Am I overreacting?

[Deinonych]

So, I noticed my Blue Flasher Wrasse rubbing against the overflow a couple of times yesterday. This fish went through a 10 week QT and was treated for flukes (PraziPro) and internal parasites (Paracide-X). I did not treat him for cryptocaryon, as he never showed any signs of disease during QT. He has been in the DT for 5 weeks now. He is the only fish in the DT, as I did a complete tear-down/sterilize/rebuild of the DT a few months ago, including new dry rock and sand. All of the inverts in the tank were quarantined for 4 months, so I'm sure they didn't bring in any cysts. No other fish have been in the tank since the rebuild. All my other fish are in a 40g breeder, having been treated (TTM) for crypto after a treatment failure with CP (hence my DT teardown/rebuild).

I was about to start moving my other 6 fish back to the DT, but the flashing behavior concerns me. It's not excessive, but the fact that I saw him do it on two different occasions during the day concerns me. He's not showing any other symptoms of crypto - no spots, no heavy breathing, no erratic swimming - but my paranoia is getting the best of me. I'm thinking about pulling him out and running him through TTM while leaving the DT fallow again. I just feel I need to be 100% sure there is no crypto in the DT before I put everyone back in.

Thoughts?

 

[Ryan2013]

It really depends on your philosophy. I would say that its better to be safe than sorry. I've had my blue tang for two years and he'd never shown symptoms of ich until i moved him back into my 125 after moving. The tank was set up using dry rock and he was the first fish to be put back in. All I'm saying is that you can never be 100% certain that you're fish are ich free unless you treat them.

 

[DasCamel]

I would at least give it a few days. That would freak most of us out.

 

[Deinonych]

It really depends on your philosophy. I would say that its better to be safe than sorry. I've had my blue tang for two years and he'd never shown symptoms of ich until i moved him back into my 125 after moving. The tank was set up using dry rock and he was the first fish to be put back in. All I'm saying is that you can never be 100% certain that you're fish are ich free unless you treat them.

That's the line of thinking I'm following. I've vowed to be rid of crypto once and for all, and I'm kicking myself now for not running the wrasse through TTM before I moved him to the DT.

I would at least give it a few days. That would freak most of us out.

Good advice, thanks. I'll be able to observe more thoroughly over the weekend.

 

[Ryan2013]

I agree with waiting a few days. Worst case, you go fallow for 9 weeks and focus on aquascape and coral.

 

[snorvich]

I would wait. However, I always run tank transfer.

 

[zeebies]

^^^ I do TT on every fish and then also hold them an additional 10 weeks in QT. Best insurance IMO.

 

[snorvich]

^^^ I do TT on every fish and then also hold them an additional 10 weeks in QT. Best insurance IMO.

Good practice. It turns out that once ich is eliminated via TT, the other parasites will exhibit within a 4 week window. I always treat with prazipro, however (x2).

 

[Deinonych]

^^^ I do TT on every fish and then also hold them an additional 10 weeks in QT. Best insurance IMO.

Sounds like a good plan to adopt.

 

[Deinonych]

So, if this fish does indeed have crypto, doesn't it seem unusual that it would never show symptoms until 15 weeks after acquisition? I wonder if it had a subclinical infection the whole time.

 

[snorvich]

So, if this fish does indeed have crypto, doesn't it seem unusual that it would never show symptoms until 15 weeks after acquisition? I wonder if it had a subclinical infection the whole time.

cryptocaryon irritans does not have to exhibit to be present. That is, no sprinkling of salt. However subtle behavior may be noticeable.

 

[Deinonych]

cryptocaryon irritans does not have to exhibit to be present. That is, no sprinkling of salt. However subtle behavior may be noticeable.

I'm just surprised I didn't catch it. This fish had a rough go of it while in QT, so I was watching him very closely. Oh well, (yet another) lesson learned.

 

[DasCamel]

I'm just surprised I didn't catch it. This fish had a rough go of it while in QT, so I was watching him very closely. Oh well, (yet another) lesson learned.

Yeah QT part is far tougher than having them in an ideal tank. It may not even be ICH, if it is it really should eventually present itself. I have 5 fish separated from my DT fish that are also in QT, deciding whether to TT or not... Been 8 weeks in QT at least. Need to go on vacation, this can't last forever. After treating and saving 80% from Brook, I'm getting burnt out. Anyway, good luck and keep us updated.

 

[Deinonych]

I know what you mean about getting burned out. I've been battling this outbreak since the beginning of the year and I'd really like to get to the point where I'm actually enjoying my fish. I told my wife that I won't know what to do with myself once everyone is cured and I'm not treating for disease.

 

[HumbleFish]

cryptocaryon irritans does not have to exhibit to be present. That is, no sprinkling of salt. However subtle behavior may be noticeable.

+1 And it matters what kind of person you are/life you live. Are you the highly observant/attention to detail type, who can spend lots of time sitting in front of the QT just watching the fish? Or are you unobservant sometimes and have a busy, busy schedule? If the latter, I suggest you just assume all new fish have ich and run prophylactic treatment.