QT question

[Raptor72]

Well it seems that my luck was on a short streak after recouping from my last tank crash. A Yellow Tang that was recently purchased online showed the first signs of (what I believe was) Ich and several other fish succumbed to it also. My clowns had a white type of haze on them several days ago. Yesterday, it appeared to have cleared up. I purchased a 10 gal tank and some supplies yesterday.

Along with a heater and some eggcrate, what else do I need to treat my fish once I catch them (easier said than done)? I'm also not sure if it is Ich or some type of fungal infection. My Starry Blenny (RIP) would dive down to the sand constantly and rub his side against the sand.

 

[aquaph8]

Sounds like ich to me. How many fish are we talking? If you don't have some cycled media like a sponge for a filter some Dr. Tim's might be your best option. Ammonia is gonna be your biggest enemy in that 10 gallon with anything more than a tiny bioload.

 

[brettinteriors]

Imho would not move anyone. Ich is usually only deadly when your water is off or there is another big stressor. Think a cold. I have never lost a fish to ich. It would be a very tedious job to have a truly ich free tank. Either extensive qt for all fish or all dd fish. Most tangs show ich when there immune system is down. They most likely always have a little but fight it off. I remember reading somewhere that after 8 months ish fish build up an immunity to the particular strand if ich they have. The haze could be bad though, velvet?

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[aquaph8]

I've had ich on DD fish too, there's a lot of common misconceptions about QT and ich
but most are just excuses not to QT. The ultimate truth is there are way worse things to deal with than ich.

 

[Raptor72]

I'm really apprehensive about trying to catch and transfer the fish, especially since I know I won't be able to catch the shrimp goby. Even if the rest of the fish were out and it wasn't, it wouldn't be 100% fallow, which would defeat the purpose of breaking the cycle, right?

I'm thinking of just supplementing with vitamins and better food. There's another thread where the guy talks about feeding blackworms and clams and better foods and he hasn't had problems. I don't know.
As far as how many fish were lost in a week and a half, a royal gramma, yellow tang, kole tang and a starry blenny. I never saw their bodies which means my CUC does a hell of a job.

If I do start up the QT, I was thinking of using water from a water change from the DT, or would that defeat the whole purpose?

 

[David520]

If you use the QT I would do the tank transfer method. You wouldnt have to worry about keeping the levels of the copper and the fish would only be in the tank for four days at a time and for 14 days till they are done so no worries on filters or cycles.

 

[aquaph8]

I'm really apprehensive about trying to catch and transfer the fish, especially since I know I won't be able to catch the shrimp goby. Even if the rest of the fish were out and it wasn't, it wouldn't be 100% fallow, which would defeat the purpose of breaking the cycle, right?

Yes, no point IMO unless you remove them all

I'm thinking of just supplementing with vitamins and better food. There's another thread where the guy talks about feeding blackworms and clams and better foods and he hasn't had problems. I don't know.
As far as how many fish were lost in a week and a half, a royal gramma, yellow tang, kole tang and a starry blenny. I never saw their bodies which means my CUC does a hell of a job.

That's always an option, with the rate at which they're dropping I'm kinda worried about Velvet, like Josh said above. If it is indeed velvet it'll wipe out the rest regardless of diet.

If I do start up the QT, I was thinking of using water from a water change from the DT, or would that defeat the whole purpose?

Not really defeating the purpose cause chances are you would have to medicate the water anyway but it won't help to cycle your tank either. The water itself does'nt contain enough bacteria To keep ammonia at bay, most people keep extra sponges from their HOB filters in their sump so there's always a seeded filter ready on demand. It really wouldn't be much different than using new salt water if you don't have the sponge.

 

[aquaph8]

If you use the QT I would do the tank transfer method. You wouldnt have to worry about keeping the levels of the copper and the fish would only be in the tank for four days at a time and for 14 days till they are done so no worries on filters or cycles.

This is an option but keep in mind it will do nothing for velvet. I reccomend this method for one or two fish also, any more and it's too hard to keep ammonia levels down until the next transfer.

 

[jjk_reef00]

All good advice above and you will need to cycle your qt before placing fish in there.

I can't tell if you have medication in the pick or not, but I always use 4 weeks of cupramine on every fish before I put them into the DT. I ramp up slowly over 4-7 days. I also medicate with prazipro but that will not help with your problem.

