The Puffer Forum

You guys are the best. Thanks for the valuable information and feedback!

She doesn't seem to be feeling to poorly, thank goodness. She's eating well, however she isn't moving about much but then that could be simply her being upset at having been moved twice in the last few days. I'm hopeful that she'll be fine.

I've never heard of Melafix affecting any of the beneficial bacteria in any system.

Has anyone used Biobandage on their puffers? Does say safe on scales fish but could be hard to apply. Have heard of koi keepers using it to close wounds.

If the wound is bad enough, I think you can use super glue. I remember someone PP invited to tell a story said that one time. I have used super glue a few times when I was to far from town to get stitches.

I've pretty much stopped worrying about her, as she's acting normally, and I decided to hold off on trying some Melafix for now. I got up really close to the tank and took my glasses off so I could get a better look at her, and saw that the damaged spot is healing up and getting smaller, and was perhaps due to a scrape instead of a bite mark because there is what looks like a little flap of skin off to one side of the wound. Hard to say for sure how it happened since I didn't see it occur, but in any case I think she's going to be fine.

good to hear!

Yay!

... wished i read this thread a few months ago

same thing happened with my porc and clown fish

the porc bit a hole out of the top of the clown fishes mouth... used melafix

and died next day.. far out

still annoyed by that

had to move them together in a smaller tank for a small period of time as I gotten a leak in the larger tank that they were in.

j_wishbone wrote:... wished i read this thread a few months ago

same thing happened with my porc and clown fish

the porc bit a hole out of the top of the clown fishes mouth... used melafix

and died next day.. far out

still annoyed by that

had to move them together in a smaller tank for a small period of time as I gotten a leak in the larger tank that they were in.

No way that's sad news

I did'nt think Porc's could bite holes like other puffers because they have plates that crush rather than a beak?!

LilGreenPuffer wrote:I've never heard of Melafix affecting any of the beneficial bacteria in any system.

The problem is, while there are very bad Mycobacterium species like the ones related to fish or human tuberculosis, there are other species settling on surfaces and breaking down organic matter, which is more important in complex systems like a reef than a fish only tank. You would not immediately recognize their abscence, but possibly notice (without seeing an obvious reason) algae growth, growth of cyanobacteria, even intoxication of invertebrates and fishes. This is purely hypothetical, but every bactericide has a downside, unless it would hardly be useful.

It should be added that the harmful bacteria we know of that are affected by tea tree oil are practically gram positive (or have very, very similar surfaces). Infections with such bacteria are common in freshwater but much less common in saltwater.

Corvus wrote:

LilGreenPuffer wrote:I've never heard of Melafix affecting any of the beneficial bacteria in any system.

The problem is, while there are very bad Mycobacterium species like the ones related to fish or human tuberculosis, there are other species settling on surfaces and breaking down organic matter, which is more important in complex systems like a reef than a fish only tank. You would not immediately recognize their abscence, but possibly notice (without seeing an obvious reason) algae growth, growth of cyanobacteria, even intoxication of invertebrates and fishes. This is purely hypothetical, but every bactericide has a downside, unless it would hardly be useful.

It should be added that the harmful bacteria we know of that are affected by tea tree oil are practically gram positive (or have very, very similar surfaces). Infections with such bacteria are common in freshwater but much less common in saltwater.

I'm afraid that you lost me when you started talking about "gram positive." What does this mean?

The rest makes sense. Thanks!

LilGreenPuffer wrote:I'm afraid that you lost me when you started talking about "gram positive." What does this mean?
The rest makes sense. Thanks!

Bacteria can only be fought by an antibiotic if it can enter through the surface (mostly cell walls) of the bacterium and destroy vital compounds or inhibit important processes. There are different surfaces depending on the type of bacterium. To determine which antibiotic can be useful, a coloring method is used, which is called gram staining. Bacteria that get a purple color by this method are called gram positive, bacteria not colored or only becoming light pink are gram negative. Both groups have different surfaces and are affected by different antibiotic substances.

puffertt77 wrote:

j_wishbone wrote:... wished i read this thread a few months ago

same thing happened with my porc and clown fish

the porc bit a hole out of the top of the clown fishes mouth... used melafix

and died next day.. far out

still annoyed by that

had to move them together in a smaller tank for a small period of time as I gotten a leak in the larger tank that they were in.

No way that's sad news

I did'nt think Porc's could bite holes like other puffers because they have plates that crush rather than a beak?!

I know man

but it was only them 2 in the tank and one chunk of live rock... so it couldnt have been anything else... =(

Corvus wrote:

LilGreenPuffer wrote:I'm afraid that you lost me when you started talking about "gram positive." What does this mean?
The rest makes sense. Thanks!

Bacteria can only be fought by an antibiotic if it can enter through the surface (mostly cell walls) of the bacterium and destroy vital compounds or inhibit important processes. There are different surfaces depending on the type of bacterium. To determine which antibiotic can be useful, a coloring method is used, which is called gram staining. Bacteria that get a purple color by this method are called gram positive, bacteria not colored or only becoming light pink are gram negative. Both groups have different surfaces and are affected by different antibiotic substances.

Ohhhh. Thanks!

I don't think anyone here has ever recommended Melafix as a treatment for infection, just as a stress reducer and to aid in healing minor skin wounds. Most of the time the suggestion is "clean water, maybe some melafix". Clean water being the important part.

Similar to washing out a cut with soap and water.. you don't immediately start taking antibiotics for something that's not infected. And personally, I'm much more afraid of the damage "real" medications are going to do to my biofilter than what melafix might do.