I need serious help ( Urgent West Covina, CA)

[MartyTheAchilles]

Hi So something horrible happened the other day and I’m paying dearly for it. The power went out overnight for 8 hours and the temp dropped in my tank. When it went back up in the morning the temp change from around 75-80 caused for a ick outbreak in my tank. I don’t have a qt set up right now because I buy pre qt fish and have always kept a high rail on things but I’m a new hobbyist so experience isn’t my strong suit as it would be for most of you. I need someones help locally to help me set up a qt for some of my fish or maybe even help me qt. I know it’s a big ask but I will do anything at this point as I love my inhabitants and it’s just a bad situation. I’m in West Covina CA but can drive or you know just I need someones help who is knowledgeable and does Qt right. my fish are on the larger side. So I’m really suffering here. Not sure who to ask.

- Emi & Marty my achilles tang
Ive attached some photos of my tank. I know the glass is not the cleanest. I'm testing mag float vs mag float max rn

 

[discotu]

1st off sorry about this...i think most of us have been through this at one point in this hobby so we know the pain. that said, get a used tank on CL or FB, large enough house your fish. All you need is a bare tank, heater, cheap canister filter and/or HOB filter and a couple powerheads. Maybe a lid depending on what other fish you have. Also helps to have pieces of PVC pipe (different sizes) for your fish to hide in. This is the first step. Once you have the qt setup with water you can transfer your fish over and the waiting/treating begins. There are a TON of resources out there on how to properly QT including here. If done correctly and patiently you have a really good chance of recovery. Best of luck.

 

[OldReefGuy]

I have a 30g Tall, large HOB filter and heater if you need to set-up a QT. Also have coppersafe and ichrid meds you can have....but I'm in granada hills for pick-up......

 

[MartyTheAchilles]

I have a heater, sponge filter just need a tank so I think I can pick one up quickly on marketplace! My issue is I mostly have tangs & large ones at that. My black tang is about a 7-8 inches and I have a scopus ,sailfin , Atlantic blue ,Achilles, kole, 2 reg blue tangs & some small fish. how do you guys reckon I split it up? I've lost 3 fish in a little more than 3 days trying to manage with reef medic. So My heart is a little sore. I would need I think at least 100g to qt them all together I assume

 

[OldReefGuy]

this is a cheap alternative:

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/rubbermaid-structural-foam-stock-tanks-100-gal-capacity

 

[MartyTheAchilles]

this is a cheap alternative:

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/rubbermaid-structural-foam-stock-tanks-100-gal-capacity

What do you usually use to treat for ick. I just want the best product I can get that isn't super stressful for them

 

[JohnL]

What do you usually use to treat for ick. I just want the best product I can get that isn't super stressful for them

Perhaps @leebca or @Dr. Reef or @HumbleFish can offer some advice.

 

[discotu]

You want a traditional clear tank so you can observe the fish during qt. Hard to see what's going on through the surface of the water. Another option and maybe easier is to get a smaller tank big enough to house the corals, that way the fish can stay in the DT. Depending on size you can put the rock and sand in there together or a brute trash can for the rock and sand with just a circulation pump. There are many treatment options...none are "easy". Also, you want to make sure you're treating the right disease. You're sure it's ich and only ich?

 

[leebca]

the temp change from around 75-80 caused for a ick outbreak in my tank.

A temperature change doesn't cause Cryptocaryon irritans (Marine Ich) to develop/appear.

I buy pre qt fish

These fish were not properly quarantined.

Are you sure the fish have Cryptocaryon irritans (Marine Ich)? A video longer than one minute under white light up close to the fish, showing both sides of the fish would be helpful. You can upload the video to YouTube then post the link to it here.

If you are sure it is Marine Ich, then I like to treat it using this Copper Treatment Procedure.

Since you have such large fish, it would better to use the single tank, 30-day treatment. Same as the above procedure, except leave the fish in the treatment tank at therapeutic copper levels for 30 full days.

