Fish Disease and Treatment
As responsible hobbyists we should all want to purchase and keep healthy fish and yet fish health can be a very contentious topic. If we all want the same thing, why do we argue about this topic so much? I feel it is because there is no easy answer to the question of when to consider a fish...
It was almost 20 years ago I first introduced the Fresh Water Dipped (FWD) protocol for treatment of Pinched Mantle Disease (PMD). Over the years, many reefers altered the protocol somewhat but, on the whole, it still is the only tried and true way to treat PMD, a universally fatal disease if...
We have come a long ways in the science of medicine but we have yet to find a cure for viruses in ornamental fish.
Most common but not deadly by itself Lymphocystis or Lympho in short.
I will talk about Lympho in this article mostly but i am confident that these findings will probably work for...
Introduction
This article highlights on a 4-step streamlined process that in my experience has proven to be beneficial in preventing fish disease outbreaks.
Sourcing healthy livestock is always the first acceptable approach in finding long term success in this hobby. However, these days even...
Little in this hobby stirs up as much emotional debate as discussions on quarantining fish. Threads on prophylactic treatment, ich management, and immunity are regularly hashed out until people are burned out. Passions run high, and for good reason. Both sides of the debate feel their practices...
Fellow Reefers.
Now I have already written a guide on cupramine and how to use it to rid ich and for a lot of reasons if someone does not want to try copper then Hypo is another solution or Tank Transfer. These 3 methods are proven over time.
A new study/method is being practiced with success...
We've all seen claims of ich, velvet, etc. returning after a 76 day fallow period. (For anyone wondering what a fallow period means click here: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/fallow-periods-going-fishless.190324/)
Oftentimes, a fallow period failure is due to human error: The sick fish...
Intermediate Topic
Keeping Your Marine Fish Healthy, Part 3: The Reef Aquarium Medicine Cabinet Continued
A sick Yellow Tang.
Photo from the Reef2Reef archives.
As I mentioned in Part 1 and Part 2, we have in our forum, an excellent area for the discussion of fish disease, treatment, and diagnosis. Our venerable Humblefish even created a “sticky” thread (one that stays permanently on top) called...
A gorgeous 250G tank
Photo is from the Reef2Reef archives
As I mentioned in Part 1, we have in our forum an excellent area for the discussion of fish disease, treatment, and diagnosis. Our venerable Humblefish even created a “sticky” thread (one that stays permanently on top) called...
Whenever you buy new livestock, you can place it in a QT (Quarantine Tank) or put it directly into your DT (Display Tank). The choice, of course, is yours, and it's important to understand that there are pros & cons no matter what you decide. We live in a day and age when everyone is looking for...
Well after seeing several posts in threads about losing fish. I thought I would put together a little article to share my experiences with QT’ing fish.
Over the last several years, there seems to be a higher need to QT your fish. Most of the fish I receive on line have internal parasites. This...
Copper Testing Simplified!
Using Hanna Instruments High Range Copper Checker HI702
Photo by: https://hannainst.com
Have Trouble reading visual tests when using copper to treat fish for parasites? Problem Solved!
I first want to start off saying, I have been in the hobby a little under a...
Journey of a Regal Tang
Meet the newest addition to my reef tank. This Regal Tang has been through the ringer and come out the other side in a miraculous and amazing way. He went through almost 4 months of quarantine and I’ll admit that this was the most frustrating fish I’ve ever dealt with. I...
The Bacterial Infection Predicament
Please do not view the information below as a shortcut to quarantine. Use it only in an EMERGENCY SITUATION when treating a fish with parasites/worms PLUS a serious bacterial infection.
So, your fish has a nasty bacterial infection. :eek: You've treated...
photo by @Dreadnaught
So why is everyone pushing quarantining these days? I do not need to quarantine, my LFS treats fish in copper? I have done this for years without any problems, why now this push? These are common questions I imagine plague many people new to reefing and seasoned veterans...
How to perform a freshwater dip
Freshwater dips are a very important diagnostic tool when you have a sick fish. Since it can help flush out the excess mucus that can and does build up in the gills with a parasite infestation, it can be lifesaving as well. It will even confirm a flukes...
Sterilizing Quarantine Equipment
After running a batch of fish through quarantine (QT), whether it was a successful QT or not, it’s a good practice to then sterilize the equipment before getting your next group of fish. The reason being, especially if your QT was unsuccessful, that there can be...
Pictorial Guide to Marine Fish Diseases
Use this guide to find a picture that most closely matches your fish's symptoms. Click the link, if available for more detailed information on the disease and how to treat it.
Ich (Cryptocaryon Irritans)
One of the most well-known parasites in the...
The following chart is a quick reference guide on what QT protocol should be used according to which type of fish you are running through QT. It will give you an idea of which methods are generally safest with certain species but is not meant to be absolute in most cases. All fish are...
All images have been sourced from copyright free, public use image websites or used under fair use guidelines, as they best illustrate the article content.
If you’ve been an aquarist for any amount of time, chances are, you’ve lost a fish. It’s a painful and traumatic experience, especially...
