hypo in QT for ich?

[6stringpenguin]

I think I'm just about ready to try hyposalinity for the fish in my 125 gallon FOWLR tank. I would just like to get a few last opinions on this since I have a lot of fish I really have enjoyed for a while and really don't want to take the chance to lose.

I am going to pull all of my fish out of the display tank and place them all into any of the 3 spare tanks I have. I have a 55, a 40 breeder, and a 10 gallon. Most of these fish are great community fish and I feel aggression won't be an issue. I will place them in these 3 tanks and leave the display empty of fish for 6 to 8 weeks. The tanks they will be in will all have no sandbed or liverock, just pvc pipe for cover.

My question is; do I still have to Hypo the tanks the fish are in for those 6 to 8 weeks, or will leaving them in these tanks with nowhere for the Ich to regenerate after falling off of the fish at a normal salinity of .021 to .026 be okay? I will be doing constant water changes to the QT tanks.

I have read some great articles posted by the numerous mods and pros on this site, but you must understand that doing anything for the first time can be a scary adventure.

Thanks for your thoughts on this matter.

 

[Jerry W]

You must treat the infected fish. The parasite will continue it's lifecycle unless it is interupted by hyposalinity or medication (copper). Be sure to have an accurate instrument to measure salinity (refractometer), and monitor your pH as it will drop in lower salinity.

 

[6stringpenguin]

ok, thanks. I thought that in it's 2 week life cycle, if it didn't have anything to be absorbed into, such as live sand or live rock, it would possibly die on it's own. Thank you.

 

[Freed]

The ich will still live on the fish and can still multiply on the bare bottom of the tank. The only way to erradicate the ich is to perform hypo(EASIEST) or copper(MUST TEST OFTEN AND ADJUST DOSAGE/S)

 

[6stringpenguin]

cool Thanks again! I'll be pulling my fish in the display tank today.

 

[Freed]

Make sure you drop your salinity to 1.009 over at least several hours to one to two days and then keep it there for the entire 4-6 week minimum hypo treatment.

 

[6stringpenguin]

yeah, I was wondering (and afraid) that the salinity might go up a point or 2 when i did water changes and it would be uneffective.

So whenever you QT a new fish, you should always do a 4-6 week hypo? Just wanted to make sure to avoid more severe problems down the road.

 

[Freed]

Not necessarily. I do. Sometimes you won't notice the ich in QT and it can then be transferred to the main display. I treat with hypo from the start to make sure it's not missed and that way if it is noticed after a few weeks without the hypo it doesn't have to be started from that point and then an additional 4-6 weeks undertaken until you can finally transfer to main tank.

 

[6stringpenguin]

I have the space to keep a QT tank at all times, so I'll probably keep it up full time. Besides, even a barebottom QT fish only tank is still prettier than a freshwater fish tank. As we type, I am setting up the 40 breeder. Thanks again for the great advice.

 

[Freed]

Just so you know, you don't need anything extremely extravagant for a QT tank BUT I went way overboard and have an oversized skimmer and lighting so that way you can and should QT anything wet before placing in main tank. ANYTHING can bring ich into a tank that is wet.

 

[6stringpenguin]

I know that. The big problem is that I didn't QT from the beginning, so as I add my healthy new fish that are already eating, comfortable, and looking great, they are getting the ich that is already present in the tank. It's high time I just hypo ALL of the fish and get it over with.

 

[Freed]

Great idea. Keep up the good work and stick with the QT protocol and you will do just fine.

 

[happyface888]

I need help as well setting up a QT/Hypo tank currently my ST tanks water is all messed up and I was wondering how long would I need to wait for the water to cycle in a newly set up QT tank and is it ok to use the water that comes with the fish in replacement of the water? And if I dont have a filter sponge or extra live rocks to start the cycle what other alternatives can I use?
My brother use to have a 300g tank for 5 years but tore it down and transfered the rocks into a large trash container with water and also a powerhead all these were from the tank would that water work for the QT?

 

[kevin2000]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9973899#post9973899 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by 6stringpenguin
I have the space to keep a QT tank at all times, so I'll probably keep it up full time. Besides, even a barebottom QT fish only tank is still prettier than a freshwater fish tank. As we type, I am setting up the 40 breeder. Thanks again for the great advice.

I think keeping a QT up full time is unecessary and a PIA. If you place some extra filter media in your sump (or tucked behind some LR in your ST if you don't have a sump) that filter media will develop beneficial bacteria which can be placed into your Qt power filter and give you the same ammonia reduction benefits of having a FT QT.

Just a thought.

 

[happyface888]

Whats the right temperature to use when doing hypo, I read around that it should be raised to 82 to speed up the cycle or was that for the tank when left fallow?