Coral/fish pest question

[Wildreefs]

so I have modified my “qt regimen.

Having lost a lot of fish in a standard qt tank, with appropriate meds, I have modified it to incorporate a mix of methods.

Tank transfer method

Copper

General cure.

Tank transfer should do two thins for me. As long as I move the fish out of tank 1 within 72 hours, that should take care of ich, as long as it’s done 12 days. It also allows me to put the fish into new water, and to worry about ammonia in a standing qt tank.

Copper should take care of velvet, as well as a insurance policy for ich. Even tho I disenfect all equipment and tank with bleach for 12 hours, and let air dry for 24, any possibility of drop lets in heaters etc should be backed up with copper.

All new water for transfers has copper already added to it, to 2.0 copper power level

General cure on 2nd and 4th transfer , which should alleviate any flukes as well as brook and Uronema. I also formalin dip app fish prior to ttm, as well as or more interval between transfers.

Of math is correct, 12 days, well I’m doing 14 days, should stop it all. Believe my problem before was ammonia building up, and badge not registering it.

My question is, although I am doing this, I can not afford a qt system for acros. Another set of leds, skimmer etc, simply isn’t in the works. Acros are hard enough to keep, let alone in a bare bones budget friendly set up.

Are there any dip or dip combinations that would give me some insurance against not only aefw or red bugs, but fish parasites as well?

I will use Bayer for the worms, but what about something like metroplex for uro or brook, or even some peroxide for potential other critters like ich and velvet ?

I under stand the bullet proof way is to isolate for 72 days, but that’s not feasible for me.


Just looking for something that would give me at least some protection.


Thanks

 

[reef lover]

#reefsquad

 

[Lasse]

I do not want to start a QT or not QT discussion here - for that see the thread here

But I have some thoughts but I will not defend them in this thread and the OP can ask admins to delete the post if he/she want

IMO - The main problem with QT is water quality as you have discovered by yourself. Further the adding of a bunch of chemicals will kill the weak microbiological life that´s try to establish itself – more instability. A new fish is weak and stressed when it arrive home to you. It needs a recovery time where it could get its full strength again. I use my refugium for that, but some people may think they need a special tank. One idea could be to use good working tank - normally without any other fishes or at least only small and non-aggressive pest controllers and algae eaters. Let the newcomers adapt there - no treatment at all - just observations. If it shows signs of illness – treat with right medicine in a hospital tank – not otherwise. When the fish is in good condition, well feed and so one – it is possible to do a prophylactic treatment if anyone want to do it but also to transfer it into the main DT. In any case – the transfer into the DT can been done in a special way. Do a lot of small WC in the observation tank/transfer tank with water from the DT in order to make the newcomer adjusted to the microbial life of the DT – low tech vaccination with other words.

IMO – using prophylactic treatments is one of the cruellest treatments we do against our fish both in the short and long run but if you let the fish acclimate itself first – the survival rate will be higher. If the fish showing signs of sickness when it arrives – treat – but if not – just observe and let the fish recover first.

I think you realize my answer for the coral QT too – use this working aquaria in order to QT and observe your new corals too.

I hope you do not take this offensive – it is not meant to be that – but maybe a try to get a new perspective and ideas

Sincerely Lasse

 

[Gareth elliott]

You do not really need a skimmer for a coral qt especially acropora, some softies might help with toxin removal but so will a bag of carbon.

And though best case scenario would be the same light as the dt a black box light set to the same par($10 lux meter) and using the same water parameters will allow a similar benefit. Some pwc and workhorse inexpensive koralias for water movement in a 20 gallon would allow a coral qt.

Mind you i have all this available, and still dont have a permanent invert qt setup [emoji23].

But if going the qt route, at least myself i buy a lot more inverts than i do fish.

You can minimize the risk of coral pests with proper fish selection and observation and some cheap tools.
-some sort of wrasse that eats pests(not a six line, can be very nasty to other fish in the tank) i went with a radiant wrasse as is smaller than most of its genus and very peaceful. Besides its awesome coloration
-a critter cage is great for observing. Small enough to turn and see every angle, add a piece of egg crate on the bottom and frags stay upright.
-turkey baster, xacto knife and a microscope. Some kinda coral dip. Turkey baster can both blow off and suck up pests. Ones that dont scrape off. View under microscope, to verify its danger level. Dip your corals

 

[Wildreefs]

I do not want to start a QT or not QT discussion here - for that see the thread here

But I have some thoughts but I will not defend them in this thread and the OP can ask admins to delete the post if he/she want

IMO - The main problem with QT is water quality as you have discovered by yourself. Further the adding of a bunch of chemicals will kill the weak microbiological life that´s try to establish itself – more instability. A new fish is weak and stressed when it arrive home to you. It needs a recovery time where it could get its full strength again. I use my refugium for that, but some people may think they need a special tank. One idea could be to use good working tank - normally without any other fishes or at least only small and non-aggressive pest controllers and algae eaters. Let the newcomers adapt there - no treatment at all - just observations. If it shows signs of illness – treat with right medicine in a hospital tank – not otherwise. When the fish is in good condition, well feed and so one – it is possible to do a prophylactic treatment if anyone want to do it but also to transfer it into the main DT. In any case – the transfer into the DT can been done in a special way. Do a lot of small WC in the observation tank/transfer tank with water from the DT in order to make the newcomer adjusted to the microbial life of the DT – low tech vaccination with other words.

IMO – using prophylactic treatments is one of the cruellest treatments we do against our fish both in the short and long run but if you let the fish acclimate itself first – the survival rate will be higher. If the fish showing signs of sickness when it arrives – treat – but if not – just observe and let the fish recover first.

I think you realize my answer for the coral QT too – use this working aquaria in order to QT and observe your new corals too.

I hope you do not take this offensive – it is not meant to be that – but maybe a try to get a new perspective and ideas

Sincerely Lasse

I fully agree with your posts minus an exception here or there. Keeping a “hospital “ tank up and running which isn’t cycled, relying on water changes, is a no go for me. I was losing fish instantly overnight , even with big water changes to control ammonia.

Since I have used ttm, more so to utilize new water with copper, I have lost 1 out of 12 in two weeks, a chromis.

I also think in a hospital tank (non ttm, just water changes) the medications when resided build up, coupled with the ammonia.

Every 72 hours, a new sterile tank, by then the tank they were in is starting to cloud up.

I am only do prophylactic treatment because at any given moment , the store I buy from will have fish in system that have the obvious signs here and there, so something is in the water there, I prefer to stop it before it can manifest at home.

I will never use a standing quarantine tank, impossible to have fully cycled, give the equipment, lack of porosity for bacteria, and if using meds, well even harder. Fresh, new water every couple days via ttm seems much more reasonable