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Pimafix

Health and Medicine
By miskairal
from the miskairal department, Section Ask Guppylog
Posted on Wed Aug 29, 2007 at 12:16:59 PM PST
Tags: (all tags)
Has anyone else tried this medication? I seem to have success with it.

Pimafix is made by the same mob as Melafix (Aquarium Pharmaceuticals). It is labelled as "an antifungal remedy for fresh and saltwater fish, rapidly treats fungal infections on body and fins AND also treats internal and external bacterial infections".



In tiny print you can find
"Contains : Pimenta racemosa CA5#8006-78-8 1.0%"

Other comments on the bottle include (in part, there is more)-  
"will not discolor aquarium water or sealant"

"Pimafix has been specially formulated to work synergistically with Melafix for a more effective treatment against fish disease and to promote rapid healing"

"Pimafix is safe for even the most delicate fish species including tetras, discus fry and scaleless fish, like clown loaches"

"Treating with Pimafix will not harm the biological filter.....is harmless to live aquarium plants"

Treatment course is: 1 teaspoon for every 10 US gallons (40L), repeat daily for 7 days. After 7 days make a 25% water change. Treatment may be continued if necessary.

Cost: In Australia,
a 120ml (4oz.) bottle cost me $17.35.
a 237ml (8oz.) bottle cost $21.95

My experience with Pimafix:
I first used it to treat a silver dollar who had patches the size of your little finger nail that had lost their shine and within 24 hours developed fungus (white). I tried a fungus cure during which time the patches worsened slowly. I think the fish had a bacterial infection on which developed the fungus.

I started treatment with the Pimafix and the fungus/sores were gone within 48 hours and the fish was brighter. In that tank were also neon tetras, a cory, a swordtail, a silver shark and many, many guppies - nothing died.

With the above success, I thought I'd give the Pimafix a try on the overstocked, dropsy infected, male guppy tank. Worked a dream, no more dropsy for over a month BUT it came back :(. The return may be just b/c of the overstocking (no new fish have been added except from my fry tank) or it may be because half the water I use in the tanks comes directly from the creek without any chlorine treatments etc. This and rainwater is the only water I have available and the rainwater has a very low pH.

In the meantime, many other treatments have been tried for the dropsy with no success.

Over the last week 2 more fish died from dropsy and then I found one dead in amongst the plants and on inspection it had it's tail half gone. I had already noticed one other fish, the day before,  with a split in it's tail so on further investigation I found one other fish who's tail was suspect. I had also noticed that day that a few younger fish were "hanging out" in one corner not doing much. Keep in mind that inspection of these fish is difficult to say the least b/c there are so many of them and if I put my head nearer the tank there they all come flying (well swimming actually) over and there is just one mass of moving fish.

So 3 days ago I started another course of Pimafix and within 24 hours all fish are so well and healthy, active like you wouldn't believe (Corys included) and I think the split tails are healing and those fish don't look the slightest bit sick. No signs of dropsy yet and that had been starting to escalate (I had been losing one every 2-3 weeks).

Anyway, just thought I'd see if any of you have used this Pimafix and your opinions.

Cheers
miskairal

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Pimafix | 11 comments (11 topical, editorial, 0 hidden)
Re: Pimafix (none / 0) (#4)
by gupppies on Sat Oct 23, 2004 at 05:07:11 PM PST

I have used Pimafix in the past trying to treat dropsy without success, although I didn't pay much attention to see whether it prevented it.

I have had a small outbreak of dropsy at the moment, so I have just added some Pimafix to my Q tank to see whether it will make any difference to my two patients.

I may add some to my main tank when I clean it out today to see if it will prevent any further cases.

One thing the aquarium guy told me about Pimafix, and Melafix for that matter is that it can cause rapid PH swings, just something to keep an eye on.



Re: Pimafix (none / 0) (#5)
by miskairal on Sat Oct 23, 2004 at 06:03:56 PM PST

I just discovered the pH swing yesterday. Mine normally sits around 7.3 and yesterday it was 7.0, wondered if it was the Pimafix so thanks for that info gupppies.
--
Repeat after me,
I will read the Immediate Help
[ Parent ]


Re: Pimafix (none / 0) (#6)
by gupppies on Fri Oct 29, 2004 at 12:49:02 AM PST

Six days later and both of them are still alive, and eating well. They are not as bloated. Looks like they might be ok.

[ Parent ]


Re: Pimafix (none / 0) (#7)
by miskairal on Sat Oct 30, 2004 at 08:01:06 PM PST

Yes!! I'm keeping my fingers crossed for your fish.

Mine are doing well since the Pimafix treatment with no further cases of dropsy so far. I also turned the heater off in my tank as it's staying above 22C without it now. I couldn't get that heater below about 27 which was annoying but I couldn't get a new one just yet.

The only death I've had here in the past couple of weeks was the last of the shop bought fish, a female, died.

