Free Advice: Let aquarium cycle--even with the liverock and ocean water here.

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dkermitb

New member
Advice I've heard from store owners back in the States is it's ok to put fish in a new tank with live rock and not aclimate it. I'd like to suggest that this is a myth. I just lost six fish, due to not cycling my aquarium enough. They lasted about three weeks. I highly recommend a month or two without fish to get everything going first.

I've been in the aquarium hobby for several years now and even had a couple of reef tanks before coming to the island. I started up a 55-gal aquarium when I got here and had unfortunate luck today. I had one fish develop ich and they all got it. Since I can't read Japanese, I wasn't able to get the copper sulfate that I wanted and they all died, even though I treated with another blue chemical that the locals gave me. It's a little bit frustrating, but I'm glad to see that there are others here on Okinawa who are also into the fish hobby.

If you know how to get copper sulfate on this island, please let me know. Thanks.

Kermie
 
The best way to get exactly what you want is to order it online, marine depot, premium aquatics, or drs foster & smith. It takes about a week to get here, but that's just how it goes ;/
 
First of all, sorry for your troubles. If you bought the fish from a store, tht is likely why you got the crypt in the first place. PetBox and Da Vivid both have it in their systems. Da Vivid only had it on one of their tanks, but PetBox had it in all of theirs.

The disease is a parasite and really had nothing to do with "cycling". If you "procure" good liverock and water, you can setup up and stock a tank in the same day and have no organic chemistry issues. Parasites are parasites and you either introduce them or you don't. They do not appear as a result of to quick a setup. Just throwing that out there because I don't want you to become frustrated if you do set up again, wait 6 weeks, buy infected fish and then wonder WTH is going on? If you need help, I'd be glad to lend it.
 
What is the crypt? I feel like I had some phantom disease or paratsite. If I had it, how do I get rid of it? I tried to treat for ich, but the medicine only worked temporarily. Also, is this something that could affect the reefs here on the island?
 
there is some great info here on reefcentral about ich and other parasites. The crap goes through a lifecycle, living in the water column then attached to your fish. rinse and repeat. if you quarantine the fish and do water changes every few days, you can break the cycle and get rid of the crap for good.
 
I've seen ich before and it didn't seem to be the full-blown case of ich. This would make me believe that it was something else.

I was going to leave no fish in the aquarium for four weeks, but six sounds even better for extra caution. I did not get the fish at a location specified above. This makes me wonder if it has already spread to other dealers. If so, and we cannot stay avoid this parasite, is there any way to treat the disease in an isolation tank before putting it in my main tank?
 
I ordered copper sulfate from Marine Depot like you suggested before. Unfortunately, I don't have any fish left to treat. I'll wait six weeks before getting any more.
 
Crypt is Cryptocaryon irritans...what we refer to as saltwater "ich". Ich is not really the parasite in marine environments, it is a freshwater parasite of the ilk, only not as much of a PITB as crypt is. Anyway, all the shops with marine fish I have seen (3 of them so far) have crypt in their systems. If you buy fish, then they most likely have it. I have procured my fish fro other means and had no problems whatsoever. If you are not VERY familiar with copper dosing and treatment regimens on how to cure the fish of the parasite, I will be glad to help you. I caution you that it is not an "add and that's it" type of medication and if you are subtherapeutic it will do little good, and if you overdose, you will kill the fish. Copper dosing can be done, but it is not the easiest of meds to use. It is quickly taken up by any type of calcareous rock or substrate...ergo it is best used in a bare tank with PVC for the fish to hide in. You need a test kit for copper or it will be a very bad endeavor to start. There is lots to it. A 4 to 6 week fallow period is a great thing to employ. It will be aided if you can jack the temp up to the mid 80s as well. LMK if you need help.
 
That clears things up a little more. When I heard of the "Crypt" I was thinking some other wild parasite on the island. Thanks for the info. I ordered copper sulfate and I intend to treat any new fish I get in an isolation tank before putting them in my big tank. Any idea how long is "long enough" for an isolation tank treatment?
 
At least 14 days at a therapeutic level. Now the therapeutic level depends on the brand of copper you use. Also make sure you use a ionic copper and not a chealated copper. Sounds like you ordered an ionic copper and that is good.
 
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