Brooklynella treatment with QT

[paradoxg]

Hi,

I lost 2 clownfish to what I believe is brooklynella, mostly due to believing in "snake oil" type medications at first and unable to identify the problem. At first I couldn't tell difference between velvet and brooklynella (I can now after reading and research).

I still have a coral beauty and a blue-green chromis. They appear fine, but I would like to totally rid the system of the parasite. I have a 20g QT ready, and I have rid-ich plus which has 4.26% formalin with malachite green.

My question: is bleaching the QT between formalin dips the best way to ensure no parasites could possibly re-enter the system? My Robert Fenner book says not to use formalin as an ongoing treatment, and only as a dip. Or is just the dips alone sufficient to destroy all traces of brooklynella?

 

[Newsmyrna80]

I used Bob's treatment plan to cure a flame angel of Brook successfully. However, I did dips every other day and after each dip it went into a sterile QT. I used 2 tanks and sterilized with bleach but some have used vinegar. It's important that the tank is able to thoroughly dry.
I would double check that you are not dealing with uronema. Chromis are known for uronema which can look like Brook.

 

[ThRoewer]

Best is to do the dips during TTM in-between tanks. That way the fish always go into a sterilized tank and the likelihood of them carrying anything over to the new tank is greatly reduced.
Also, if needed, you can do transfers every other day to clean your fish of brook, velvet and uronema faster. In that case you just have to do some extra transfers to get the 12 days covered you need to also eradicate ich.

 

[snorvich]

Best is to do the dips during TTM in-between tanks. That way the fish always go into a sterilized tank and the likelihood of them carrying anything over to the new tank is greatly reduced.
Also, if needed, you can do transfers every other day to clean your fish of brook, velvet and uronema faster. In that case you just have to do some extra transfers to get the 12 days covered you need to also eradicate ich.

Excellent advice.

 

[paradoxg]

Thanks, I'll definitely check for that. I did have 3 chromis originally, however 2 died days after I got them. I'm brand new to saltwater fish (and my tank is new too), so I didn't quarantine them. I definitely will quarantine new arrivals now.

I just figured it was brooklynella because the other 2 fish seem totally fine now for a week, and I thought velvet would have spread to them. It didn't seem to shine gold under white light either.

 

[ThRoewer]

BTW: if you know that your fish have brook you can additionally to the transfer dips dose the tanks with malachite green alone.

 

[paradoxg]

BTW: if you know that your fish have brook you can additionally to the transfer dips dose the tanks with malachite green alone.

I was going to use only a single tank, because that is all I have right now. I mix my water ahead of time in a 32g brute container, so I can make the water params match (it has a heater to make the temp match too). I was going to clean out the tank during the dip and rinse time, which is 30 - 60 mins from what I've read. I suppose I could even use my brute as a temporary home. I have a second brute container to mix water with, but it's without a heater.

 

[paradoxg]

Best is to do the dips during TTM in-between tanks. That way the fish always go into a sterilized tank and the likelihood of them carrying anything over to the new tank is greatly reduced.
Also, if needed, you can do transfers every other day to clean your fish of brook, velvet and uronema faster. In that case you just have to do some extra transfers to get the 12 days covered you need to also eradicate ich.

Hmm, I've never heard of TTM before you mentioned it. I'll have to read up on it. I did hear of transferring tanks for brooklynella in one article I read though.

 

[ThRoewer]

Here is a good article about treating Brooklynella: http://www.chucksaddiction.com/brookynella.html
And here is one of the best about ich and how to cure it: A New Variation Of The Transfer Method (this is only the last of 5 parts)

 

[paradoxg]

Thanks, those articles had some great information.