Unfortunately, the main tank will need to go fallow. Studies have shown that about 45 days of the tank going fishless (fallow) are reliable if you can raise the DT temperature to 27C (80.6F) and there are no dormant Marine Ich in the DT and DT system (assuming corals and invertebrates, if present, can handle this temperature). If you have a FOWLR DT, raise temp to 30C (86F) for 15 days, again providing there are no dormant Marine Ich in the DT or DT system (assuming invertebrates present, if any, can handle this temperature).

Marine Ich can lay dormant in low oxygen (anaerobic) areas and is able to survive longer than the above times. To avoid this, you want to reduce/eliminate areas of low oxygen. These areas include:

1. Thick substrates -- need to be 'disturbed.'
2. Rock sitting on substrate can hide dormant Marine Ich;
3. Canister filters -- need to be broken down;
4. Other non-biological filters/media and chemicals need to be replaced (e.g., carbon, filterfloss),
5. Check that bio filter(s) are not trapping any water; and lastly
6. Rock crevices can hide dormant Marine Ich.

Use high circulation and 'blast' under rocks and into rock crevices -- as much as any corals you have can take. If there is any part of the system which you feel may have low oxygen areas, find and eliminate them.

After removing/eliminating low oxygen areas, then begin the times noted above.

If raising the temperature above 78F is not an option, then go fallow 75 days after removing/eliminating low oxygen areas.

 

[MartyTheAchilles]

I'm under the impression it is either ick or marine velvet. I will send a video asap. The fish I'm sure we're quarantined right but it's all my fault. I got a fish from my friends personal tank a watchman goby the size of my pinky. He said the fish was clear and didn't have any ich so I trusted him wrongfully so obviously. After I got this fish the outage happened and the temp swung I feel like this caused a stress of some kind and I heard that effects their immune system but I'm not sure of the accuracy of this information. I have a large enough uv set to 30% flow currently in the tank so I hope that's helping for the time being. My tank temp is currently at 80 ( I keep a warm tank and my fish seem to do well at this ) they are eating also very good right now I'm a bit optimistic also. I will take the fish out certainly and run fallow. However I have never touched my sand bed and use a no touch approach so i was wondering if this would affect the stability of my tank? As well as I have a lot of holes and what not in my rock how could I effectively blast it? I really appreciate your guidelines.

When I set up a quarantine today can I use all new water and sponge filters or should I use my tank water? Someone told me to seed it with 50% old water but I feel that's the cause of the problem.
Also what brand and strength copper do you recommend?

- I apologize ahead of time for my plethora of questions you guys are my only hope. Also I don't mind giving my cell out if you have any more advice to give. I'm going in dark and my fish mean the world to me.

- forever grateful Emi

 

[MartyTheAchilles]

You want a traditional clear tank so you can observe the fish during qt. Hard to see what's going on through the surface of the water. Another option and maybe easier is to get a smaller tank big enough to house the corals, that way the fish can stay in the DT. Depending on size you can put the rock and sand in there together or a brute trash can for the rock and sand with just a circulation pump. There are many treatment options...none are "easy". Also, you want to make sure you're treating the right disease. You're sure it's ich and only ich?

I notice they flash and itch and my fish are mostly black so I see the spots but also like splotches so I'm in the dark here

 

[MartyTheAchilles]

This is the 2 videos I've taken at white light I tried my best to capture the spots

 

[leebca]

caused a stress

Stress will cause the expression of diseases and usually makes the disease spread quicker.

affect the stability of my tank?

Have you never cleaned your substrate? Very unusual. I have always cleaned my substrate on my tanks. Anyway, be cautious about disturbing the substrate. You can disturb it a little at a time. If the substrate is less than 1.5" deep probably no worries.

When I set up a quarantine today can I use all new water and sponge filters or should I use my tank water?

