# Platies and Melafix



## La Reina (Oct 25, 2009)

I brought home three male platies from PetSmart yesterday afternoon. Two of which has frayed fins, and one fish in their store tank had what appeared to be fin rot. I dosed my quarentine tank with the prescribed amount of Melafix and went to bed. Upon waking, all three fish were very sluggish, with one lying on his belly in the gravel. I did a full water change six hours later and all three fish were back to normal activity within 20 minutes.

In the "Medicine" sticky topic on this board it says that Melafix does not work well with all fish types. With my recent experience I would not reccomend using Melafix with platies.

If you have any experience using this medicine with this type of fish, please post to either prove or contradict me.


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## Angel079 (Feb 14, 2007)

I hadn't used it on a platy, but a Betta w/out issues (over weeks actually till fin rot was cured fully).

Have you does too high ML in comparison to your gallons? Did you have a air stone in the tank while doing it?

I honestly wouldn't see why it would affect them so bad if its the meds, if it worked wonderful for the Betta, unless the oxygen was the problem?


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## La Reina (Oct 25, 2009)

I did use an airstone and correct dosage...

Oh, you know what, I layed a piece of saran wrap over the tank, therefore trapping CO2 in the water. Stupid me.


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## Lupin (Aug 2, 2006)

I've never liked Melafix and any other herbal med for that matter. Melafix can potentially choke the fish if the oil seeps too much in their gills. Same with Pimafix and aloe vera. For minor issues suchas finrot and injuries, I just do daily water changes.


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## 1077 (Apr 16, 2008)

I agree with lupin.
Have found that proper water parameters along with every other day ,or every two day water changes that many fish can recover completely from any number of Ilnessses.
Not to say that medications don't have their place, I just choose to try cleaning up the enviornment of the fishes first.
Also agree that meds and or conditioners that contain oil, would almost cetainly also coat the fishes gills and nostrils and could in this way further stress the fishes.


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