# Homemade Melafix



## neven

Pure Tea Tree Oil (Melaleuca) is the primary ingredient

by mixing 5mL of melaleuca to 16 oz of distilled water you will get the same concentration that melafix is

melafix is 99% water 1% tea tree oil


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## Smiladon

Thats cool information! Thanks for sharing this with all of us.


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## Pamelajo

Thanks, that is one of the things I always keep on hand!


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## Mferko

i did too but recently i bought a new bottle to help my plecos heal their tailfins they came kinda ragged in the bag from i think their spiny fins did it to themselves, anyways a week of dosing melafix has resulted in no noticable difference, not sure i'll buy it again. might try nevens method since if its going to basically do nothing except offer some peace of mind best to not pay so much for it


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## catgoldfish

neven said:


> Pure Tea Tree Oil (Melaleuca) is the primary ingredient
> 
> by mixing 5mL of melaleuca to 16 oz of distilled water you will get the same concentration that melafix is
> 
> melafix is 99% water 1% tea tree oil


Where can you buy Pure Tea Tree Oil and how much is it?


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## RoryM

Pharmacies will have it, It is used to clear up cold sores and such.


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## bingerz

Can you pick that up in like a shopper's or superstore pharmacy?


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## catgoldfish

RoryM said:


> Pharmacies will have it, It is used to clear up cold sores and such.


k thanks......


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## bingerz

i just got some new fish yesterday...and i noticed that the tail fin on one looks frayed. should i do a med treatment like this just to be safe?


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## roadrunner

thats a great info neven, thanx! 
Mods, maybe we should start sticky on homemade remedies and some basic cures (fin rots, SBD etc.) instead of browsing through all threads all the time, it would be nice to have it handy.


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## neven

i think maybe one sticky with a directory of remedies for certain conditions, with links for homemade alternatives to certain medications


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## bamboo

neven said:


> Pure Tea Tree Oil (Melaleuca) is the primary ingredient
> 
> by mixing 5mL of melaleuca to 16 oz of distilled water you will get the same concentration that melafix is
> 
> melafix is 99% water 1% tea tree oil


Thanks!!!
whats the dosage?


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## neven

Use 5ml for every 40 Litres (10.6 US G.) of aquarium water. Repeat dose daily for 7 days followed by a 25% water change or until problem has gone. 

With the homemade version you'll need to shake the bottle well before each use as the oil can seperate


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## bamboo

Thanks neven!!!


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## joker1535

Great info neven. Good to know.


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## Ra's al Ghul

Thanks for this Rob, and the BBA thread.


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## CanadaPleco

this sure beats buying 2L bottles of the stuff! Thanks!


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## Mferko

as an update i just got a 30ml bottle of 100% pure tea tree oil (equiv to 3L of melafix) at the pharmacy for 12 bucks and they threw in a free 3mL syringe with 0.5mL graduations

if you dont feel like premixing the 1% mixture, u can use a dropper, 1 drop per 10 gallons of aquarium water (20 drops in a mL, 5mL x 20drops/mL = 100 drops, therefore 1 drop is the same amount of active ingredient as 5mL of melafix)


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## punchbuggy

I just made some too, only to come home for the first-home made dose and find that the fish is ok now . 

Don't overdo the drops as it is super-concentrated. Also I personally wouldn't direct dose. you need to shake vigourously to get the oil to emulsify. The end result should look like salad dressing.


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## Nanokid

i made some homeade stuff. healed a completely distroyed fin with fungus to a tail again. will use it for all new arrivals!


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## catgoldfish

punchbuggy said:


> I just made some too, only to come home for the first-home made dose and find that the fish is ok now .
> 
> Don't overdo the drops as it is super-concentrated. Also I personally wouldn't direct dose. you need to shake vigourously to get the oil to emulsify. The end result should look like salad dressing.


Where exactly did you buy this stuff? Thanks.


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## Nanokid

you buy the tea tree oil at any pharmacy. i got it at london drugs


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## Victor

Mferko said:


> as an update i just got a 30ml bottle of 100% pure tea tree oil (equiv to 3L of melafix) at the pharmacy for 12 bucks and they threw in a free 3mL syringe with 0.5mL graduations
> 
> if you dont feel like premixing the 1% mixture, u can use a dropper, 1 drop per 10 gallons of aquarium water (20 drops in a mL, 5mL x 20drops/mL = 100 drops, therefore 1 drop is the same amount of active ingredient as 5mL of melafix)


that's great info. I can definitely save a lot of money by doing this and dosing 1 drop/10 gallons

thanks!


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## `GhostDogg´

Stupid me, I have tea tree oil, but I still buy Melafix.
I only figured this out after I got home & read the label. 
I need to read the labels before I buy. 
I always wondered why it smelled like Tea tree oil.
I now have a use for the empty bottles.


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## big_bubba_B

so for my 170 i can just add 17 drops into my tank


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## shelby67

Bumping up a good useful homemade remedy.
Is it safe for a planted tank? We picked up a Cory that was all beat up( that's what we were told), almost no fins at all left, after 2 months there has been no healing, starting to think it has a fungas from his injuries. Noone else is infected, I just want the poor guy healed.


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## sunshine_1965

This is very useful information. I will definitely use this from now on. Thanks for this information.


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## Haldane86

Tried this mixture 3 days ago and it works like a charm  Thanks so much for sharing


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## Captured Moments

Haldane86 said:


> Tried this mixture 3 days ago and it works like a charm  Thanks so much for sharing


How do you define "works like a charm.."? Does it mean you were able to apply the tea tree oil during those 3 days or did you see results already on your livestock after 3 days of treatment?
Also did you dose the oil straight into the tank (1 drop per 10 gallon?) or did you make the pre-mix mixture?

My wife got the tea tree oil at Costco (130 ml). I made the mixture and started dosing 3 days ago but it may be too early to see any results.


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## neven

I strongly doubt you will see any difference between melafix and diy version as it is essentially the same thing minus the emulsifiers. Many people seem to think most results from products like melafix to be mostly about thinking you are helping out  Im sure it helps, but i doubt its to the extent that many claim. I posted the diy version so at least the people who believe in the product can save a lot of money


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## Haldane86

I made the pre-mix and added it to my tank and after 3 days I was seeing good improvment to the mouth fungus on the danios. Its completely cleared now.


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## Flygirl

Captured Moments said:


> How do you define "works like a charm.."? Does it mean you were able to apply the tea tree oil during those 3 days or did you see results already on your livestock after 3 days of treatment?
> Also did you dose the oil straight into the tank (1 drop per gallon?) or did you make the pre-mix mixture?
> 
> My wife got the tea tree oil at Costco (130 ml). I made the mixture and started dosing 3 days ago but it may be too early to see any results.


You may want to check your dosage as it's 1 drop per 10 gallons, not 1 drop per 1 gallon.


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## Captured Moments

Flygirl said:


> You may want to check your dosage as it's 1 drop per 10 gallons, not 1 drop per 1 gallon.


Thanks. I made the correction on my post.


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