Help me QT my fish to health

sushi4u

New member
I just recently picked up a maculiceps tang and was wondering if anyone can help me start his first qt day. I just received the tang today.

<a ><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8096/8372011582_b56314e047.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="P1110105"></a>

<a ><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8214/8372010636_fb33b96bbf.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="P1110110"></a>

As you can see, the maculiceps has some form of skin erosion around the mouth, a left cloudy eye, and three blemishes on the left of his body. Not sure parasite vs trauma. He did just arrive me today and unfortunately it wasnt a good specimen.

I also have a small bariene tang in the qt tank and found him to be scratching against a tile i placed in the tank. Unfortunately it looks and sounds like ich but no visible white dots on the bariene tang.

I was wondering what qt method should i go through to heal this tang.
First should i do baths now or dip. Ie cupramine/prazi or dip in formulin, freshwater.

or

1. First start cupramine? Is it true that the maculiceps tang will not respond well to the cupramine cause of open sores and etc.
- I do have cholorquinine to start but unfortunately my tank is next to a window.
or 2. Start prazi pro 2 rounds
or 3. Start a form of abx. I do have some metrodiazole, furan 2 on board.

Thanks for the help everyone.
 
When there is a wound, chance of bacterial infection is much increased. The eyes are cloudy, which can be bacterial or other reason.

For this fish, I'd ASAP use antibiotics for 3-5 days when it is still vigorous. Do not wait and see. Most urgent seems to be bacterial.

I will use an antibiotic such as erythromycin or neomycin. If you have nitrfication setup, you can still use it. These will cause some nitrite but not much ammonia. WC and replenish drug for five days, I'd say.

Ich is still not serious so I'd wait a bit on ich eradication.
 
The only antibiotics I have in my hand right now is Furan 2, bifuran, and metro.

What is the difference between erythromycin vs Furan. I believe both is a broad spectrum right.
 
The only antibiotics I have in my hand right now is Furan 2, bifuran, and metro.

What is the difference between erythromycin vs Furan. I believe both is a broad spectrum right.
 
The only antibiotics I have in my hand right now is Furan 2, bifuran, and metro.

What is the difference between erythromycin vs Furan. I believe both is a broad spectrum right.

Check the ingredient.

The point is that if you have an antibiotic that does not kill off all nitrification bacteria (as I have pointed out), you need to change water less often. Nitrite is much less toxic than ammonia. I am assuing that you have nitrification in QT; otherwise it is moot as you have to do WC often anyway.

I always plan to have nitrification in QT.

If you do not know, you will have to rely of massive WC for the duration. With antibiotic use, the duration of treatment is generally short, 5 days or so in general, so massive WC is bearable on the aquarist. The cost in drug will be greater, in general.
 
Last edited:
So I am assuming that erythromycin does not fully kill off the nitrification bacteria.

If so water changes and can I dose like dr Tim's one and only.

Thanks wooden reefer.
 
It is quite unlikely that this fish will eat in the next few days. You must take advantage of the fact that it is still vigorous and make sure that its mouth is not infected by bacteria.

You do not need to put it in large volume of water for the next few days, just 10 gals will do OK.

Ammonia is far more dangerous than the risk of 100% WC.

An experienced aquarist should not excessively shun 100% WC. Make sure you check salinity, ph and temperature. Higher priority is against very low ammonia.

I do 100% WC often without any problem.

50% WC from 0.25 ppm is still 0.125 ppm.
 
So I am assuming that erythromycin does not fully kill off the nitrification bacteria.

If so water changes and can I dose like dr Tim's one and only.

Thanks wooden reefer.

Erythromycin and neomcyin (and a few others) affect nitrobacter (nitrite to nitrate) much more than nitrosonomas (ammonia to nitrite). Often, when the label says "will not affect nitrification bacetria" this is the half truth, but significant half-truth.
 
Sounds good. I was able to pick some erythromycin and going to treat the qt tank since I am not sure if the bacterium has spread to my other fish.

Going to dose the required amount and change water as needed.

After 5-7 days what is considered improvement. Healing scabs, increased appetite, fins growing back?

Sorry for all the questions. Just don't know too much about bacteria and diagnosis with treatment.
 
Double post.

Anyways. Any other recommendations.

Just frustrated cause my tank was wiped with marine velvet.

Now I have a somewhat established qt tank and have my first challenge.

But I will post updates on my qt.
 
Last edited:
Double post.

Anyways. Any other recommendations.

Just frustrated cause my tank was wiped with marine velvet.

Now I have a somewhat established qt tank and have my first challenge.

But I will post updates on my qt.

Against protozoan diseases like ich and oodinum, the ultimate objective has to be eradication, no but if or may be. But this does not mean you have to eradicate it at once. You have the option of making sure that your fish does not die from it with a brief period of treatment against ich, and accept light infestation for the time being.

This fish may or may not survive this wound in the mouth.

You should treat with antibiotic with full strength for a few days to help the wound to heal without complication; if then the fish eats then you will have a good chance.

As I said, I would put it in a rather small amount of water, just 5-10 gals, and then do 100% WC daily for 3-5 days. Then you put it in a larger QT tank to get it to eat.

Check for protozoan infestation. If there is , you have to treat against it at once.
 
Back
Top