Gig whispers! shall I pro-actively treat this gig?

[m0nkie]

Hi guys. Wanted to ask you gig experts if I should treat this guy or not.

Found him in good health at the LFS and a steep discount, so decided to give gigs another try. Last 2 gigs I had didn't pass 2 weeks. Both had minor droopy mouth but got worse as the week went by.

This gig got placed directly in 10 gal QT. Mouth remain 90% closed. It was like this out of the bag. No rat poo. no deflating.. But there are couple tiny tiny black pebbles of stuff coming out.

Shall I treat it just in case???

another issue is I am leaving for a 5 day business meeting next week. in 8 days to be exact. If i want to treat, I'd need to treat now so I can fit in the schedule...

thanks!

this is the black expelling I was talking about

 

[m0nkie]

also this will turn into a green gig right? it was sold as yellow. but to my knowledge, there's no yellow carpets

 

[OrionN]

Travel is bad. Who will keep an eye on him when you travel? Experienced reefer?
How long was he at the LFS?
He looks OK. You are going to be gone in 8 days, I would just start treatment so you finish by the time you are leaving. If that guy is mine and I am not leaving, I would watch him and not treat unless he deflates. I don't think you can watch and wait since if he get sick, then you cannot finish treatment.

 

[clorox]

It's definitely in much better shape than many of the newly acquired gigs you see on the forum.

In my opinion your big problem is not so much the state of the gig, but the fact you will be gone for 5 days. Whether you treat it or not, the first 2 weeks are going to be critical observing how it reacts.

I would give it a lot of flow, since it is already perched on a rock and observe it carefully. Water needs to always be as pristine as possible. The next 2 days are going to tell you whether you need to treat it or not. At first deflation you will have to use cipro for 7-8 days which means you will be away, preventing you from doing water changes. Is there someone else that can keep an eye on it for you while you're gone?

Even if you treated it right away, it is always safer to keep it in the HT for a few days observation and then observe for a few more days once you place it in your DT.

When a gig's health goes downhill, it does so rapidly fouling the water, requiring 100% WC.

 

[m0nkie]

Thanks. It never touched store water. Was still in shipping bag, with almost no water.

My roommate will look after it. He understand basics. Keeping things fed. I can teach him how to monitor the gig, maybe water change. He's not stupid, so ill prepare step by step instructions. I need to get the medicating part done first.

Ill start the treatment tonight so i have 1 day monitor afterward

If the mouth remain closed and never deflates, can i end treatment earlier? Or never end treatments earlier?

Thanks

 

[m0nkie]

I would give it a lot of flow, since it is already perched on a rock and observe it carefully. .

Do you think the small 80gph powerhead is enough for the gig? it's in a 10gal tank. I have several more I can put in if needed

 

[CoralsAddiction]

Do you think the small 80gph powerhead is enough for the gig? it's in a 10gal tank. I have several more I can put in if needed

Definitely not. I had a gig in a 5 gallon QT (not bucket) and 180 ghp was just enough for it. I wouldn't treat proactively even though you'll probably end up needing to treat the nem. Gig loose their colors so fast in treatment.

 

[m0nkie]

ok. I'll stick another one in tonight.. i'll see how it reacts before a 3rd one.

I have a small maxijet but it makes huge wave in QT... sometimes the nem look like it'll blow away. Never QT'd gigs with success so I'm not sure if I need to blast it..

 

[OrionN]

Don't need to blast it. Point it upward toward the surface and bounce it off the wall of the tank

 

[ThRoewer]

Do you think the small 80gph powerhead is enough for the gig? it's in a 10gal tank. I have several more I can put in if needed

With my last purple gig I just have a small hydor powerhead (not sure which model, would have to look) and it is just enough. I also have a skimmer in that 10 gallon tank.

If you have someone who can follow instructions, you could wait with treatment.
Gig treatment is pretty straight forward: change water and add cipro. Eventually also clean the tank and equipment.

 

[OrionN]

I use a Vortec mp10 in a 20 gal 1/2 fill. Adjust to about 50% on lagoon mode.

 

[m0nkie]

ok. I will put the mp10 inside. thanks!

 

[m0nkie]

I also have a skimmer in that 10 gallon tank

thanks! I'll buy a nano skimmer and put it after treatment.

Did a 5gal WC just now with 250mg Cipro. I'll let you know if something looks weird

 

[OrionN]

One of the reason I did not put a skimmer in the treatment tank is the skimmer may remove the medication because cipro is a large complex molecue. I think the air stone is not needed if you have good circulation

 

[OrionN]

Too many ideals. You are going just sort through and try to do what make sense and do your best.
Too may cooks ruin the pot so to speak.

 

[taylor t]

What works for some every time, may not work for someone else no matter how many times they try. Experience, details, and environment matter.

IMO, a protein skimmer (foam/air injection) is a bad choice to use, removing meds. For some, it may work every time (good oxygen but a shorter duration of meds), for some, it may just be the tipping point to failure. IMO, a SURFACE skimmer (surface skimming) HOB filter is a GOOD choice, removing protein from the surface of the water, not meds. IMO, an air stone is a GOOD choice to saturate the water with oxygen, raising PH. If you want to rely on water movement to do that, your choice, but common sense, to me at least, tells me adding an air stone will give me the best chance my oxygen and PH will stay as high as possible. Sure, no air stone works for some flawlessly every time, and may not be required, but may be the difference for some between success and failure. Details matter. In rehabbing or treating gigs, it's about giving them the best chance. Every detail that's missing, lowers the bar for the best chance. It's no wonder failure is still peppered on these forums.

Details matter.

For flow, I've used this. Cheap and work well, a hard blast, then a rest.
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+4586+11363&pcatid=11363


I'll shut up now, but details matter. Just another cook in the kitchen's opinion.

 

[OrionN]

Since you have an MP10, I just use that. IMO, there is no better PH for this situation. You can adjust the amount of flow as needed and it produce random flow.
(Good)Heater is a must, some light is a must (Before I used one of the cheap screw on LED on a clip on socket, on a timer. Now I use a Radion but this is not needed). Air stone if you want. That is all you need in term of hard ware.
I cannot stress enough a good heater with controller. Stability of temp is critical. since I have expensive anemones to treat, I spend near 100 dollars for the heater and controller and got a Vortect MP10 for circulation. I sell corals at some of the local frag exchange also and got a Radion (and all of these equipment) and use this for these frag exchanges also..

Of all of these, a good heater is most critical and you should not get on on the cheap unless it is emergency and you ordered a good controller/heater.

 

[m0nkie]

thanks all!

- I put the MP10 inside at 50% reefcrest mode
- heater is Ehiem Jager. I have several of those set at same temperature.
- light is 2 T5s.. not very strong. I have the tank next to 2 big windows also

The skimmer I was thinking of using after the treatment is finished, to help with water clarity while I'm gone. I'll still prepare water on the side for roommate to do some WC.

 

[ThRoewer]

I would put foam covers on the pump during treatment and while gone. Or add a piece of eggcrate to separate the technic area.

 

[OrionN]

you need a egg crate to divide the compartment. If he go for a walk, you will be in huge trouble. A full sheet of egg crate is less than 8 dollars at Home Depo. They may sell smaller sheet.
May craw on the heater and burn his foot, or get suck into the PH and you get anemone soup.