For what its worth I've not have very good success with tank transfer, and if you do use that method I recommed an additional month of observation before you place them in your DT. You will need to go fallow anyway so you are forced to do this.

If you need extra room you can go buy the plastic storage bins from walmart and qt fish in there.

 

[Raptor72]

If you use the QT I would do the tank transfer method. You wouldnt have to worry about keeping the levels of the copper and the fish would only be in the tank for four days at a time and for 14 days till they are done so no worries on filters or cycles.

David, you're gonna have to dumb this one down for me a bit. I'm not familiar with the tank transfer method.

All good advice above and you will need to cycle your qt before placing fish in there.

I can't tell if you have medication in the pick or not, but I always use 4 weeks of cupramine on every fish before I put them into the DT. I ramp up slowly over 4-7 days. I also medicate with prazipro but that will not help with your problem.

For what its worth I've not have very good success with tank transfer, and if you do use that method I recommed an additional month of observation before you place them in your DT. You will need to go fallow anyway so you are forced to do this.

If you need extra room you can go buy the plastic storage bins from walmart and qt fish in there.

I won't be able to catch the shrimp goby, so won't quarantining the rest of the fish be futile? The times I dealt with ich, they were small dots, like the yellow tang appeared to have. Looking at the clowns, it appears to be more of a whitish film.

Sounds like ich to me. How many fish are we talking? If you don't have some cycled media like a sponge for a filter some Dr. Tim's might be your best option. Ammonia is gonna be your biggest enemy in that 10 gallon with anything more than a tiny bioload.

So should I exchange the 10 for a 20 gal. at least? Also, common sense tells me that using water from the DT would be a no-no, right.

What a pain, I was excited about setting up my new controller and dosing pump in the next couple of days. I also have a UV sterilizer coming in.

 

[aquaph8]

How many fish we talking? Which fish did you add last? What species?

 

[Raptor72]

As far as how many fish were lost in a week and a half, a royal gramma, yellow tang, kole tang and a starry blenny.

The Hippo Tang and the clowns were the only ones to survive the tank crash. He next fish to be introduced were the sailfin, kole and yellow tangs and finally the blenny. As much time as I spend in front of the tank, I never saw any animosity between any of them. The first symptoms were on the yellow which were small white dots all over. The blenny would do some sort of epileptic shiver every now and then, dive and scrape on the sand and also try to "bite" at its very back end before the tail starts. I got away from quarantining because my QT now houses a clown, tailspot blenny and some sexy shrimp.

 

[Raptor72]

Alright, I just lost one of the clowns. This is frustrating! I think I'm just going to let whatever's going to happen, happen. I need to get control of this GHA, which I now have a new double BRS reactor (thanks Josh). If the other 4 fish die, so be it. I might just keep it a mixed reef till this whole government sequestration BS is done with. With a 40% cut in pay I have other things on my mind right now. I'm going to set up the reactor, dosing pump and controller and see how things go. Thanks again for all the input. I'll keep the QT stuff in storage for that day in the somewhat near future. :beer:

 

[aquaph8]

Good luck man. As soon as things settle down get that sponge in your sump so it's seeded when you need it. I'm starting to think your dealing with velvet, it's some nasty stuff.

 

[Raptor72]

Thanks, I'll do some more reading up on that.

 

[MurphysLaw]

I feel ya :/ I'm getting cut 20% for 5 months... It really adds up.

 

[brettinteriors]

Man I'm sorry, I've never had to deal with velvet.

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[jjk_reef00]

Man I'm sorry, I've never had to deal with velvet.

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Very nasty, if not treated it kills everything in the matter of a few days.
The first time you get it you will be greatfull for qt, and if you don't qt you will be sorry that you didn't. Fortunatley it has never infected my display, but it did kill 4 of my fish in a fairly large qt a while back. I've only successfully saved one fish with an immediate cupramine dose. You have to be really careful because low levels of copper can mask signs of velvet.

Raptor can you confirm it is velvet? Small white dots are not typical but maybe they are stress marks.

 

[Raptor72]

Only the tang had the dots. Everything else had a white sort of haze and lasted less than a week. All that's left are the Sailfin which has it and a blue Hippo which surprisingly doesn't.