If I see any signs of dropsy again, I will start treatment with the Pimafix immediately and see what happens.

--
Repeat after me,
I will read the Immediate Help
[ Parent ]



How old would that shop bought fish be? (none / 0) (#8)
by unclescott on Sun Oct 31, 2004 at 03:40:41 AM PST

Would she have pretty much have died of old age?

All the best!
u.s.

[ Parent ]



Re: How old would that shop bought fish be? (none / 0) (#9)
by miskairal on Sun Oct 31, 2004 at 05:24:37 PM PST

I don't think so as she would have been about a year old, depending on how old she was when she came here.

She had a very pale, creamy coloured, body with a bright red tail and has a lot of fully grown children here. Since she had her last batch about August when the last fry were born she has sort of moped a bit as if she wants to be barefoot and pregnant :) The last week I noticed she was getting thin/belly tucked up but was still eating until her last 24 hours.

That tank is just a swarm of fish. I don't know how anything survives in there really. It's got a ug filter and a waterfall type filter as well and I do 32 out of 90 litre water changes every week.

The male tank that has all the dropsy problems and was recently treated with the Pimafix - I discovered 2 that appeared to have the swollen belly of dropsy and were just hanging out in the plants yesterday afternoon so I started another course of Pimafix for the whole tank and this morning the bellies on those two fish have gone down and they are swimming around with the rest of the "herd". I just wish I knew whether the dropsy is caused by the overcrowding or if I am getting the bacteria back from the creek water I have to use???????????????????????

Cheers
miskairal
--
Repeat after me,
I will read the Immediate Help
[ Parent ]



I would bet on the high population density. :( (none / 0) (#10)
by unclescott on Sun Oct 31, 2004 at 09:05:10 PM PST

Shops routinely overcrowd tanks. I know they do a lot more water changes than most of us. (I remember one outfit which hired a high school guy to come in everyday and do partial water changes on these huge livebearer tanks. Er... the tanks were huge, the swordtails were pretty big too. ;)

Crowding though has got to be a challenge to immune systems in the LFS and in our tanks. Prolonged stress kills fish as well as people.

All the best!
unc;e

[ Parent ]



Re: I would bet on the high population density. :( (none / 0) (#11)
by miskairal on Tue Nov 02, 2004 at 12:47:47 AM PST

Well I've been telling hubby for the last few weeks how a 5 foot long tank would look great in the wall between the kitchen and the loungeroom. The only problem with that idea is finances aren't going to allow it. He could put it in (somewhere in amongst his 80 hour working week) but the tank and "accessories" are out of range now :(

Thanks for your info unc;e.
Cheers
miskairal
--
Repeat after me,
I will read the Immediate Help
[ Parent ]



Re: Pimafix (none / 0) (#2)
by maggie1270 on Fri Oct 22, 2004 at 12:45:03 PM PST

That is excellent to hear since I have had no luck with the treatments I had tried in the past for dropsy.  I do have a bottle of Melafix home.  I will have to check it's ingredients as well.  
Maggie


Re: Pimafix (none / 0) (#3)
by miskairal on Fri Oct 22, 2004 at 06:45:36 PM PST

I'm not sure that it will "cure" dropsy maggie, I think it prevents it though. I don't think I've tried it on a dropsy fish in the Q tank - not sure why not. I keep a record but then sometimes when I'm really busy I just get the water changes done and forget to write anything down and my memory is pretty pathetic :(

Cheers
miskiral
--
Repeat after me,
I will read the Immediate Help
[ Parent ]



Aquarium Pharmaceuticals is promoting that (none / 0) (#1)
by unclescott on Thu Oct 21, 2004 at 09:27:36 PM PST

product in the US too. I notice a bottle of it on the shelf. I got it in a raffle bag at one of the recent US shows.

They evidentially are continuing the research for useful cures from among plants, which as a matter of fact, are often nuisances as exotics in some parts of the world.

It is from a plant known as Pimenta racemosa or the Bayrum tree or the West Indian Bay Tree in the Virgin Islands or Puerto Rico. It is one of the more invasive aliens in Hawaii. (What plant isn't invasive in Hawaii?) Possibly it is native to Northern South America including Venezuela and the Guianas. It could be found in wild guppy country. ;)

The extract found in the AP product is also sold as one of those oils whose essence is used a fragrance in soaps, perfumes and aftershaves. Wile use in aromatherapy, a warning to avoid using it during pregnancy is also published on one of the commercial sites.
http://www.auroma.com/catalog/EssentialOil/BayWestIndies/

It is also used in different inflammatory processes in folk medicine. There are a lot of other medicinal used for it.
See
http://www.essentialoils.co.za/essential_oils/bay.htm

It sounds like it is useful for you. As with the Melafix or other medicinal items, don't leave it in your tanks beyond the treatment period.

Thank you for the heads up miskairal! :)

All the best!
unc;e



Pimafix | 11 comments (11 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)
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