# Melafix/Salt while holding?



## harriw (Mar 7, 2008)

Hi Everyone,

Just this weekend I found one of my smaller albino socolofis was a bit banged up - dorsal fins were a bit tattered, and its tail fin was gone almost down to the stump. I assumed he/she had crossed paths with the dominant albino socolofi, moved him/her into the hospital tank, and started a melafix/salt treatment to help re-grow some fins. Shortly after moving him/her, I noticed her throat is a bit swollen, and that he/she didn't want to eat when I dropped in some food that night... I think perhaps my "it" is a "she", and "she" is not so much banged-up as knocked-up!  Anyway, I could be wrong (I've been wrong about this before), but I want to make sure that if "she" is indeed holding that the salt and melafix treatments won't hurt the developing eggs. Can anyone comment on this?

I didn't witness any spawning behavior, but is it common for a female to get pretty roughed up before/during/after spawning?

Thanks!

-Bill


----------



## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

Any chance of a pic?

Salt won't hurt developing fry, but you'll get mixed reports on the Melafix...

I've used it on holding moms in the past (and yes, they do sometimes take a beating during spawning) without any problems.

I've seen people use it on newly released fry and lose the entire clutch. :-?


----------



## harriw (Mar 7, 2008)

Thanks!

I'll see if I can get a good pic tonight. She (for simplicity, for now I'll assume it's a she, and that she's holding) has definitely got something in her mouth - it's hard to get a good look in there, but she's "gargling" around whatever is in there, just like tumbling eggs. And she's definitely interested in food - she darts right up to it and head-butts it - she just doesn't take any into her mouth (though she's tried once or twice).

She's had 3 days of melafix now, and her fins seem to be responding pretty well, so maybe I'll stop the melafix and just go with the salt, to be safe.

If she is holding, should I keep "feeding" her? I don't want to torture her and tempt her with food she can't eat (without spitting), but it somehow just feels wrong to stop feeding her altogether...

Thanks for the help!

-Bill


----------



## harriw (Mar 7, 2008)

Thanks!

I'll see if I can get a good pic tonight. She (for simplicity, for now I'll assume it's a she, and that she's holding) has definitely got something in her mouth - it's hard to get a good look in there, but she's "gargling" around whatever is in there, just like tumbling eggs. And she's definitely interested in food - she darts right up to it and head-butts it - she just doesn't take any into her mouth (though she's tried once or twice).

She's had 3 days of melafix now, and her fins seem to be responding pretty well, so maybe I'll stop the melafix and just go with the salt, to be safe.

If she is holding, should I keep "feeding" her? I don't want to torture her and tempt her with food she can't eat (without spitting), but it somehow just feels wrong to stop feeding her altogether...

Thanks for the help!

-Bill


----------



## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

It really sounds like she's holding.

No need to feed her if she is...I have had a few moms that will eat while holding, but it was almost always my more experienced moms and usually in the final stages of the holding period more than the earlier part of it.

I do use food sometimes near the end of the holding period (any time after 18 days) to entice them to release the fry!


----------



## harriw (Mar 7, 2008)

Well, the pics didn't turn out terribly well, but here's a few. If you'd like to see more, I put all the pics that aren't too fuzzy or dark on photobucket: http://s281.photobucket.com/albums/kk20 ... 0Socolofi/



















So what do you think?

Thanks!

-Bill


----------



## nene (Jan 5, 2008)

From the pics I would say she IS holding. Congrats...
How much salt per gallon do you use to help the fish regenerate her fins?


----------



## harriw (Mar 7, 2008)

For salt, I just followed the recommendations in the Library section - 1 Tablespoon per 5 Gallons, so 2 Tbsps. for a 10G hospital/quarantine tank.

So, she was holding! I thought she gave up and swallowed the eggs yesterday, but just saw some fry peaking out from under rocks this morning! I'm going to do a water change, put in a breeder net, catch all the fry I can find, and see what I can get them to eat. Wish me luck with the little ones!

Thanks for all the help! I'm sure I'll be back for more regarding the little guys.

-Bill


----------

