Risk Assessment Help

[neiltus]

I have a couple wrasses-2.5" Melanarus and a 1.5" Rhomboid in QT. They were purchased on the 11th. Both were given a formalin bath for 50m on arrival. I did 2 doses of API General Cure (praziquantel and metro) 48 hours apart and added carbon after. Both are very active and eating well.

I have a sandbed in a tub in the QT for the melanarus.

I have to take a work trip with the wife for CE in Feburary...the 15th for a week. I don't want my parents tending to these fish in the little QT because if something goes wrong, I can't expect them to execute proper procedure. So, I want to get the fish in the DT after about 4 weeks of QT.

1) Thinking of skipping TTM. Last TTM I lost a pair of wrasses at day 8 (used Prazi vs API GC and I put the finger on internal worms as a guess). I know this puts me at risk of ich.

2) Given what I have seen of the fish-no symptoms. With 4 weeks of QT vs 8 weeks what possible diseases could have that short of an incubation period that I might be missing? Velvet? Brook? etc?

My thinking is that the fish will do better with live rock and a sand bed while I am gone vs being nursed and watched in the QT by inexperienced people.

If you have any suggestions to offer...I would love to hear them.

 

[scooter31707]

Are they eating pellets or flakes? If so, you can get a auto-feeder to feed them once a day while you are gone, then commence with TTM upon your return. Just a suggestion.

 

[neiltus]

I have thought about an auto feeder...all the pellets I have given them have been soaked, their pretty small fish and don't eat much, hence the worry about overfeeding while I am out of town. I don't trust auto-feeders without a significant monitored trial period.

I am thinking the best course of action is to start TTM this weekend, after 12 days they will have been in QT for a total of 5 weeks and then introduce into DT. That give me a few days to monitor in DT before I leave.

5 weeks of QT with TTM + formalin + General Cure to deworm should cover most things. Would love to use CP, but with wrasses, I don't trust it. Both of them are producing normal feces.

I may not be 95% covered with this plan, but am sure I am 90%. Guess I will see.

Going to prep a week of food in daily feed bowls so my parents can just dump in one every evening...

Man I am a micro manager.

 

[neiltus]

Whelp, started TTM on them today. Set up another tank last night, matched salinity, dish of sand added, got the heater running, bubbler, Tunze 6040 on very low.

The rhomboid hid in pvc, easy transfer to plastic colander and into the new tank, the melanaris played hard to get, was all over the tank trying to dart in the sand (no sand), removed the dish at AM feeding. Finally got him into the PVC and colander into the new tank.

Went lights out for about 6 hours mid day. They were stressed. I don't know if the rhomboid has been around a powerhead...he was avoiding it but resumed eating at lights on. The melanarus had no interest in food, he found the sand container and hid.

Went ahead and did a half dose of prime, will do a full dose tomorrow around 11pm or so to get them through to the Monday transfer.

Old tank was rinsed, soaked in tap and vinegar for 4 hours, and is now air drying....I had a HOB on this tank (the wheel type without a wheel) that I soaked in bleach and then added tap and prime to.

Part of my reason in doing this is that the melanaris will be a PITA to catch should something ever come up. Hope their both eating tomorrow.