What would you do- Transfer back early or wait?

[kenith]

So I'll be leaving on a vacation trip for two weeks for the LAST TWO WEEKS of my 9 week fallow period :headwallblue::headwallblue:. I love my fish and they are all doing well.

What would you do, transfer fish back on week 7.... or put them back in the DT before the trip? The kicker is that I don't have a cycled qt, so I've been doing prime in the morning, feed well during the day, and then almost 100% water change every 4-5 days (this has been my regimen for the period they have been in qt). Do I trust that all will go okay with an inexperienced hand, or transfer them back early?

 

[HumbleFish]

How many fish? What size QT? Have you completed treatment? What did you go fallow for? Ich?

 

[kenith]

How many fish? What size QT? Have you completed treatment? What did you go fallow for? Ich?

Fallow for ich. 4 fishes- Achilles, chevron, female zebra angel and purple tang. All housed in a 29 gal. Tank transfer method and been doing that method now just to keep water pristine.

On the 4th day, sometimes 5th, I'll completely change out water. Problem is the prime in the morning, feeding daily, and water changes will have to be done on the same regimen

 

[HumbleFish]

Fallow for ich. 4 fishes- Achilles, chevron, female zebra angel and purple tang. All housed in a 29 gal. Tank transfer method and been doing that method now just to keep water pristine.

On the 4th day, sometimes 5th, I'll completely change out water. Problem is the prime in the morning, feeding daily, and water changes will have to be done on the same regimen

You're in a tough spot. I prefer 10 weeks fallow for Ich. According to the sticky, 9 weeks gives you a 99.7% chance of eradication; 6 weeks 95%.

Being you said all you have is someone inexperienced to tank sit for you, I would put the fish back in the DT before you leave. It's the lesser of two evils. They would likely die of ammonia poisoning in two weeks time without a WC or two.

 

[kenith]

You're in a tough spot. I prefer 10 weeks fallow for Ich. According to the sticky, 9 weeks gives you a 99.7% chance of eradication; 6 weeks 95%.

Being you said all you have is someone inexperienced to tank sit for you, I would put the fish back in the DT before you leave. It's the lesser of two evils. They would likely die of ammonia poisoning in two weeks time without a WC or two.

Tell me about it. Risk infection (and most likely I am in the 5% chance of ich still present) or risk water change issues/fouling water issues/feeding issues/ect. I'm gone total 12 days which means 3 tank changes and 12 consecutive days of feeding and priming. Decisions....

 

[Mrscribbled]

Why does your qt not have an established filter and why are all those fish, especially an Achilles in a 29 ? 12 weeks is the minimum fallow I'd go with ich. If it were me I'd cancel the vaccation but I'm not much for vacation anyways.


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[Mrscribbled]

Your best option would be to get a large tub or borrow a tank, get an established filter via bottled bacteria or another system so ammonia doesn't kill the fish. Have the care taker feed every other day if not 3. keep lighting to 4 hours a day


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[kenith]

Why does your qt not have an established filter and why are all those fish, especially an Achilles in a 29 ? 12 weeks is the minimum fallow I'd go with ich. If it were me I'd cancel the vaccation but I'm not much for vacation anyways.


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Got these fish on a last minute note from another member. I did not have time for establishing a qt (I did not plan on getting any fish for some time, but I did). Cancel is not an option.

 

[Mrscribbled]

You could have had an established filter by now and still can. Instant ocean bio spira or Dr. Tims one and only. I've used this method countless times in qt.


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[kenith]

Your best option would be to get a large tub or borrow a tank, get an established filter via bottled bacteria or another system so ammonia doesn't kill the fish. Have the care taker feed every other day if not 3. keep lighting to 4 hours a day


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Bottle bacteria won't cycle a tank within 2 weeks. I would not trust anyone's filter to be disease free.

 

[Mrscribbled]

If you were doing tank transfer I'm assuming you have two tanks? split the fish up and get two filters going.


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[Mrscribbled]

Have you used Instant ocean bio spira? It will cycle a tank in less than 48 hours. Nitrites will take 6 days to go down but ammonia will not be an issue after 48 hours lightly stocked.


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[wooden_reefer]

There is a chance that when you come back the fish is not quite yet dead but ich infestation has returned.

It generally takes a week at least, from presence to deadly.

In many cases, from very low presence to wipeout is more than one lifecycle of ich. First lifecycle achieves significant presence, then the next generation of ich becomes deadly.

Therefore, one option is to start a cycle in a separate container now.

This is really a special kind of contigency plan that I generally have.

This is a chance for you to appreciate how utterly easy cycling is; you do not have to check anything if the situation does not allow you to.

 

[wooden_reefer]

This is another con against TT

I do not take vacation during QT, but my job takes me away for a week or so with little warning.

