South Africa
API Melafix
Tea-tree antibacterial for fin and tail rot, open wounds, eye cloud and mouth fungus. Dose 5 ml per 38 litres daily for seven days; safe with plants, shrimp and snails.
View details: API MelafixAPI Fish Medications
Torn fins, white spots, cloudy eyes and cotton-like growths each have a cause and a cure. API remedies treat bacterial, fungal and parasitic infections in the main tank, with plant-based Melafix and Pimafix for the common problems and Super Ick Cure for white spot. Each page explains the symptoms to look for, the course to follow and what to remove from the filter while you treat.
API Pimafix
West Indian bay tree antifungal for cottony growths, mouth and body fungus and reddened fins, plus bacterial infections. Dose 5 ml per 38 litres daily for seven days; pairs with Melafix.
View details: API Pimafix
API Super Ick Cure
Treats white spot (Ich) and other contagious parasites in freshwater and marine fish. 118 ml treats 447 litres. Contains malachite green, so not for tanks with shrimp, snails or corals.
View details: API Super Ick Cure
API Bettafix
Gentle tea-tree remedy made for bettas: fin and tail rot, wounds, ulcers, mouth fungus, slimy patches and cottony growths. Dosed by the drop, 9 drops per 473 ml of water.
View details: API Bettafix
API Turtle Fix
All-natural treatment for bacterial skin and limb infections, wounds and damaged tissue in aquatic turtles, newts and frogs. Dose 1 ml per 7.6 litres daily for seven days.
View details: API Turtle FixFrequently asked questions
Do I need to move a sick fish to a hospital tank before treating it?
Not for the API remedies on this page — they are designed to be dosed in the main aquarium at full stocking. A separate tank is still useful for a single badly injured fish or when you want to avoid dosing a large, expensive tank for one patient.
Why must I remove activated carbon while medicating?
Carbon adsorbs medication out of the water within hours, so the fish never receive a full dose. Take carbon and chemical media out of the filter for the length of the course, then put fresh carbon back to clear any residue.
Can I use Melafix and Pimafix together?
Yes. They target different problems — Melafix bacterial infections, Pimafix fungal and some bacterial ones — and are commonly dosed together when the cause is unclear or a fish has both.
Are these medications safe for plants, shrimp and snails?
The tea-tree and bay-oil remedies, Melafix and Pimafix, are safe with plants and invertebrates at label doses. Super Ick Cure contains malachite green and is not safe for invertebrates, so move shrimp and snails out before treating.
Are API fish medications available in South Africa?
Yes. Jungle Aquatics in Fourways, Johannesburg stocks the API remedy range and can help you identify the problem from a photo or a water sample; pricing and stock are on jungleaquatics.com.
Available in South Africa
Stocked & supported by Jungle Aquatics
South Africa's leading pet and aquarium store since 2007 — with the API range on the floor in Fourways, advice from people who test water every day, and easy ordering from anywhere in the country.
