3rd Try at Quarantining Lineatus Wrasse:

[USMC 4 LIFE]

Ever consider not QT? I have some biologist friends that swear it stresses fish badly. I don't QT and haven't had an issue. I do understand the risks associated with this practice.

Well you yourself answered your question so I’m not sure what your asking.

Yes copper is a poison to fish and it can do irreversible damage if administered incorrectly. However, when dosed properly the dangers are minimized and all but eliminated if the fish maintains its appetite. And while you knowingly risk and gamble every time you add a fish to your tank, others choose not to for various sound reasons. I choose to QT everything I get simply because I am often away for days if not weeks at a time. And as we all know our tanks like to take a turn for the worse when we aren’t home. Any little “stress” trigger could then compromise my fish’s immune system and the suppressed disease would then do more harm and damage than 30 days of copper.

 

[foshizzle]

I would look into cholorquine phosphate. I use Marex I bought from ebay. Its effective against ich, velvet, and a number of other parasites. Seems to be very gentle on the fish. I've found many wrasses, especially leopards, don't respond well to various meds. I even dose Prazi in 2 parts over 48hrs to avoid reactions.

I have a pair of Rhomboid wrasses in QT now. On arrival I put them in 5 gal bucket with chloro phos for 3 days. Then into established QT with some sand.

I prefer not to put chloro phos in my QT because it kills algae. ​

Chloro phos doesn't kill flukes so I start a round of prazi after a few days. I usually do another round of prazi after a few weeks. Maybe another chloro phos bath to be safe before the display.

 

[Mini Coop]

Just echoing what @HotRocks has said here. He has been a huge help to me as has the entire #reefsquad. Listen. They have done the research. There is risk treating with copper, but the bigger risk is infection your entire tank with disease and starting all over. Right now, in the industry, some people have been luck to QT and "not have a problem". But I don't think QT is an option now. It isn't about "IF" something happens when adding new livestock, but WHEN. I QT all fish, but observe for 3 weeks before treatment. That way I can tell what kind of treatment first is needed. I do copper for ALL fish. I use copper safe and my hanna checker. I check 2x a day until I have reached therapeutic level (I do 1.8-2.0). And if you can't transfer to a new QT after treatment, I do copper for 30 days. The risk isn't worth it. I, also have successfully had a blue star leopard wrasse, mccosker flasher and now a pintail fairy through QT with treatment. If you take it SLOW, it will be ok!
QT doesn't have to be a huge stress on fish if you have the proper setup. You are doing great! Keep on the path you are on! I am running 4 QT tanks right now, and all are at therapeutic copper levels now.

 

[cracker]

all my new fish go into an "observation " tank for a couple 3 weeks maybe . If I don't see anything pop up I won't treat.

 

[Tanggy]

all my new fish go into an "observation " tank for a couple 3 weeks maybe . If I don't see anything pop up I won't treat.

I won't take that chance. Especially wrasses having a thicker mucous skin. I've observed the lineatus and potter wrasses for about 2 1/2 weeks making sure they are all healthy b4 I started the copper treatment.

 

[Tanggy]

Update: This is the 3 day in copper treatment. Copper is at 0.26 ppm (I am ramping it really slow: 6 ml of 25 ml).
I came home for lunch and I see one of the potter wrasse dead. It's not ammonia.
SO FRUSTRATED RIGHT NOW. I need HELP. Should I stay the course or call it quits. The lineatus and the other 2 potter seems ok. Please help...

 

[USMC 4 LIFE]

Do you have some type of aerator or powerhead pointed at the surface?

Was the wrasse eating the day prior, have the potters wrasses been sleeping in the sand?

I would leave that kessil off. There’s no need for a light in a fish QT. Ambient light is sufficient

 

[Tanggy]

Do you have some type of aerator or powerhead pointed at the surface?

Was the wrasse eating the day prior, have the potters wrasses been sleeping in the sand?

I would leave that kessil off. There’s no need for a light in a fish QT. Ambient light is sufficient

I have a power head point at the surface creating along of movement. All the fishes have been eating well for 2 1/2 wks prior to copper treatment. All of the potter have been sleeping in the sand every night. I'll turn the lights off. Stay the course with copper treatment? thanks.

 

[USMC 4 LIFE]

If they are still eating, yes. I would additionally add an aerator for peace of mind

 

[rkpetersen]

QT is really stressful. I will admit that a couple of times in desperation I transferred fish who seemed like they were going to die in QT for no apparent reason, prematurely into a DT, and they recovered almost instantly. One was a wrasse (a lineatus, actually, who then lived with me for a year until he finally managed to jump out through a tiny hole in the lid), and one was a tang. QT parameters were perfect, no medication at all for the wrasse, but nonetheless, something was different. Anecdotal, I know, and not a recommended course of action, as the risk of disease is too high unless your DT is so lightly stocked that you're willing to take that risk attempting to save a particularly nice animal.