When dealing with parasites/diseases, I start fresh. My hospital tank has a new bio filter and new water. The hospital tank matches salinity, pH and temp of the DT. You can use tank water, but there is always a risk that some other disease or parasite or water quality issue transfers over. .I Just saw your video. I think it is Cryptocaryon irritans (Marine Ich).

Also what brand and strength copper do you recommend?

I like Copper Power, but Coppersafe is good too.

but also like splotches

Possible bacteria setting in.

I apologize ahead of time for my plethora of questions

Absolutely no problem. Ask any and all questions you have.
----
Your Tangs are severely undernourished. The area just below the dorsal fin should be thick. Thickness there shows the fish has extra energy (fat) reserves. The Lateral Line should not be so prominent. Please read the Fish Nutrition post and feed your fish properly. Use supplements, especially now.

Do you have antibiotics on hand? Kanaplex is good as well as Maracyn 2 and Metronidazole. Worth stocking in your fish medicine cabinent.

 

[MartyTheAchilles]

What's super strange is I give them 4-5 cubes a day frozen of mysis and the brine shrimp with spiralina along with 2 nori sheets. They get amino supplements along with garlic soaked into the food and I give them flake foods as a treat so they eat a Lot. But I can never get them to fatten up so maybe it's food quality??

 

[MartyTheAchilles]

 

[leebca]

Maybe a combination of not enough food and not the right kinds of food.

Stop the brine shrimp. Very low in nutrition.
Stop the Amino Complex. Absurd. Fish get all the amino acids they need from their meaty foods.

2 nori sheets for all those tangs that are of such a size? No! Try 6 nori sheets twice a day. If they consume that in under 20 minutes, increase even more.

I'd say to feed 1 cube for every two fishes. Feed a quantity until the fish loose interest, in about 3-5 minutes.

Use the supplements in the Fish Nutrition post.

I have a large enough uv set to 30% flow currently in the tank

Going back to this (just caught my eye) this information doesn't mean a lot. It is measured in power over time for a given tank volume. Difficult to calculate. I’ve seen values of 80k to 800k uWsec/cm2. I use 280k as a median value. So, I'm unsure if your UV is doing you as much good as it should.

 

[MartyTheAchilles]

Maybe a combination of not enough food and not the right kinds of food.

Stop the brine shrimp. Very low in nutrition.
Stop the Amino Complex. Absurd. Fish get all the amino acids they need from their meaty foods.

2 nori sheets for all those tangs that are of such a size? No! Try 6 nori sheets twice a day. If they consume that in under 20 minutes, increase even more.

I'd say to feed 1 cube for every two fishes. Feed a quantity until the fish loose interest, in about 3-5 minutes.

Use the supplements in the Fish Nutrition post.

Going back to this (just caught my eye) this information doesn't mean a lot. It is measured in power over time for a given tank volume. Difficult to calculate. I’ve seen values of 80k to 800k uWsec/cm2. I use 280k as a median value. So, I'm unsure if your UV is doing you as much good as it should.

I'll change the food and up the nori!! To the fish store I go. I get talked into buying a whole bunch of stuff for my fish from the lfs so I try my best but good information is hard to find. So I'll be changing it all. When I first started out our lfs told me to feed every other day. Thank God I didn't fall for that crap

 

[MartyTheAchilles]

Also on the subject of uv I use the 57 watt aqua ultraviolet

 

[leebca]

Also on the subject of uv I use the 57 watt aqua ultraviolet

What flow rate? How often do you change the bulb(s)?

 

[leebca]

I'll change the food and up the nori!! To the fish store I go. I get talked into buying a whole bunch of stuff for my fish from the lfs so I try my best but good information is hard to find. So I'll be changing it all. When I first started out our lfs told me to feed every other day. Thank God I didn't fall for that crap

Buy what you need from the LFS. You might find better prices online for large packs of nori and seaweed. You need to buy in bulk!

lfs told me to feed every other day

OMG! LFS should go out of business.