salt vs. melafix

[Wanda]

In my previous post I have been seeking advice on how to treat a red lesion on my dojo loach.

Some people say to use caution with melafix (this is the first day I have added melafix) - would salt be better?

I have read that salt can also irritate the scaleless skin of loaches.

Does anybody have any advice on what would be a preffered or alternative treatment?

Someone else suggested no medication - just more frequent H2O changes. However, I am also speculating that his lesion is from a nick - it possibly could be something more serious but I just don't know.

[cybermeez]

I've never kept Dojos, so I don't know how they would react to MelaFix. I'm pretty sure someone here has used MelaFix on Dojos, and I don't recall that anything bad happened. When you added it to their tank water did you notice any change in bahavior? If not, it's probably fine.

It's also a good idea whenever you have a fish with a minor injury to do more frequent water changes. The cleaner you can keep the water the less likely it is the wound will become infected.

[Wanda]

After adding the melafix, nobody seems to be having an adverse reactions - but it says to repeat the treatment for 7 days and this is only day 1.

Not sure if this was a bad idea but I decided not to transfer my loach to the hospital tank because he seems to get stressed out easily so I didn't want to aggravate him more.

After I read that this melafix was safe for most fish I felt like it would be ok to add it to the entire tank - now I'm not so sure after what people are saying so wonder if I should do a water change and stop the treatment, or try salt instead or just move him to the other tank I am setting up.

I have a 2 tiger plecos, 3 upside down cats, 2 pearl gouramis, 4 ottos and a number of tetras and rasboras in the tank so I would feel really stupid if they succumb to this treatment.

I just want to do the right thing!

[cybermeez]

I think your fish will be fine with MelaFix. If anyone was going to show an adverse reaction I think you would have seen it by now. Just keep an eye on things and if anyone looks to be in distress just do a water change. I'm pretty confident you won't have a problem.

When working on the loach book, I spoke extensively with the folks in the lab at Aquarium Pharmaceuticals (they make MelaFix). During our discussions they revealed that MelaFix breaks down in aquarium water within 18-24 hours. Hence the daily dosing. By the time you are due to re-dose the tank, the previous dose has lost its potency. One thing you may notice is that MelaFix can cause the water to foam a bit. It's nothing dangerous and easily taken care of with a partial water change.

[Wanda]

Ok - thanks - that makes me feel better. I wasn't sure if the melafix would get more concentrated over the 7 days or not so that makes me feel better. If it just a bacterial ulcer then hopefully the treatment will help close the wound so that it will heal. Unless it is something else - we will find out I guess. Even though this loach has been one of the craziest additions to my tank I have developed quite a fondness for him!

[shari]

If you smell the water before you add the next treatment you'll notice that the odor has diminished markedly. It will strengthen a bit by the 7th day, but generally decreases rapidly on its own.

I've used melafix in a tank with dojos to treat another fish before and it seemed to tolerate it just fine. I hope yours makes it, and I'll second the water change increase. If you change a bit of water before you add each dose it can only help.