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i have had 3 dwarfs die on me now...all in the same way...2fems and one male...the first female was attcked by a kribensis (male) and her eye got infected...which then lead to pop eye, so the helpful people al the lfs told me to use melafix...so i did because it was getting all fungusy...and then after about 5 days of treating her, her stomach stracted to swell up really badly, then she died. then several month later her male counterpart was attacked by a kribensis (female this time) both the kribs are no longer with me...i got rid of them...anywho...he had a huge cut under his lup...then i treated it with melafix...then what happened was it began to get all fungusy and his stomach swelled up and died. then another female gourami got some ulcers on her lip, so i thought id treat her in her own tank...so i did...with melafix...and the same thing happened...but no fungus this time...what makes the swelling of the stomach happen...??

thanks

sumo

Dropsy, the condition your fish had, is next to impossible to cure...

Once the swelling is noticed it's too late to medicate.

The problem with injuries is a bacterial infection that can spread internally and affect the fish's kidneys causing kidney failure and the resultant fluid buildup and bloating.

Melafix has no effect on Dropsy but MAY help minor injuries if treated quickly.

Hobbyists like to keep water quality at a very high level by partial water changes and good filtration to reduce the chance of infection to their fish if injured.

It would seem fish store employees, and some hobbyists, have a fixation on Melafix, an anticeptic, as a cure-all for every fish ailment known to man.

It just isn't true.

--garyroland.