I ask my neigbor to take are of my tanks during QT when I am away, just as usual care of feeding. He has to do very little more than other times. Adding straight copper is very easy. The good thing about straight copper is that it does not build up easily.

With cheleated copper, he may not have to do anything extra at all, just feed them as usual. Just that I do not use cheleated copper.

 

[wooden_reefer]

Also, if you already have infestation in DT and have to wait for a long fallow period to expire, certainly do NOT use the TT method.

 

[Mrscribbled]

Also, if you already have infestation in DT and have to wait for a long fallow period to expire, certainly do NOT use the TT method.

From what I've gathered, the display is in fallow due to an outbreak and during the TT more fish were purchased. No filter is established in the current tank the fish are housed, and does not believe that in 2 weeks time a filter can be established, when in fact it can. Weather in the current qt or separate container.



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[wooden_reefer]

From what I've gathered, the display is in fallow due to an outbreak and during the TT more fish were purchased. No filter is established in the current tank the fish are housed, and does not believe that in 2 weeks time a filter can be established, when in fact it can. Weather in the current qt or separate container.



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Just not having a cycled QT to eradicate ich at step one is bad.

Not knowing to cycle ASAP after calamity has taken place is even worse.

A cycle takes four weeks. Fallow period is 12 weeks. the difference is eight weeks of WC, exposure to ammonia, and more stress.

As soon as infestation in DT is detected, and you do not have cycled QT, cycle ASAP. Better late than never.

 

[wooden_reefer]

After a few years in the early 80's, I already started to appreciate how utterly easy cycling is.

I used livestock to cycle only once c 1980, the first time. Then I at once wondered why I had to do this strange thing.

I had studied some basic "Biology of Mirco-organisms", that was the course was named in college in the late 70's. I have forgotten most but retain just enough for this hobby.

Cycling is very very easy and very very simply. Do it.

 

[wooden_reefer]

Also, if you already have infestation in DT and have to wait for a long fallow period to expire, certainly do NOT use the TT method.

Or you can start a cycle ASAP and use the cycled medium after TT while you wait for fellow period to expire.

The OP should have done so.

 

[kenith]

If you were doing tank transfer I'm assuming you have two tanks? split the fish up and get two filters going.


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I do have two tanks, both are being occupied for tank transfers and cleaning in between time.

Have you used Instant ocean bio spira? It will cycle a tank in less than 48 hours. Nitrites will take 6 days to go down but ammonia will not be an issue after 48 hours lightly stocked.


Posted from ReefCentral.com App for Android

From what I understand, all of the bacterial strains in a bottle are mostly dead and do not cycle that fast. I could be wrong though.

This is another con against TT

I do not take vacation during QT, but my job takes me away for a week or so with little warning.

I ask my neigbor to take are of my tanks during QT when I am away, just as usual care of feeding. He has to do very little more than other times. Adding straight copper is very easy. The good thing about straight copper is that it does not build up easily.

With cheleated copper, he may not have to do anything extra at all, just feed them as usual. Just that I do not use cheleated copper.

I have done copper qt in the past, however, the angel would not have faired well in copper. Also the achilles infection spread rather quickly and the tank transfer relieved his ich infestation rather quickly.

Also, if you already have infestation in DT and have to wait for a long fallow period to expire, certainly do NOT use the TT method.

TT got these fish better within 8-10 days rather than copper's 3 week fix

From what I've gathered, the display is in fallow due to an outbreak and during the TT more fish were purchased. No filter is established in the current tank the fish are housed, and does not believe that in 2 weeks time a filter can be established, when in fact it can. Weather in the current qt or separate container.


Posted from ReefCentral.com App for Android

I think my next course of action is to hopefully cycle a 40 breeder and transfer all fish to that tank.

Just not having a cycled QT to eradicate ich at step one is bad.

Not knowing to cycle ASAP after calamity has taken place is even worse.

A cycle takes four weeks. Fallow period is 12 weeks. the difference is eight weeks of WC, exposure to ammonia, and more stress.

As soon as infestation in DT is detected, and you do not have cycled QT, cycle ASAP. Better late than never.

Or you can start a cycle ASAP and use the cycled medium after TT while you wait for fellow period to expire.

The OP should have done so.

I have had a rather large piece of live rock (about the size of a 5 gal bucket) and some bio balls cycling in a separate container with a heater and powerhead for about 3 weeks. Tonight I tested the water and the results were .25 ammonia and 0.5 nitrite. I am not sure how else to speed up this cycling, but nature is taking its course. This rock was previously live and dried up for about 4 months before I started this cycling.

Thanks so far for all of your help. I hope I can leave with more confidence than previously anticipated.