Is Fresh Water Dip Necessary for New Fish?

jboi

New member
Three weeks ago I got a mated pair of Clarkii Clownfish and one purple dottyback. They are new fish to replace all those I loss earlier. All three have been in quarantine tank with no meds. All swimming happy and eating like pigs. I have read up on flukes and freshwater dips. Before I introduce them to main tank is it recommended that I do a FW dip even though they seem healthy? I realize now that I probably should have done that on day one, but I am a newbie.

-Jeff
 
I wouldn't. Slime coat is essential for a fish to defend itself against parasites, and without evidence of flukes, (use Google) I wouldn't subject them to something that would distress them.
 
I always start the QT with a round of Prazipro just in case. I have found it to be very effective with flukes and intestinal worms and I have never had a fish react poorly to it. Cheap, easy, low/no stress for the fish. I then follow with a 4-6 week observation period and treat for other problems only if they appear.

IMHO, a freshwater dip (temp/pH matched) will help with an acute infestation, rarely will it completely cure the affected fish.

hth
 
3 weeks in QT and yesterday I noticed both Clowns flashing against the PVC pipes and the glass bottom of the 10 gallon QT. The dottyback does not seem affected at this time. I added one pouch of General Cure directly into the water. Any other advice/recommendations to take at this time?

Much appreciated!

Thank you!

- Jeff
 
Flashing could indicate ich in the gills even if not evident on the body. Never used General Cure, but its two meds are helpful. At a certain point if it is ich, the ich-lings are going to drop off and at that point a tank transfer could help by flushing the old water down the drain and having them in new water. That's TTM (tank transfer method). But it also leaves the med behind. Watch them carefully, with a magnifying glass and good light if you can find same. If you see ich appear, then clear off, that would be encouraging. But a transfer would keep the little swimmers from getting back to the fish. Another thing that might help is a little soak in Selcon for their food. It's a vitamin boost and helps appetite.

Anyone with more current experience chime in here: I've not met this pest in the last 16 years.
 
Sk8tr, thanks for the advice. I did the second round of GC today.

I always feed my fish whether in QT or DT with a soaking of Selcon in Omega One pellets (for Clowns and dottyback in QT), brine shrimp or Formula Two Flakes (for Yellow Tang and blue Damsel in DT). Today the Clowns ate, still a little flashing. Not as bad, but still worrisome. I have been keeping the lights off and only using natural light in my bedroom. Nighttime is pitch black in my room. I peaked a little last night using my iPhone light to see them and they were chillin'.

I read up a lot on Humblefish's posts and given the limited space and outlets in my apartment all I can do for a TTM is a 5 gallon bucket (3 empty buckets), which his post says could work.

My question is if I do that would that be too much in such a small space for two Clownfish and one dottyback for that period of time? I have the equipment to do that, plus I also have a pharmacy of meds since my last disaster ( Furan-2, Metroplex, Kanaplex, General Cure)

Jeff
 
Fish are pretty chill in general so long as they feel they can maneuver. Put a piece of junk rock (bleach & Prime it before re-use) or a 2" pipe or pipe elbow in the bucket to provide the comfort of shelter and a Place to be at excepting the round walls (crazy-making for a fish trying to establish a place to be) and their small size should be fine in 5 g. Do not move the rock with them without bleach and Prime treatment. (Prime is a bleach-neutralizer, but be sure you use enough Prime and it has not a whiff of bleach about the rock. Even tapwater can be used for a hose-down of the bleach before using the Prime.)
 
I am afraid I am too late. The evening of July 29 the dottyback died. I did not have enough time to get TTM components and water ready so I opted for copper treatment at 1.0ppm dosage for the two Clowns on the morning of July 1. I was going to give another small dosage of copper this morning. Everything seems OK until this morning and now both fish are dead.

0 ammonia, 20ppm nitrate, 0 nitrite, 80 degree water

I am starting to think my LFS is the blame. I've read the Yelp reviews and now believe it true. All of this guy's fish are sick and/or dying. It happened before back in early March when I did not quarantine a fish and that fish wiped out almost everything except for a Yellow Tang and Damselfish, which I successfully got back to good health.

If these fish were sick on day 1 wouldn't they show symptoms? 3 weeks in quarantine and all this time they looked fine and were eating well. Then suddenly dead.
 
Here is an picture of one of the fish. The spots were not there yesterday

picture.php
 
I'm am probably to late....sorry
That looks like ick to me.
TTM, Hypo, or copper.
 
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