Melafix- is it safe!?

[Artarmon]

Hmm no we don't...
I could imagine they would have it in bunnings warehouse, but I would have no idea where it is.
If the aquarium store near me doesn't get aquarium salt in by the end of the week I think i'll go into the city, I am bound to find one in the mall there that has it.

And that's ridiculous really :l You would think specialist asuarium shops would have people who know what they are talking about when it comes to all the fish there. Or the attendant would ask someone who did know if they were unsure...
I would rather of had the attendant simply say they didn't know than reccomend something that wasn't going to help and make me spend my money on it... Especially since they didn't have what I was looking for in the first place.

[xxabc]

Employees... you can't really blame them for a job. But seriously, have at least one little fish freak in there and everything would be better ... hahaha ;)

Have you already used the Melafix? hopefully not?

[1fish2fish]

Thats the problem with Bettas.. they're so disposable that most stores.. even specialty aquarium shops sell them in tiny bowls and with all the other commercial junk thats not good for the fish.

It is odd that an aquarium shop would run out of aquarium salt.. thats like a staple in fish keeping.

[Artarmon]

abc, I only used a tiny tiny dilute quantity... as I said I put a few drops in a glass of water and mixed it around and conditioned the water and then put a few drops of this mix in...
And he is in a 2.5 gallon tank (I finally did the math).
And since then i've also done a water change (I've been very paranoid about it). But little Dorian seems to be getting along fine.
I don't think I will ue any more of it though.
Just to be safe.

[Artarmon]

Originally Posted by 1fish2fish

Thats the problem with Bettas.. they're so disposable that most stores.. even specialty aquarium shops sell them in tiny bowls and with all the other commercial junk thats not good for the fish.

It is odd that an aquarium shop would run out of aquarium salt.. thats like a staple in fish keeping.

Yeah I know right...
I just assumed that they knew what they were talking about since they sold all sorts of exotic tropical fish there and I thought that if they knew what was good for them they would too for bettas. I guess the sakes assistants aren't really trained as much as say- the managers- would be in fish care :l

And I thought that was funny too... o_o

[xxabc]

Thought i'd add this.

This is what can happen with one little fish freak :)

YouTube - Wal Mart takes GREAT care of Betta fish!


Man, I wish I was there.

[Artarmon]

Originally Posted by xxabc

Thought i'd add this.

This is what can happen with one little fish freak :)

YouTube - Wal Mart takes GREAT care of Betta fish!


Man, I wish I was there.

Oh wow! That is great!
The fish actually look like they have room to move and they are all looking really vibrant and healthy.

[xxabc]

I know! It made me happy inside. And jealous. Those should be everywhere. Especially with large chain-store money, they should be able to AFFORD it.

I'll stop before I go *rantrantrantrant*

[Tinthalas Tigris]

Originally Posted by Artarmon

Hey thanks for all the insights everyone...
I went past the aquarium store on my way home from work today- still no aquarium salt in (damn)-

You actually can get away with table salt in an aquarium. The iodine is actually good for most tropical freshwater fish. It is the marine fish that cannot have any iodine.

However, I personally recommend Morton's Kosher Salt. it is sold everywhere, is a raw additive free, natural occurring salt, and my fish - even those unused to brackish waters - are very comfortable in it, as well as my plants.

Why do so many fish stores reccomend melafix if it does no good for bettas D: I even specifically said I wanted it for my betta and she said it would be the best.

Ignorance. ANy business model that is based solely on sales, it is important to know products that work well on saving fish. Most employees making minimum wage do not think of the specialized differences in products and instead just remember a core product, and not its alternatives. It is unfortunate that we can't easily, nor affordably, take the bettafish forum with us to the petstore in order to research all the products the pet store has at the time.