Maracyn dosage question

[triggreef]

After several tank transfers, I am certain that my fish are ich free. I did a couple more than the suggested 4 transfers because I'm waiting for my QT to finish cycling before I put the fish in. Ammonia in QT is gone but waiting for nitrite to come down.

Anyway looking very closely (In a tupaware container I use for the transfers) during the last transfer I notice a white patch on the side of my flame angel, and my cleaner wrasse and my blue damsel. Very small patch like maybe 3 scales worth. All fish eating well, no flashing observed since the 3rd transfer was done. Other fish with them are a hawkfish, dogface puffer, and 2 maroon clowns, all looking pretty perfect.

I'm thinking bacterial infection which is what I believe was the COD of the fish that convinced me to begin all this.

On the original 3 transfers I dosed maracyn plus on the first day of each transfer. I'm wondering if this was wrong to do? Directions say dose on day 1,3, and 5. But they say nothing about if it is removed by carbon, or what about taking it out by water change?

I'm thinking maybe it is meant to be dosed in a cycled tank where day 3 doubles the dose and day 5 triples the first dose.

I should be able to add them all to the QT next tranfer, where I can better observe, but of course it will take a lot more meds to dose them in the 90 if they are not better before then.

 

[wooden_reefer]

:sad1:

After several tank transfers, I am certain that my fish are ich free. I did a couple more than the suggested 4 transfers because I'm waiting for my QT to finish cycling before I put the fish in. Ammonia in QT is gone but waiting for nitrite to come down.

Anyway looking very closely (In a tupaware container I use for the transfers) during the last transfer I notice a white patch on the side of my flame angel, and my cleaner wrasse and my blue damsel. Very small patch like maybe 3 scales worth. All fish eating well, no flashing observed since the 3rd transfer was done. Other fish with them are a hawkfish, dogface puffer, and 2 maroon clowns, all looking pretty perfect.

I'm thinking bacterial infection which is what I believe was the COD of the fish that convinced me to begin all this.

On the original 3 transfers I dosed maracyn plus on the first day of each transfer. I'm wondering if this was wrong to do? Directions say dose on day 1,3, and 5. But they say nothing about if it is removed by carbon, or what about taking it out by water change?

I'm thinking maybe it is meant to be dosed in a cycled tank where day 3 doubles the dose and day 5 triples the first dose.

I should be able to add them all to the QT next tranfer, where I can better observe, but of course it will take a lot more meds to dose them in the 90 if they are not better before then.

You need not worry about excess dose. Does the package still says erythromycin?

As I have pointed out, the TT method, as described in sticky, is unsound and is inferior to hypo or copper because it does not, practically, allow the easy application of UV, which IME reduces the incidents of bacterial infection.

I always use UV in conjunction when eradicating ich. UV is not effective against ich itself, but if there is no bacterial infection, nitrification in QT is very easy and effective, so I can QT effortlessly without WC for extended periods and can be very sure of eradication of ich.

Needless to say, you should have cycled the medium for QT before you get the fish.

Erythromycin tends to harm nitrobacter (nitrite to nitrate) more than nitrosonmoas. You will have more nitrite than ammonia. If you have nitrification in QT, this is important.

 

[wooden_reefer]

BTW, exactly how did you transfer the fish?

I hope you did not use a net.

Do you like to have a nylon rope rubbing against your face, worse yet your eyes?

Transfering a fish, especially without much original water, is hard if done well to prevent breakage of mucus, the first barrier against bacterial infection.

 

[triggreef]

:sad1:

You need not worry about excess dose. Does the package still says erythromycin?

As I have pointed out, the TT method, as described in sticky, is unsound and is inferior to hypo or copper because it does not, practically, allow the easy application of UV, which IME reduces the incidents of bacterial infection.

I always use UV in conjunction when eradicating ich. UV is not effective against ich itself, but if there is no bacterial infection, nitrification in QT is very easy and effective, so I can QT effortlessly without WC for extended periods and can be very sure of eradication of ich.

Needless to say, you should have cycled the medium for QT before you get the fish.

Erythromycin tends to harm nitrobacter (nitrite to nitrate) more than nitrosonmoas. You will have more nitrite than ammonia. If you have nitrification in QT, this is important.

BTW, exactly how did you transfer the fish?

I hope you did not use a net.

Do you like to have a nylon rope rubbing against your face, worse yet your eyes?

Transfering a fish, especially without much original water, is hard if done well to prevent breakage of mucus, the first barrier against bacterial infection.

Sorry I guess my original post was confusing. As I said in the OP I used clear tupaware for the transfer which I actually found easier to catch them with than a net. Smooth edge on the top as well since it is round.

Now the QT is not yet cycled (But almost there) because I set it up when I pulled the fish from the displays (I've had the fish for several months, and never used a QT, hence the intro of Ich) so my 2 displays are in a fallow period right now.

So there are no fish in my QT right now. They are still going through the tank transfer method in separate tanks.

So the answer is keep dosing the maracyn plus (not worried about killing off bacteria while the fish are in the ttm process). Now my next switch is this morning, when they go into the next tank should I double dose the maracyn plus, since they will be going into new water (not yet dosed) but coming from the old water that already has the first dose of maracyn?

Hope that makes sense I dont know how else to explain my question. Thanks for the fast response though :beer:

 

[wooden_reefer]

Sorry I guess my original post was confusing. As I said in the OP I used clear tupaware for the transfer which I actually found easier to catch them with than a net. Smooth edge on the top as well since it is round.

Now the QT is not yet cycled (But almost there) because I set it up when I pulled the fish from the displays (I've had the fish for several months, and never used a QT, hence the intro of Ich) so my 2 displays are in a fallow period right now.

So there are no fish in my QT right now. They are still going through the tank transfer method in separate tanks.

So the answer is keep dosing the maracyn plus (not worried about killing off bacteria while the fish are in the ttm process). Now my next switch is this morning, when they go into the next tank should I double dose the maracyn plus, since they will be going into new water (not yet dosed) but coming from the old water that already has the first dose of maracyn?

Hope that makes sense I dont know how else to explain my question. Thanks for the fast response though :beer:

If you are not concerned about drugs impact on nitrification bacteria (you don't have any), you should replenish with every water change.