3% Hydrogen Peroxide (H2O2) dosing for parasites in a mixed reef tank (132G/500L)

[Saltees]

Last Christmas (DEC 2021), I inquired on HUNBLE.FISH on “How to Peroxide (H2O2) dosing for parasites in reef tank”; since then I have 5L of 3% H2O2 in the fridge for situation like the current.

I would like put on the record first, I did a 90 day fallow period after my anemone nuked my tank about 1.5 year ago. And I diligently QT all my fishes via the 14 days 48hr Tank Transfer Method (TTM) with a 30min of 150ppm H2O2 bath (20ml/1G or 5ml/1L) prior TTM and on the 6 day in between tank transfer. Despite the above best effort, ICH still made it’s way in eventually through corals (my guess) which I dipped with CORAL RX and TM CORAL CLEAN (Lugol’s Iodine) but without QT.

Due to the space and time constraint, I had successfully managed ICH with Dr G Anti Parasite (CP) Medicated Food to a point where there were no spots for the past 9 months.

A month ago, I stopped my DELTEC 80W UV that I had been running 24/7 for coming 2 years, in favour of Biopellets (NP ACTIVE PEARLS) and Heterotrophic Bacteria (WASTE AWAY) for nutrient control. Half of the 30+ Anthias and Royal Gamma that were with me for over a year started to die one after another in last week alone and the larger fishes like tangs and wrasses are covered with ICH and some with cloudy eyes. The cleaner wrasse is hard at work judging from the full stomach.

IMHO, pulling out all the fishes at this point would incur more stress where more causalities are expected.

On 30 SEP 2022 (FRI), I have turned on the UV and hook up 3% H2O2 dosage @ 1mL/5G (19L) = 1.59ppm to the following schedule on my 132G/500L mixed reef with the REDSEA DOSE4.

0700 - 27ml (1 hour before lights on)
1300 - 27ml
1900 - 27ml (1 hour after lights off)
0100 - 3ml
0120 - 3ml
0140 - 3ml
0200 - 3ml
0220 - 3ml
0240 - 3ml
0300 - 3ml
0320 - 3ml
0340 - 3ml
0400 - 3ml
0420 - 3ml
0440 - 3ml
0500 - 3ml
0520 - 3ml
0540 - 3ml
0600 - 3ml
0620 - 3ml
0640 - 3ml
Repeat cycle @ 0700 - 27ml till the last fish is seen without spots + another 6 weeks after that!

REMAINING LIVESTOCKS

2M4F Lyretail Anthia (Pseudanthias squamipinnis)
2M Hutchii Anthia (Pseudanthias huchtii)
2F Hutomo’s Anthia (Pseudanthias hutomoi)
1M1F Dispar Anthia (Pseudanthias dispar)
1M1F Evansi Anthia (Pseudanthias evansi)
2F Bismaculatus Anthia (Pseudanthias bimaculatus)
2 Borbonius Anthia (Odontanthias borbonius)
3 Diamond Watchman Goby (Valenciennea puellaris)
2 Mccullochi Clownfish (Amphiprion mccullochi)
2 Banana Moray (Gymnothorax milaris)
2 Red Dartfish (Nemateleotris magnifica)
1 Japanese Pygmy Angel (Centropyge interruptus)
1 Powder Blue Tang (Acanthurus leucosternon)
1 Purple Tang (Zebrasoma xanthurum)
1 Yellow Tang (Zebrasoma flavescens)
1 Gem Tang (Zebrasoma gemmatum)
1 Whitetail Bristletooth Tang (Ctenochaetus flavicauda)
1 Mystery Wrasse (Pseudocheilinus ocellatus)
1 China Tamarin Wrasse (Anampses neoguinaicus)
1 Aqua Marine Fairy Wrasse (Cirrhilabrus aquamarinus)
1 Radiant Wrasse (Halichoeres iridis)
1 Melanurus Wrasse (Halichoeres melanurus)
1 Red Sea Cleaner Wrasse (Labroides quadrilineatus)
1 Bluestreak Cleaner Wrasse (Labroides dimidiatus)
1 Purple Tilefish (Hoplolatilus purpureus)
1 Springer Damsel (Chrysiptera springeri)
1 Longnose Hawkfish (Oxycirrhites typus)
1 Valentini Sharpnose Puffer (Canthigaster valentini)
1 Bristletail Filefish (Acreichthys tomentosus)

Corals: Acropora, Montipora, Acanthophyllia, Trachyphyllia, Micromussa, Bowerbanki, Cyphastrea, Favia, Scolymia, Goniopora, Aveopora, Torch, Hammer, Frogspawn, Moon Coral, GSP and Zoanthid.

