Hyposaline treatment

[fish head steve]

I came into a complete 58 gallon setup about three weeks ago. I have moved an Anthias, pair of Clowns and a Flame Angel into other systems after observing them for 2 weeks in the 58 after moving the system. They appear to be doing well in their new homes.

There is a Banggai Cardinal, Royal Gramma, Six Line and a Sailfin left in the system. Two fish (Royal Gramma and a Red Sea Sailfin Tang) have been flashing sporadically. I can not see any outward signs of illness.

Would Hyposalinty for 14 days in a Q-tank be a good course of action?

Can you recomend what to do with the live rock and sand? Should I just let it go fallow? If so, for how long? I had planned to use the 70 lbs. of rock and 60 lbs of sand in one of my larger tanks, then sell the 58 after emptying it out.



Thanks~

 

[Steven Pro]

Generally, people are administering hyposalinity from anywhere from 4 to 8 weeks now. The most common method I am hearing is one month of hypo after the last spot disappears.

Your problem is flashing does not necessarily mean there is Ich. It is a possible sign, but not definitive. The other issue is you have already moved other fish into other displays potentially infesting those tanks as well. At this point, if you are not willing to quarantine and treat every fish that has come into contact with those two or come into contact with fish that were with those two, then I would probably do nothing.

 

[fish head steve]

Thanks. I'll continue to observe for any additional signs of illness and keep the fish separated in their respective systems. That way if I do have to treat fish from both systems, I have fewer fish to catch and move to the Q-system. I am in no rush.

.....one month without ....., you can be sure that any Ich parasites and their eggs have hatched and died without a host. Note that Cryptocaryon irritans requires a fish host. They cannot complete their life cycle with the rock, sand, or any invertebrates.

I enjoyed your two-part series on Ich. Is a 30 day period still recommended as sufficient time for a system to lay fallow (fishless)?

My 140 display~

 

[Steven Pro]

In most cases, 30 days should be long enough, but most people are going longer for practical reasons. For one, you treat your fish. Copper takes 2 weeks. Hyposalinity takes about a month. After either, you should keep the fish in quarantine for an additional month to be sure that the treatment was effective. So in effect, the fallow period generally runs 6-8 weeks in most cases.

 

[fish head steve]

Thanks. Will go the 8 week route with the rock, sand and corals from the tank in question.