maybe stupid QT question

[bigevill1]

Ok, so I was thinking about this. I have a 46 bow front aquarium that has been fallow for 8 weeks. before that it had a purple tang in it for 8 weeks that I treated for Oodinium (which killed most of the other fish in my display) During the treatment for oodinium I treated with both copper and prazi-pro (not at the same time) So here is my question: When getting new fish, if I put them into that 46 bow and immediately hit them with copper for a few days, then use carbon to pull the copper out and hit them with prazi pro for a few days, shouldnt that be enough to help ensure they are clean when I add them to the display? Unfortunately I am not worried about ick (cryp) so much as I know it is already in my display. I am trying to prevent another round of Oodinium, and flukes. The fish that I put in the QT look 100% clean already. I just dont see how it could take more than a few days for the meds to do their work when there isnt a breeding cycle of any of those critters in the QT.

Thanks,

Mike

 

[MrTuskfish]

Copper only kills these parasites when they are in the free-swimming stage. A parasite embedded in the fish; or a cyst (full of developing parasites) on the substrate (where it can spend weeks) is not bothered by the copper. If you dose copper for just a few days, while the parasite is embedded in the fish and he drops off after the copper is removed; the new cyst is home free and ready to turn loose the next generation. Do some reading on ich & velvet (oodinium) and it becomes obvious. The constant exposure to a few days of copper is doing very little and (over time) is almost certainly harmful to the fish and may even contribute to a copper-resistant strain of parasites. Here's where I'd start:http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1992196

 

[bigevill1]

Ok, that was what I wasnt sure about. The reason I asked though is that my tank does not have any cysts in the sand bed or rocks. the tank has been fallow for months and had copper in it before that. So how long would it take for a parasite to fall off of the fish and become free swimming? I know Oodinium reproduces much faster than the standard cryp. I did not put sick fish into my QT. I put new fish from the LFS that look to be 100% clean in and treated them immediately with the intent on only keeping them in QT for a week or so.

 

[MrTuskfish]

Ok, that was what I wasnt sure about. The reason I asked though is that my tank does not have any cysts in the sand bed or rocks. the tank has been fallow for months and had copper in it before that. So how long would it take for a parasite to fall off of the fish and become free swimming? I know Oodinium reproduces much faster than the standard cryp. I did not put sick fish into my QT. I put new fish from the LFS that look to be 100% clean in and treated them immediately with the intent on only keeping them in QT for a week or so.

It can take weeks for the next generation to appear. (http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1992196) First paragraph.
Looking "100% clean" does not mean the fish doesn't have ich, velvet, or other problems. It only means you can't see it. The ''white spot'' just means the bug is ready to start reproducing. Newly attached parasites in the gills (a favorite spot), under or on the skin are not visible. There is not an acceptable substitute for a proper QT regimen: no place, no where, no how. I would bet that not using a QT properly is a main reason for the very high turnover in our hobby and all the cheap equipment available on Craig's list. BTW, parasites are only one of many reasons to use a QT. That's why every book, magazine article, expert's blog, etc.that I've ever seen, very strongly recommends them .

 

[bigevill1]

I understand the other reasons as well. I am going to do whats right for the fish. thats the bottom line. the QT is going to stay setup and running anyway so there is no reason to pull the fish out early. I was just wondering is all. Right now I am QTing a male square spot anthia and two females to add to the three females that I already have in the display. the reason for me wanting to rush is that I do not want one of the three females in the display to start turning into a male :lol: I will wait it out.

 

[MrTuskfish]

I understand the other reasons as well. I am going to do whats right for the fish. thats the bottom line. the QT is going to stay setup and running anyway so there is no reason to pull the fish out early. I was just wondering is all. Right now I am QTing a male square spot anthia and two females to add to the three females that I already have in the display. the reason for me wanting to rush is that I do not want one of the three females in the display to start turning into a male :lol: I will wait it out.

Just an after thought, I assume this is a FOWLR tank. The substrate and LR have absorbed some copper and I don't think anyone knows for sure how and when it will leach out. But I doubt you want your fish constantly exposed to any more copper than necessary (there is some copper, even in salt mix). I'd suggest you run Cuprisorb non stop for an indefinite period, the Cuprisorb is inexpensive and its color will let you know when it needs to be re-charged or that you really don't need it anymore. BTW, its an old, and false myth, that silicone tank seams absorb & release copper.
Squarebacks are magnificent fish; my male lost some color, which is common, when I had my trio lit with a MH combo fixture; since I switched to LEDs, he's gotten almost all his original color back. strange.

 

[bigevill1]

yeah the QT is a FOWLR, I did an 80% water change before I added these newest fish to it though. As of today I am now Qting to flasher wrasses in there as well. :lol:

 

[bigevill1]

I will make sure to test the copper and get it out when I am done.


I know all about the false info about tanks holding copper. I had a 150 that was fish only with tons of copper, then it was a FOWLR, then it was a reef. I never had any problems. I just changed out the substrate before I started to add live rock and such.