Melefix and Pimafix fish remedies?

[PeeperKeeper]

I posted this at MAAST and RC, but (yay!) now I've found a NEW forum to check out! Let me run this past you guys.

My flame angel has been having some problems that began with my shrimp goby picking on him and developed into an apparent fungal infection of his right pect. fin, then a little on his top fin and now his right eye has gotten cloudy. The goby has been out of the main tank since Thursday. I was hoping that with him gone, the decreased stress would help but the flame has continued to get worse.

Now I also see some discoloration on the orchid dottyback.

So yesterday I went to the LFS and they suggested a combination of Melafix ("antibacterial fish remedy") and Pimafix ("antifungal fish remedy"). They said it should be reef safe and that they'd had customers use it with corals with no problems. I don't have any SPS, just xenia, zoos, green star polyps and a tube anemone and a toadstool leather.

When I put the stuff in yesterday, everything immediately reacted by closing up, but a little while later everything but the GSP's were back open again. Now it's been almost 24 hours and all the inverts look happy except the GSP's, which are closed up tight.

I wouldn't really expect much improvement in the flame yet after just one day, but maybe his top fin is a little better. The eye is either the same or worse, and the same goes for the dottyback.

My concern is with the GSP's being closed. I'm kinda afraid to keep dosing it, but if it's going to save the flame and dottyback, I'd like to give it a try.

Does anyone have any experience with this stuff? It says to use 5mL's per 10 gallons once a day for 7 days. Active ingredient in Melafix is "Melaleuca", supposedly extracted from Tea Trees. It says it "rapidly repairs damaged fins, ulcers and open wounds and promotes regrowth of damaged tissue and fins".

Active ingredient in Pimafix is "pimenta recemosa" extracted from West Indian Bay Trees and it "rapidly treats fungal infections on body and fins. Safe for delicate fresh and saltwater fish".

I don't have a Q tank, and I tried to get the flame out earlier before I removed the goby and it was going to be imposible without totally breaking down the tank rock, and I think as much as I like the flame, I'd rather take a chance on losing him than take all the rock out at this point and still possibly lose him.

[thedude]

I've had it work in the past, and I've killed fish with it in the past unfortunately. One thing to definitely remember, follow the dosing instructions exactly and do not overdose. The main problem, is that this stuff decreases the oxygen content of your water almost immediately, almost to an unsafe level. Keep heavy surface movement to promote oxygenation and watch water quality carefully. Other than that, make sure the angel is getting plenty of good food.

Keep us updated,

John

[PeeperKeeper]

Thanks John. I was told about the oxygen problem. I hope I have enough going on. I have an 802 powerhead pointed across the surface and two returns coming out of the sump on a SCWD which point more down. I'm letting my skimmer run with the cup completely removed so it's just bubbling into the sump (although I had to turn it all the way off when I first added the meds) and my sump and fuge take up almost the whole area under the tank so there's lots of surface area.

So my big concern was with the green star polyps closing so tight and not opening back up like everything else did. Do you have corals in the tank you treated with it and what was their reaction? In other words, is this stuff REALLY reef safe?

[thedude]

I've seen star polyps close up for literally weeks at a time. Sometimes the slightest water change will piss them off and they'll batten down the hatches persay and just ride it out. I'd wait and not be too concerned about them.

John

[GKarshens]

I tried the stuff on a PBT that had some fin rot. It didn't do anything but stress the fish from the lowered oxygen. I hope it works for you. I did have success with Merycyn(sp?) by Mardel on my Orange Shoulder when he had some brown freckle type things pop up on him. It is a 5 day treatment and none of my corals including GSP closed up at all.

[fishypets]

IMO coral are worth way more than fish. If you loose a fish or two to illness no big loss. But if you treat your tank and loose all your coral......Well lets just say I'd be sick.

Just my .02 cents

Clint