# Melafix and urchins?



## carmenh (Dec 20, 2009)

Does anyone know if Melafix affects urchins badly? I'm using it in a tank with my fugu puffer for an injury he sustained and all of a sudden the urchin I haven't seen for the 6 months I've had him is in the top corner :-( I have another tank I could move him to but he may not survive that (it's quite different, much warmer and less salinity) and has a more aggressive puffer in it so I don't want to do it unless I have to...

edit: it does say on the bottle that it's salt water and reef safe and will not harm inverts, corals, anemones, just hoping urchins aren't an exception


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## wtac (Mar 17, 2006)

What the generally feed on is whatever is growing on the LR. Hopefully you have some LR with some "growth" on it. The urchin will be fine with the Melafix and they do once in awhile "hang out" at the waterline. Funny creatures they are . 
HTH


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## ameekplec. (May 1, 2008)

One thing to keep in mind with those meds is that they can lower the dissolved oxygen in the water, so if your surface exchange isn't very good, kick it up so the water stays fully oxygenated.


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## carmenh (Dec 20, 2009)

Thanks all, I'm running an empty aquaclear 70 full time to help with that, and overskimming (HOB, no sump) into a bucket 2 x per day as a way of doing small water changes. That, due to the melafix, seems to be sending out lots of bubbles which I'm sure help.
It's a 90g tank with about 120lb of mature live rock with a fair amount of coraline and lots of buggies, so I think he's ok. He is* very cute...he was the best hitchhiker I've had


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## wtac (Mar 17, 2006)

It's cool the way urchins leave a trail of where they have munched but can be a PITA knocking corals off the ledge *shakes fist*...LOL!


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## UnderTheSea (Jun 2, 2008)

Why wouldn't you QT your puffer instead of dosing chemicals in your entire setup?


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## carmenh (Dec 20, 2009)

I didn't want to move him because he is prone to "panic attacks" at best of times and more so when you muck with the tank or try to net him. I didn't want to risk him further injuring himself. Although I hope everything else survives, he is absolutely, indisputably my primary concern...he's my fave fish EVER


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