Having CP on hand cannot be a bad thing. If it is velvet, it moves rather quickly.
Please Help!! Black Tang (Rostratum)
- Thread starter Kevy792
- Start date
Having CP on hand cannot be a bad thing. If it is velvet, it moves rather quickly.
Totally agree.
I just got home and checked on him. It seems he is breathing heavy, but moving around more than before. Still not interested in food. Would it be beneficial for me to catch him and give him a dip or leave him alone for the night? My T5 Actinics are on currently because lights will be off soon so a picture is not turning out anything right now.
Outerbank
New member
I think a 3-5 minute FW dip with methylene blue is recommended. Some people adjust the pH to near SW levels but I don't think that is a big deal with a dip (I may get punished for that statement). I also have developed a dip that worked when all else failed, but I only have my empirical evidence of it working. My tank is very mature and I have been off the boards for a very long time. Thus, I am behind on current and refined treatments that have been developed over the years. Snorvich mentions following the FW/MB dip with a formalin bath. http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2388424
Freshwater dip
In freshwater the parasite drops off the skin of the fish very rapidly. However, not all parasites drop off so while this improves the situation it does not correct it completely. If the fish are simply returned to the tank where the outbreak occurred then they will just become re-infected. For this treatment to be effective the fish should be kept in a quarantine tank and the main display tank kept fish free for 8 to 12 weeks. Once in the quarantine tank the treatment should be repeated on days 1, 2, 3, 5, 7 & 11 followed by 4 to 6 weeks of observation in a quarantine tank.
As these parasites breach the skin as they feed on the fish the skins integument is broken and the fish’s osmoregulatory potential is hugely reduced. This is exacerbated in freshwater so remember that a heavily infected fish could easily become physiologically stressed with this treatment method, ironically due to dehydration!
One of the most important things about a freshwater dip is that it will buy you some time to start another treatment or to set up a quarantine tank as even a very badly infected fish can lose most although not all, of its parasite in a few minutes and improve quite dramatically.
A freshwater dip will not work for cryptocaryon irritans because the parasites are embedded and not affected by the fresh water.
To carry out a freshwater dip:
1. Take some freshwater (RO is best) and heat it up to the same temperature as the tank
2. Adjust the pH of the freshwater to match the tank using a commercial pH buffer.
3. Catch the fish and pop it into the freshwater bath, watch the fish carefully and be prepared to remove it if it becomes very distressed. Normally 3 minutes in a freshwater bath will dislodge most parasites; this can be extended to five minutes.
4. Catch the fish and put it back into the tank. Do not pour the freshwater back in the tank as this may introduce the parasites back into the display tank.
In freshwater the parasite drops off the skin of the fish very rapidly. However, not all parasites drop off so while this improves the situation it does not correct it completely. If the fish are simply returned to the tank where the outbreak occurred then they will just become re-infected. For this treatment to be effective the fish should be kept in a quarantine tank and the main display tank kept fish free for 8 to 12 weeks. Once in the quarantine tank the treatment should be repeated on days 1, 2, 3, 5, 7 & 11 followed by 4 to 6 weeks of observation in a quarantine tank.
As these parasites breach the skin as they feed on the fish the skins integument is broken and the fish’s osmoregulatory potential is hugely reduced. This is exacerbated in freshwater so remember that a heavily infected fish could easily become physiologically stressed with this treatment method, ironically due to dehydration!
One of the most important things about a freshwater dip is that it will buy you some time to start another treatment or to set up a quarantine tank as even a very badly infected fish can lose most although not all, of its parasite in a few minutes and improve quite dramatically.
A freshwater dip will not work for cryptocaryon irritans because the parasites are embedded and not affected by the fresh water.
To carry out a freshwater dip:
1. Take some freshwater (RO is best) and heat it up to the same temperature as the tank
2. Adjust the pH of the freshwater to match the tank using a commercial pH buffer.
3. Catch the fish and pop it into the freshwater bath, watch the fish carefully and be prepared to remove it if it becomes very distressed. Normally 3 minutes in a freshwater bath will dislodge most parasites; this can be extended to five minutes.
4. Catch the fish and put it back into the tank. Do not pour the freshwater back in the tank as this may introduce the parasites back into the display tank.
"Though oft-touted as being a good "cure-all" for bacterial as well as protozoan pestilences of aquarium life, Methylene Blue is best described as a decent bacteriostatic, safe chemical to help reduce the presence, spread of bacterial and fungal complaints on freshwater fish eggs... Best actually used as a simple dip additive, by itself or in conjunction with other compounds... to reduce the amount of light as well as aid in oxygen carrying capacity (often important)". Often used in conjunction with treatment of fish eggs, it has some followers for treatment of parasites such as velvet. It is unclear if it really has any effect, but it should be harmless if used in this fashion.
Not really.
Outerbank
New member
Sorry to get a bit off topic.
Here you go Steve. This is a link to my post from Feb 2007 regarding my dip. Good results with an uncontrolled study of 1 is far from publishable or recommendable, but it worked for me when I was desperate and beat. I still have the pair of occellaris clowns. They are 21 years old and probably some of the oldest living tank raised clowns in the world.
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1046945
Here you go Steve. This is a link to my post from Feb 2007 regarding my dip. Good results with an uncontrolled study of 1 is far from publishable or recommendable, but it worked for me when I was desperate and beat. I still have the pair of occellaris clowns. They are 21 years old and probably some of the oldest living tank raised clowns in the world.
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1046945
Last edited:
Thanks Scott! Not as unconventional as you might think. I think it would work for Velvet as well as Brook and possibly for uronema. I do not think it would work for ich because of the nature of that particular parasite.
Spar
New member
Although garlic and vitamin soaks won't directly kill the parasites, it is likely good to soak the food in those as will at least entice eating (garlic) and improve immune system (vitamins), which will both provide more strength to fight through the parasite attack. No guarantee it will help but no harm in trying. At least in theory anyway.
Honestly I sat over a bucket today and cried for over an hour.... Its xmas eve and im watching one of my best friends die in a bucket that a made with live rock and a aeration stone. Im pretty sure its too late for me to do much of anything. I spent the last 2 days trying to catch him and when I woke up today the only reason I could was because he is at the giving up stage and breathing heavy on the bottom of the tank and swimming upside down.... I didn't want to leave him in the tank just to be eaten when he passes, he deserves better than that. I noticed his stomach is huge and if there is anyone out there that has any last minute ideas I would be ever thankful.
Outerbank
New member
Kevy, if he is still alive do a FW dip now. Fish likely die from asphyxiation. FW dips can be like CPR. If you can clear the gills and provide good water flow, he may pull through. Get rid of the rock for now and dip him for up to 5 mins in temp matched FW. I don't bother adjusting pH but some do (I think powder based pH adjusters bother the fish similar to too freshly made SW). If he does better with the FW dip, repeat it if he starts breathing hard again. At that point, you can also consider a bath with 5mL Rid-Ich per gallon of water. If you use the rid-ich bath (see link in post 34 above) aerate for 45 minutes or longer with an airstone before using. I use 2 gallons in a 5 gallon bucket. Keep the fish in RI bath for 30-45 minutes if the fish is tolerating it. I usually partly cover the bucket to keep the fish in partial darkness during the RI bath and keep the aristone on. Occasionally check the fish to make sure it is ok during the bath.
Last edited:
Similar threads