Inverts: Haddoni Carpet Anemones, Cleaner Shrimp, Halloween Hermit Crab, Green Emerald Crabs, Abalones and Turbo Snails.

I will try to cover the whole journey here. Wish me luck.

 

[Saltees]

OCT 3 (Day 4) : No loss of fishes since dosing, all are eating well. the white spots are less pronounced, but there seem to have a grey coat over them, I hope that's not velvet.

Corals are smaller for sure, but still extending their polyp.

Both Carpet Anemones have closed and took refuge under the floating rocks cape. I would try to relocate them if i could, but I fear they might be the first casualty.

All algae macro (Refugium) and micro (ATS) are not bothered.

FWIW, I'm dosing directly into the far end of the DT.

 

[Mattiejay6]

There has been a lot of great results from H202 dosing over on humble fish! I did it as well and worked great for me for what I felt was uronema!

 

[am3gross]

I don't want to be that guy but you have 45 fish in 135 gallons, with what looks like not a lot of hiding space for those fish. My question to you is, do you think that could have anything to do with the stress that the inhabitants are incurring?

I 100% believe that every single fish tank has ick in it. Even the ones left fallow for 76 days. I feel that the more stress a fish is put thru the weaker it will be and it will show those signs. I think that the more comfortable you can make the inhabitants the quicker the signs of ick will disappear. Again, this is just my opinion.

 

[Saltees]

There has been a lot of great results from H202 dosing over on humble fish! I did it as well and worked great for me for what I felt was uronema!

Yes! Good for you! After all the positive results, I decided to put mine to test for the record.

 

[Dierks]

We are all very proud of the work we have put in over there! It really is a great place filled with a ton of what we are hopeful is useful information.

 

[Saltees]

I don't want to be that guy but you have 45 fish in 135 gallons, with what looks like not a lot of hiding space for those fish. My question to you is, do you think that could have anything to do with the stress that the inhabitants are incurring?

I 100% believe that every single fish tank has ick in it. Even the ones left fallow for 76 days. I feel that the more stress a fish is put thru the weaker it will be and it will show those signs. I think that the more comfortable you can make the inhabitants the quicker the signs of ick will disappear. Again, this is just my opinion.

Appreciate the head up!

As I have grown to realise I'm more of the Fish guy than a Coral one, after your timely reminder.

FWIW, my fishes are always out in the open, not hiding and constantly fed which explains why many Anthias are with me for over a year and due to the sheer number of fishes, aggression is little to non existent amongst all inhabitants. Most if not all are fat.

I admit to my mistake of turning off the UV for a month, thus allowing the ICH to rise to an infectious level that overwhelmed the fishes.

 

[Saltees]

We are all very proud of the work we have put in over there! It really is a great place filled with a ton of what we are hopeful is useful information.

Kudos to y'all at humblefish! Special mentioned to JESSICAN, that diligently replied to the thread. I'm pleasantly surprised that not many are mentioned here.

 

[Saltees]

I'm sad to report after careful stock taking, I found the carcass of my Blotchy Anthia...

 

[Jay Hemdal]

I'm sad to report after careful stock taking, I found the carcass of my Blotchy Anthia...

