Read Before You Buy: The Real Uses of Melafix

I can't tell you the number of times I've seen concerned aquarium owners with sick fish posts on the communities that I visit saying their fish is sick with a certain illness. Without knowing who to turn to, they visited their local pet store to find a medicine to help cure the ailment. They explain their concerns to an employee whom nods and automatically points to a product called Melafix® and claims it's a cure all medicine that will work wonders in their aquarium. They bring the product home and treat their fish for days, sometimes weeks and see no improvement, sometimes they die. Every single one of this fish owners have fallen prey to employees that either do not care, or do not know any better.

I'm here to debunk the myths that surround this so called miracle product, and let the masses know what it's really for, and chances are, it's not for what they have been telling you.

First, let's examine the label. The product claims it's an antibacterial fish remedy. So, ok what does that mean? Well, it means that it can kill or help fight infection or stop an infection from forming. Further down we notice that this is an all natural product made from tea trees. We also notice that it repairs damaged fins, ulcers and open wounds. It also says it promotes the regrowth of tissue and fins.

So, if we examine this information we'll discover one thing. Melafix® is like Neosporin® for fish. So, ask yourself this question, can Neosporin cure a major illness, disease or ailment? No, it certainly cannot, it can however, make you feel better and can help prevent an infection from occurring. So, from what I have provided you with above, you now can see that Melafix® definitely is not a cure-all and will not solve all of your aquarium woes.

Now, we'll talk about what Melafix® can do. If your fish has scrapped against a rough aquarium ornament, then it would be a great product to use. Tea tree oil is supposed to be a soothing product and I'm sure it would bring some type of relief to your fish. If your fish have been recovering or battling with fin rot, and you've used the correct medications, your recovering fish can use some Melafix®. Its natural healing properties and other elements in this make it a wonderful tool to help regrow fins. I've see very rapid development with dosing once a day for just about four days. Open body sores, body slime, mouth fungus, and eye cloud can also be soothed with this product, but once again they will not be cured. It will help heal the fish and keep the wounds clean and clear of any infection that may set in. These infections can be tough to clear up once they have entered the fish. You can also use this alongside a medication as the medication along with it may actually help the fish heal faster or help prevent the fish from getting sick again.

Melafix® can also be used whenever new fish are acquired. Of course it's best to quarantine all new fish before they are introduced to the others in case the new fish is carrying a disease. Dose the new fish for about three days as this will heal any wounds the fish has, and help prevent a secondary infection from occurring.

This will never be a cure-all. It will never solve all the problems a fish owner may occur during their time, but it does come in handy. So the next time you're in the store and you need a medication, ignore what the employee tells you. Tell them what it's really for and ask to see something else.