After fallow period, recommend dosing qt with copper?

[Nemosmom1]

Hi,
Am new to the hobby, and am just wondering if I should dose my quarantine tank with copper once the fallow period is over just to ensure that ich is killed off. I was reading on some threads that some strains of ich can survive past the 76 day mark. Also, I'm planning on getting new sand to fill my bigger tank that I will get, but would you recommend getting new live rock as well? Or should I just use the live rock that I currently have in my 8 gallon tank. Maybe let it dry out for a bit? (Once the fallow period is over, I'm planning to clean everything out and use it as a quarantine tank) Am glad to have discovered this forum, but wished I'd found it sooner. Thanks. . .

 

[billdogg]

Personally, I wouldn't use copper if the fish were covered with Ich, much less after a proper QT and fallow period for the tank. What method did you use while the fish have been in QT? TTM (tank transfer method) is my first choice because it involves no medication and therefore is least stressful to the fish. Next on my list would be CP (chloroquine phoshate). 3rd would be Hyposalinity, but because it must be carefully monitored, is, at least IMO, more trouble than it's worth. The very last on my list would be copper. To be at an effective level it is just below the toxic level for the fish, and can cause permanent damage without great care. In addition, there are quite a few fish that just can't tolerate copper at all, so for these it wouldn't even be an option.


hth

 

[Nemosmom1]

Personally, I wouldn't use copper if the fish were covered with Ich, much less after a proper QT and fallow period for the tank. What method did you use while the fish have been in QT? TTM (tank transfer method) is my first choice because it involves no medication and therefore is least stressful to the fish. Next on my list would be CP (chloroquine phoshate). 3rd would be Hyposalinity, but because it must be carefully monitored, is, at least IMO, more trouble than it's worth. The very last on my list would be copper. To be at an effective level it is just below the toxic level for the fish, and can cause permanent damage without great care. In addition, there are quite a few fish that just can't tolerate copper at all, so for these it wouldn't even be an option.


hth

Well, here's the thing. I had a clownfish that died (of ick, I believe)probably because I didn't quarantine him when I got him. Just discovered these forums after he passed. I'm keeping my tank fallow with just a hermit crab and snail, and of course the live rock/sand. I guess my question is. . if I decide to keep the live rock that was in the tank when the clownfish died. . do I need to do anything additional to make sure ich is irradicated (on the live rock, as I know you can't use anything without killing the good bacteria)? Besides the 76 day fallow period, I mean. I'm planning to move the live rock to the new tank after the fallow period, or would you recommend I just start from scratch with new live rock? I've been looking for threads on how to quarantine live rock, but nothing really specifies what you should do. Talked to my local fish store, and they said I can bring the snail and crab in for credit. (so I don't have to worry about how to quarantine them)

 

[billdogg]

Nope. As long as the tank has been fishless for a minimum of 72 days, you have successfully disrupted the lifecycle of the Ich parasite. It MUST have a fish as an intermediate host and cannot survive without. Congratulations!!!! Snails and crabs are not potential hosts for Ich, so you have nothing to worry about with them. Ditto for the rock and sand.

I would have no reservations whatsoever in reusing the rocks and sand, You might want to give the sand a good cleaning in old tank water to get whatever gunk may have built up out of it and give the rocks a good swish or two in the old water as well just because you can. Set the new tank up using 100% new water, the old (but freshened up) sand and your existing rocks without any worry. The shrimp and crab can just be plopped right in the new tank (assuming temperature and salinity match)

Also - what kind of crab? Many can become problematic over time. Hermits like snail shells and have no problem removing a live snail from one if they want to move in. Many other crabs can become polyp pickers on your corals. I tend to avoid them for that reason.

hth

 

[Nemosmom1]

Nope. As long as the tank has been fishless for a minimum of 72 days, you have successfully disrupted the lifecycle of the Ich parasite. It MUST have a fish as an intermediate host and cannot survive without. Congratulations!!!! Snails and crabs are not potential hosts for Ich, so you have nothing to worry about with them. Ditto for the rock and sand.

I would have no reservations whatsoever in reusing the rocks and sand, You might want to give the sand a good cleaning in old tank water to get whatever gunk may have built up out of it and give the rocks a good swish or two in the old water as well just because you can. Set the new tank up using 100% new water, the old (but freshened up) sand and your existing rocks without any worry. The shrimp and crab can just be plopped right in the new tank (assuming temperature and salinity match)

Also - what kind of crab? Many can become problematic over time. Hermits like snail shells and have no problem removing a live snail from one if they want to move in. Many other crabs can become polyp pickers on your corals. I tend to avoid them for that reason.

hth

Thanks. . Well, that's good to know that I can still use my live rock. You know, I'm not too sure what type of hermit crab I ended up with. . would have to find the receipt . I don't have any corals, and won't have any in the new tank,either. It will be a fish only with live rock tank. Here's another question, if get a shrimp that goes with the goby i'm planning to get. . will that cause problems with the hermit crab? Or I wonder if I should bring the hermit crab in. .?

 

[billdogg]

The hermit will be fine. If you provide a few empty shells for it it may even leave your snails alone.


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[Sk8r]

No. I don't treat with it either, unless there is absolutely no choice. It's poisonous to invertebrates and to fish---it's only reckoned to kill the non-fish faster and at lower levels than it would kill the fish.