Given the value of all your fish I would strongly urge you to buy a low range hydrogen peroxide test. Because peroxide is an oxidant, the amount of free material in the water is based on how much of it has been reacted with organics. The level of organics changes (lowers) over subsequent additions of peroxide. This in turn raises the level of unreacted peroxide. You need to adjust the dose over time to account for that. All oxidants act this way. You can get the test strips on Amazon. There is a picture of the right ones to get on my peroxide article here (I’m on a phone and can’t link to it).
Jay

 

[Saltees]

Given the value of all your fish I would strongly urge you to buy a low range hydrogen peroxide test. Because peroxide is an oxidant, the amount of free material in the water is based on how much of it has been reacted with organics. The level of organics changes (lowers) over subsequent additions of peroxide. This in turn raises the level of unreacted peroxide. You need to adjust the dose over time to account for that. All oxidants act this way. You can get the test strips on Amazon. There is a picture of the right ones to get on my peroxide article here (I’m on a phone and can’t link to it).
Jay

Thanks Jay. I have the following on the way. As long as I capped 3% H2O2 dosage @ 1mL/5G (19L) = 1.59ppm over the entire treatment, I should be relatively safe?

 

[hart24601]

Fingers crossed for you! After losing my stock to velvet I know the pain. How many fish did you have total before disease broke out?

 

[Saltees]

Fingers crossed for you! After losing my stock to velvet I know the pain. How many fish did you have total before disease broke out?

Thanks! About 60 fishes. All of them are comfortable enough to off my hand, even the eels.

 

[hart24601]

Hopefully this works well. Peroxide dosing seemed to control velvet for me so far, but I lost almost all the fish as I caught it too late thinking was ich. It has not spread to new fish so there seems to be something to it.

 

[Saltees]

Hopefully this works well. Peroxide dosing seemed to control velvet for me so far, but I lost almost all the fish as I caught it too late thinking was ich. It has not spread to new fish so there seems to be something to it.

Appreciate the well wishes. I feel the disease is in the system, where it decides to surface when I turned off the UV, (I failed to mention, I put the skimmer on a 8 hour timer) and dosed a bunch of heterotrophic bacteria to jump start the biopellets, that might have wreaked havoc amongst the fishes’ immunity.

Therefore, I am reversing my ill doing by turning on the UV, putting the skimmer backed to (wet) skimming, both 24/7. Coupled with H2O2 dosing, I hope it gives the fishes a fighting chance against whatever they were immune against before.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Thanks Jay. I have the following on the way. As long as I capped 3% H2O2 dosage @ 1mL/5G (19L) = 1.59ppm over the entire treatment, I should be relatively safe?

Just test about an hour after every dose. If the reading creeps up, that means the peroxide has oxidized the organics and is now left unreacted, so you need to be careful, and possibly back off the dose.
If you don’t see an blue color, that means all of the peroxide is being used up and there isn’t any danger of an overdose.
Jay

 

[Saltees]

Just test about an hour after every dose. If the reading creeps up, that means the peroxide has oxidized the organics and is now left unreacted, so you need to be careful, and possibly back off the dose.
If you don’t see an blue color, that means all of the peroxide is being used up and there isn’t any danger of an overdose.
Jay

Duly noted. Thanks!

 

[Saltees]

OCT 4 (Day 5) Montipora bleached and very much dead. Zoanthids pretty much closed. These 2 are furthest from the dosing point.

Only 1 Cleaner Shrimp sighted at their usual cleaning station the other presumably dead.

Tangs are noticeably lesser spots, out and about doing their routine. The Powder Blue, Purple and WhiteTail Bristletooh are the ones with the most spots. Yellow and Gem seem unfazed by ICH.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

OCT 4 (Day 5) Montipora bleached and very much dead. Zoanthids pretty much closed. These 2 are furthest from the dosing point.

Only 1 Cleaner Shrimp sighted at their usual cleaning station the other presumably dead.

Tangs are noticeably lesser spots, out and about doing their routine. The Powder Blue, Purple and WhiteTail Bristletooh are the ones with the most spots. Yellow and Gem seem unfazed by ICH.

Are you seeing any blue color on the test strips? Shrimp die pretty fast from peroxide, but the zooanthids are pretty resistant. Any snails? How are they doing?
Jay

 

[Jay Hemdal]

I should clarify - the “dose” you listed above is for 3% peroxide measured as 100% The dose of actual peroxide in the water will be 3% of that value.
Jay