# heater burns



## OscarLoverJim (Jul 20, 2010)

Last Spring my fish burnt him/herself on the metal rod element of my aquarium heater. I'd never had this happen before and I never actually saw it happen this time but it's the only thing that could have caused the wound; which began looking like a black patch, then the scales all turned white got soft and died and had to be replaced. Fortunately though it took awhile my oscar totally recovered and since then I've placed the heating elements where the oscar can't get near them.


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## kitten_penang (Mar 26, 2008)

lucky the burn site din't turn into a fungus attack


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## OscarLoverJim (Jul 20, 2010)

kitten_penang said:


> lucky the burn site din't turn into a fungus attack


Yes, though I also treated with Mellafix.


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## kitten_penang (Mar 26, 2008)

i thought melafix was bad. isn't it?? it aggravates the wound.something like pouring alcohol on the wound when we get cut.


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## OscarLoverJim (Jul 20, 2010)

kitten_penang said:


> i thought melafix was bad. isn't it?? it aggravates the wound.something like pouring alcohol on the wound when we get cut.


No, melafix is a very good and natural treatment for warding off bacterial or fungal infections and aides in the healing of wounds.

and no I am not a paid ad man for melafix  I have just had good experiences with it - especially keeping oscars who are in general big brute bruisers always slamming into things and banging themselves up!


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## kitten_penang (Mar 26, 2008)

it also says it's for minor fungus problems not major.i bought it so i did some home work on it after.most say fish that can breath air shouldn't take it either.is this true?


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## OscarLoverJim (Jul 20, 2010)

kitten_penang said:


> it also says it's for minor fungus problems not major.i bought it so i did some home work on it after.most say fish that can breath air shouldn't take it either.is this true?


It's primarily for antibacterial use I'm not actually sure how well it works on fungus. It can reduce the O2 in the water during treatment, but I don't know why that would be worse for 'air breathing' fish since they could breath air at the surface anyway.


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## kitten_penang (Mar 26, 2008)

it seems it destroys the gills and and makes the fish stress out and have difficulty breathing. it also said something about a labyrinth or something can't really remember.


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## OscarLoverJim (Jul 20, 2010)

kitten_penang said:


> it seems it destroys the gills and and makes the fish stress out and have difficulty breathing. it also said something about a labyrinth or something can't really remember.


 
I'd be interested read the source your citing if you could get me a link?

This burn situation I had was the only time fortunately in years I've had to use any kind of medication, I used the melafix due to the high potential for infection in such a burn. My oscar got no infection and I noted him/her having no adverse reactions to the treatment.

Melafix is a holistic treatment made of tea tree extract, I can find nothing anywhere about it destroying gills and in fact everything I've read states it supports healing of tissues. I have read as I wrote before it can lower O2 levels in water which might make it harder for fish to breath but since bacterial infections can kill fish one would have to weigh the situation I guess.

I haven't read anything about it harming bettas, gouramis or other labyrinth fish but it seems to me they'd be better off with the treatment as they don't have to rely on the O2 in the water so much.


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## kitten_penang (Mar 26, 2008)

i'll get the link for you to read.will post them here if i'm not hijacking thing post.am i?


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## kitten_penang (Mar 26, 2008)

http://www.ponddoc.com/WhatsUpDoc/ProductProfiles/Melafix.htm
http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums...-melafix-pimafix-why-they-work-dont-work.html
http://www.aquaria.info/index.php?name=PNphpBB2&file=viewtopic&t=17002


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## OscarLoverJim (Jul 20, 2010)

kitten_penang said:


> i'll get the link for you to read.will post them here if i'm not hijacking thing post.am i?


Nope, I think it would be a good thing for everyone to know about, it's certainly in the right topic heading.

The first link didn't say anything bad about Melafix, the second from another forum had a poster saying marine Melafix killed his fish but then another poster doubting that

But the 3rd link http://www.aquaria.info/index.php?na...wtopic&t=17002 was certainly interesting and explained a plausible reason melafix might be bad for anabantoids which I didn't know. If this is true A.P.I. really needs to warn buyers on the label.


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## kitten_penang (Mar 26, 2008)

did you read it? interesting right


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