I think the size, shape, and layout of your QT may make a difference. Agree with turning the light off. I know my current tiny little QT tank with only a few pieces of white pvc pipe would probably stress out many larger, more sensitive, or more active fish.

 

[Tanggy]

If they are still eating, yes. I would additionally add an aerator for peace of mind

I do have an airstone in there right now. I just increased the power head speed to max. My plan is to continue copper treatment, but i'll wait a day or two before continuing to add more copper to the QT.

 

[Tanggy]

QT is really stressful. I will admit that a couple of times in desperation I transferred fish who seemed like they were going to die in QT for no apparent reason, prematurely into a DT, and they recovered almost instantly. One was a wrasses, one was a tank. QT parameters were perfect, but nonetheless, something was different. Anecdotal, I know, and not a recommended course of action, as the risk of disease is too high unless your DT is so lightly stocked that you're willing to take that risk attempting to save a particularly nice animal.

I think the size, shape, and layout of your QT may make a difference. Agree with turning the light off. I know my current tiny little QT tank with only a few pieces of white pvc pipe would probably stress out many larger, more sensitive, or more active fish.

I was able to fully quarantine a blue tang, purple tang, yellow wrasse , hoeven wrasse, a leopard wrasse and clowns before in the same system. The only difference is I used cupramine (i've switched over to copper power).

 

[rkpetersen]

I've done a full QT on a blue tang, purple tang, and hoeven wrasse; I don't know about the others but I think those 3 are less sensitive to stress than a lineatus. It's one of my very favorite fish but they are just so nervous.

 

[USMC 4 LIFE]

.26 copper didn’t kill your wrasse. I increase that much in one day if not more.

There’s something else at play that killed your potters. Just maintain water quality as best as you can and ensure you halt treatment when your wrasses stop eating, stop burying themselves at night and exhibit stress marks which often time look like bacteria infections.

FYI I am currently also treating a lineatus and two potters (1-1.5”) in a 29g QT. They are two days out from going completing copper (14 days) and general cure (2 rounds).

 

[scuzy]

I find those badges are useless often when it shows ammonia it's too late.

 

[HotRocks]

Leopards are just difficult to QT in general. They are hard fish to adapt to captivity. Cu level is definitely not high enough to be an issue IMO. Wrasse are also nutorious for intestinal parasites. Have you treated them with food soaked GC or Metro yet?

 

[Tanggy]

I find those badges are useless often when it shows ammonia it's too late.

What other ammonia test do you suggest while in copper treatment? thanks

 

[Tanggy]

Leopards are just difficult to QT in general. They are hard fish to adapt to captivity. Cu level is definitely not high enough to be an issue IMO. Wrasse are also nutorious for intestinal parasites. Have you treated them with food soaked GC or Metro yet?

I have not. I've observed them for 2 1/2 wks and no stringy poo. Is it ok to start adding Metro and Focus to there food while still in copper treatment? Also I do have GC, can I replaced metro with it? thanks.

 

[Tanggy]

.26 copper didn’t kill your wrasse. I increase that much in one day if not more.

There’s something else at play that killed your potters. Just maintain water quality as best as you can and ensure you halt treatment when your wrasses stop eating, stop burying themselves at night and exhibit stress marks which often time look like bacteria infections.

FYI I am currently also treating a lineatus and two potters (1-1.5”) in a 29g QT. They are two days out from going completing copper (14 days) and general cure (2 rounds).

I'll start soaking their food in metro and focus to rule out intestinal parasites. I was planning on doing GC treatment after the copper treatment.

 

[HotRocks]

I have not. I've observed them for 2 1/2 wks and no stringy poo. Is it ok to start adding Metro and Focus to there food while still in copper treatment? Also I do have GC, can I replaced metro with it? thanks.

It's up to you. I'm aggressive in QT. I have lost too many fish due to waiting over time.

I give everyone three days to settle in. On day 4 I start ramping copper, increasing .25ppm per day. I also start feeding medicated food. I do use live foods as well. So I start with medicated frozen, then drop in a bit of live Brine and blackworms just to make sure they are eating enough. I only do one of these feedings per day.

After seven days of therapeutic copper I watch the fish closely. If scratching still I do FW dip, if I find flukes I dose GC during copper. If not I wait to dose GC until copper is finished.

Myself and others have been experiencing some nasty gram negative bacteria in QT that is internal, literally no signs of infection. Which makes it very tough to know it's going on.