HELP: Just dosed SeaChem ParaGuard. Corals not doing well

[zhangster]

My blue tangs started showing signs of ich so I bought a bottle of ParaGuard. The bottle says "not recommended" for reef but I didn't think it would be so dramatic.

It's been about 30 minutes since I put the correct dosage in the reef tank. Now most of the corals are closed up. My fattest scoly opened mouth wide but seems OK now. But my 2 smaller scolys are shrunken. All the anemones are closed up.

Should I do an emergency water change to save the corals?

BTW DO NOT USE SEACHEM PARAGUARD WITH CORALS!

 

[Sk8r]

Do you have salt and water? Make salt water: use a kitchen mixer if you have to but get it mixed: even if a little raw it may be better than the ParaGuard. Remove all your corals and invertebrates from the tank and get them into clean 1.024 water immediately. Rinse them on the way if you have spare saltwater, to make sure they don't bring the med with them. If you can't do this, Paraguard is supposed to break down after 48 hours, but that may be too late. My best guess is to put carbon into a reactor if you have one or at best put it in a bag in the water flow in the tank. If one of those nems starts to die, get it out of there: decomposing anemones shred and float about, and even dead, their tentacles can still sting. If you happen to have PolyFilter on hand, throw one of those in with the corals. All this is my best guess with a med I know zip about, but I looked up the ingredients, and I'd say do all you can to get your corals to clean water. If your LFS is open at this hour phone them and see if they can help you out with water and advice.

 

[zhangster]

Thanks. I've moved my most treasured Scolys into new saltwater. Will move the anemones next.

I'm still seething why SeaChem would label this as "caution with reef" instead of just "not safe for reef." :mad2::mad2:

 

[Sk8r]

Whew! Sounds as if you're going to get through this. I'm with you: 'not advised for reef tanks' would be clearer. I think the best advice is 'never medicate the display tank.' The only exceptions are when using products specifically designed to treat pests OF a reef, things like cyano, flatworms and flukes. Outside of those which are specifically targeted o very limited problems, I'd advise go slow and ask online for someone who's used the product.

 

[zhangster]

I could not get any of my anemones off the rocks but that is a good sign. I've found another RC post where someone's anemones pulled through.

SeaChem's reason is that "there are so many inverts and we can't possibly test them all." Well then how about just say "unsafe" for heaven's sake. And on the instruction it just says "go ahead and put it into your aquarium..."

You're right I should've done more independent research before dumping this into my DT. Lesson learned.

 

[Sk8r]

No blame. We all learn from this crazy hobby of putting fish and electricity into a box of water. Your reactions were correct and thank goodness you had the salt/water in reserve.