Hyposalinity in QT tank

[micrors4racer]

I have had 2 baby tangs in a QT with live rock for about a week now. They are both eating and swimming fine but I noticed they have been breathing a little fast ever since I put them in there and I know this might be a sign of disease since all the tank params are at good levels.

Surely enough, today they both have ich spots on them and I am preparing to do hyposalinity. What should I do about the live rock? My main concern is the build up of ammonia and the fish succumbing to that. Do the metabolism of the bacteria in the rock still work at low salinity?

 

[lucidheights]

i believe the bacteria will be fine, however any type of invert that may live in the rock will perish at lower salinity and cause ammonia spikes. My advise would be to add a sort of sponge filter if none is present and allow it some time to colonize bacteria, then remove the live rock. check ammonia levels and keep feeding at a minimum until you are sure the tank is stable again.

 

[iamwrasseman]

+1 on the advise

 

[Yogre]

As an addition to the above advice, you'll probably want to start treatment for the ich your tangs have well before the sponge filters will be sufficiently colonized to allow the live rock to come out.

I'd add an ammonia alert badge to the tank, check it quite frequently, and be prepared to do some good-sized water changes to keep ammonia down.

Amquel could also be used to control ammonia if it spikes, but I don't know if that product plays well with hypo, maybe others could chime in.