Help! Crypt issues.

[NauticusVa]

So from the title you can imagine, I've screwed up. We just added a pair of beautiful fish to the DT and we have been watching the new additions. Then the wife asks, "What are those white spots on Dory?". Dory( the blue hippo) was NOT one of the new additions, she's been in there for about a month with the pair of clowns, a midas blenny, a one spot foxface, and an engineer goby( the new additions are a flame angel and a 6 line wrasse).

As far as I can tell, and as far as my research can tell me is I've got a typical case of crypt. Hyposalinity is the way I'm going to treat it. My questions are to the QT setup.

1) Are any of the fish I've got not able to take a hypo treatment? I haven't been able to find any issues with them, but I'd like to be sure.

2) I've got a 29 and a 46 that I can setup as a QT, but with no cured filter media ready to go. Seeing as my DT only has a few pieces of coral, and not many inverts can I pull them and use the DT as my QT?

3) I'm aware that using hypo on the DT will kill off just about everything and cause the tank to recycle, but with the constant water changes and monitoring that shouldn't be an issue. Anything that gets pulled will be able to sit and kill off the crypt due to a lack of fish. Right?

Thanks for your help. I've got to go make room for the QT now.

 

[sandwi54]

there are a few options for you.

1. pulling all of the fish out into both of the QTs. go buy two HOB filters (aquaclear makes good ones that are inexpensive). since the QTs are uncycled, prepare to do two large water changes per day for the first couple of weeks. Another option is to buy Bio-Spira from Instant Ocean, which are live bacteria in a bottle. Add them to the QTs and they will cycle much faster. I typically don't recommend this but I have used Bio-Spira before with good results, so I think it's worth a try for you. the DT will have to be fallow for 8-10 weeks.

2. treating in the DT. Hypo will kill everything other than fish, so again prepare to do large water changes and also have the skimmer skim wetter (skimmer doesn't work well in hypo). this is NOT preferred because you basically kill all the good living organisms in your LR and LS.

Last point, I hope the foxface and hippo are not in the 46g tank as indicated in your signature. Hippo tang requires an 8-foot, 240 gallon tank (if you have seen a full-grown adult, you'd understand). a 46g is too small even for a small juvenile. It may not look like that to you, but the fish could feel the constrained environment. all sorts of things happen when a fish is stressed, such as disease (what you're experiencing right now), growth issues, and aggressions.

 

[NauticusVa]

The fish WERE in a 46, they are all now in the 75. And the fish list in my original post is the most fish we are planning on adding to the tank. (BTW, i've got the wife hook and we are looking at a 150 or better tank in the near future, once i can show her that problems can be resolved).

Since killing ALL the bacteria would be bad, i'll have to reconsider using the DT as the QT. i'm not sure the problems with a total recycling of the tank would be worth it.

Instead of the bubble filter in the QT, I can use an inexpensive HOB aquaclear? I know i'll have to replace the pads frequently...but that would seem to be a better idea than a bubble filter.

 

[sandwi54]

I'm sorry if I mispoke, but when I said hypo kills everything i only meant to say the critters living in the live rocks/sand. the bacteria will survive and still work to remove toxins. however, you will likely still experience a mini-cycle since the LR/LS critters will die and the bacteria may not keep up for a little while.

HOB aquaclear is preferred in the QT. do not replace the filter sponge media since it houses the bacteria colony, but instead just rinse them with tank water, not tap water since the chlorine will kill the bacteria colony. again, since your QTs are going to be uncycled, prepare to do two large (over 50%) water changes a day for a week or two until the bacteria colony starts developing. do daily testing on ammonia/nitrite and if there's presence of any ammonia, do a 50% water change.

also, if you don't have a refractometer, get one now. hypo needs to be done with a refractometer. read the stickies in this forum on the treatment methods to fully understand the procedures before you start.

 

[sandwi54]

also, please read the sticky for recommended tang tank sizes below.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1946079

hippo tangs require an 8-foot tank due to their particular swimming habit. this is understated in most literatures and the movie "finding nemo" obviously has misled people into thinking that "dory" stays small and can be kept in small tanks. This is not true and in fact they are large tangs that require large open swimming areas. there are however, other tangs that don't get as big and can be kept in 6-foot or even 4-foot tanks. I urge you to consider those and only buy fish that can live in your current tank for the whole lifetime.

 

[snorvich]

Excellent advice from sandwi54. I cannot really add much. Remember that hypo MUST be at 1.009 as measured by a properly calibrated refractometer. It is the most difficult treatment to properly maintain as SG varies easily.

 

[NauticusVa]

I've got the 46 just about ready. Bio spira for a cycle boost, aquaclear hob, small powerhead and a heater. A few pieces of pipe for hideouts and a bunch of water on standby. Just need the water temp to come up and ill be able to transfer the fish and some water over. I've got a line on a refractometer to borrow till I can purchase one myself. I think that covers everything. If I've forgotten/missed something, please let me know.

As for my fish selections, there isn't much I can do for them now besides what I can and try to prepare a better future for them. I know I'm not the only one to ever put a fish in a tank smaller than they will require when they grow, but I won't be one that allows them to suffer because of my lack of research. I wouldn't be on here giving a damn about their health if I didn't acknowledge I've made a mistake. I'm sure there are plenty of unhappy tangs in the world in way too small of a tank with no.hope of being able to stretch their fins. My little ones WILL not be one of that group.

Thanks for all of your input. I will do my best to ensure the.health and long life of my small friends.