hypo during QT?

reeferman1128

New member
Is hypo still a valid step in eliminating ich? I am setting up a new tank . All my fish are going to go into the new tank. This will eventually be a sps tank but will obviously be several month before thank is suitable for sps's.

My question can I set it to hypo and put fish in it essentially using the new tank as a hypo QT tank as it is cycling? By the time it is ready for corals if should be stocked with all desirable fish and all will have gone through a multi month hypo period.

By cycling I am not referring to the initial cycle but a long cycle (months) for sps's.
 
I am in the camp that hypo is not a reliable method for eradication of ich. I use tank transfer, cupramine, or a sequence of both on all new fish.
 
Ive been hearing about more and more failures with hypo. Its either a combination of people that allow the salinity to rise slightly above the hypo rec level (due to evap etc) or possibly due to hypo resistant strains developing. Time will tell.
 
yes this is the reason for my post. keeping salinity stable can be difficult. And I would attribute most failures in this method to this. but if kept stable for an extended period of time would it be worth trying the procdure stated above?
 
Up to you and what your comfortable with. Experience will tell you if was worth while. Personally I only trust TT and cupramine, usually both, but its beacuse I NEVER want to deal with ich again.
 
my amount of gamble in your case would be directly proportional to the amount of fish and $ invested in them. If its significant I would not take the chance. If we're talking smaller hardy fish and low $, it might be different. Again whatever your comfort level is with your skills/ability, as well as fish involved.
 
Up to you and what your comfortable with. Experience will tell you if was worth while. Personally I only trust TT and cupramine, usually both, but its beacuse I NEVER want to deal with ich again.

I agree.
I think Chloroquine Phosphate is a drug that works too, tough to find, though. IMO, TT is the easiest and most idiot-proof method---assuming you are just dealing with a fish or two. Cupramine is about perfect, IMO. But there is a learning process with the stuff. If any fish dies while copper is in the tank, the copper will be blamed and many inaccurate myths (IMO) about copper have evolved.
 
I fully agree TT is the most effective way. I have been successful in the past with it. I was just wondering if this would be a viable way to cycle a tank and QT any new fish at the same time. I was going to do a Hypo with live rock as well to kill all unwated pests but to keep the bacteria alive.
 
Keep in mind that if you cycle a hypo system, you'll still have to re-cycle at full salt. You don't save anytime. You'd be better off establishing the system for a reef right from the start.
 
why the need to re-cycle at proper salinity? Beneficial bacteria will live and do its job both in hypo and regular salinity. its the inverts that can not tolerate hypo.
 
A well established system in hypo is totally different than full salt. If your just worried about bacteria established why would you wait several months to add coral? I'm referring to all the diatom stages and de nitrafying bacteria do not exist in hypo conditions as they would in a reef.
 
I agree.
I think Chloroquine Phosphate is a drug that works too, tough to find, though. IMO, TT is the easiest and most idiot-proof method---assuming you are just dealing with a fish or two.

Fisher Scientific has it, but it's not cheap. $42 for 10 grams. You need an account to view availability, but I logged in with my company account and it is available.
 
Is hypo still a valid step in eliminating ich? I am setting up a new tank . All my fish are going to go into the new tank. This will eventually be a sps tank but will obviously be several month before thank is suitable for sps's.

My question can I set it to hypo and put fish in it essentially using the new tank as a hypo QT tank as it is cycling? By the time it is ready for corals if should be stocked with all desirable fish and all will have gone through a multi month hypo period.

By cycling I am not referring to the initial cycle but a long cycle (months) for sps's.

I personally don't use hypo myself, but I do know that hypo combined with treatments such as copper can be a deadly combination. Also, hypo alone does't eradicate ich and may actually stress the fish making it worse. Hypo dips are used to get help the fish by dropping parasites that are in a particular external phase. The QT should be the same as your tank water. When the fish is in the QT for 10 weeks (required time to either see or confirm no infection), the infection will show itself. If it does, then you will need to treat with either copper or tank changes; though copper is probably the more sure method. Once you have treated with the copper, the 10 week windows opens again.
 
I personally don't use hypo myself, but I do know that hypo combined with treatments such as copper can be a deadly combination. Also, hypo alone does't eradicate ich and may actually stress the fish making it worse. Hypo dips are used to get help the fish by dropping parasites that are in a particular external phase. The QT should be the same as your tank water. When the fish is in the QT for 10 weeks (required time to either see or confirm no infection), the infection will show itself. If it does, then you will need to treat with either copper or tank changes; though copper is probably the more sure method. Once you have treated with the copper, the 10 week windows opens again.

This is why I should not write too early in the morning. Ignore my comments on hypo not eradicating ich. I was having a conversation with someone else and it end up in this message.
It should have been:
"
I personally don't use hypo myself, but I do know that hypo combined with treatments such as copper can be a deadly combination. So don't combine the two methods. The QT should be the same as your tank water. When the fish is in the QT for 10 weeks (required time to either see or confirm no infection), the infection will show itself. If it does, then you will need to treat with either copper or hyposalinity; though copper is probably the more sure method. Once you have treated with the copper, the 10 week windows opens again.
"
:headwally:
 
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