that fish with labrynth organs are very sensitive to Melafix in particular).

Except for the poor corys, that is. I've moved them into a hospital tank. Although I'm using only the water and filter media from the old tank, as well as dosing stability and prime, there's probably a risk that moving into an uncycled tank will do more harm than good. Nonetheless, I don't want to mess with the display tank again.

I'm currently dosing Aquamaster Tri-Phospha tablets, which apparently work wonders (though tend to wreck your biofilter) and fix pretty much everything. I've had the corys dosed up for about twenty-four hours, with no effects yet. 

As you can see from this pic, they look messed up. What is this?


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## fishyjoe24 (Dec 10, 2009)

wkndracer said:


> Never lost any fish but I consider both of these products 'tank tea'. (useless)


x2... I've tried these products over and over. to only feel that they are gimmics. the only stuff I find useful from api are there plant tabs, plant ferts. liquids, and there test kits.


stuff I've found useful and work the money- aquarium solutions...
cyropro and prazipro


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## F22 (Sep 21, 2008)

Dude, those corys need a lot of help, they look rough. Try some metronidazole.


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## F22 (Sep 21, 2008)

double post :iamwithst


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## snafuspyramid (May 27, 2010)

Well today I woke up to find one down, and three still (barely) hanging in there. I reckon the bigger two should survive, but the wee babies won't. I should really have put them in a hospital tank straight away (they arrived from the breeder with a less nasty version of this). That's $50 worth of fish...

Thanks for the tip, but I'll stick with the tri-phospha tablets for now (if nothing else I'm tired of spending money on medicines). Will keep posted.


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## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

Looking at those fish I think sticking with the antibiotic was a good call.

Have any of them actually pulled through?


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