Fish Quarantine

[jerrod]

I got cocky after 2 years now kicking my own butt for knowing better and being lazy. Thought a fish I bought was ok to put in my tank as my LFS had had him for almost 2 months watched him eat seen multiple times etc. and regrettably I didn't quarantine. I think the stress of the new tank got him and after being in the tank for a week showed signs of bad ick or velvet almost overnight. I moved him into quarantine but as of this morning two other fish are now showing it as well with a Kole tang losing color on fins already. I will be removing all fish from display to a quarantine tank and going fallow for the minimum six weeks as well as removing sand just in case. Luckily I am on leave for the next 2 weeks due to a surgery so have time to do this methodically.

What I've done so far:
To buy myself a day I used Ruby Reef Kick ick and Rally in my display while I set up a larger quarantine tank. (attempt to slow spread)
Caught and moved 3 clearly affected fish to 10 gallon tanks and dosing cupramine testing 2x daily.
Feeding heavy, garlic soaked food to all fish. (all fish eating no observed scratching)
Placed cycled rock into canister filter on larger quarantine tank, added Dr. Tim's one and only, new salt water, heater etc.
Bought and placed multiple ammonia alarms.
Will start moving all fish in about 12 hrs. to new quarantine.
Added 4 new cleaner shrimp to display. Fish actively being cleaned

As I have never done this with this many fish my questions are:
I have an old 50 gallon long tank and 7 fish that are 5 plus inches (Tangs, Wrasse) and probably about 10 that are smaller 2 1/2" minus (gobies, damsels, chromis, anthias ).
Can they all be put in a 50 gallon tank for six weeks?
If they can should I section off an area to separate big from small?
Will multiple size PVC pipes/hiding spots minimize aggression?

I really don't have the ability to place anymore individual tanks to house 17 plus fish so wondering the best way to do it and keep corals alive in the display and save the fish. Any help is appreciated.

 

[bevo5]

I'm absolutely no expert - but that does seem like a lot of fish in a 50g, unless you're prepared to do some serious water changes while keeping the copper level consistently high. You can set up a second operation with a large brute trashcan and a heater and sponge filter.

For the DT - you have to be fallow for 76 days. Also, you need to keep feeding that tank like you were or else your nutrients are going to bottom out - which will cause a lot of other problems. That's what happened to me and the tank ultimately crashed as I tried to play scientist and artificially raise levels.

It's going to suck - but you're going it the right way. Too many people try to live with ich, when the only real path is to do what you're doing. Good luck.

 

[Big G]

That's a lot of poop and pee in a 50 with that many fish. I've seen it done and it worked but lots of water changes and filter changes, etc. But if that's what you have to work with consider adding a couple of HOBs so you can daily change/clean the foam pads and add a bag of ceramic media like Matrix or Fluval BioMax to greatly increase the filtering capacity. I like Aquaclear HOBs. You could change out/clean the media in one of them each day and alternate. Soak the foam pads and ceramic with BioSpira or Seachem Stability. I prefer the later. It provides a stronger bio stability, it's slower to develop but in the long term it has helped me to seriously reduce the frequency and quantity of water changes.
I'd also put in at least one big foam bubble filter. Soak the foam pad in BioSpira or Stability.
Add a decent size powerhead aimed up at the surface to increase O2 exchange.

Calming the fish down:
Dim the lights for a few days. Plus velvet is partially photosynthetic so dimming helps a bit.
Also adding a couple of plastic aquarium plants to provide cover.
Cover the back wall and the two short ends with paper, etc. It creates a bit of a cave like environment.

Feed the fish a large variety of foods + vitamins + Beta Glucan. BG is a serious booster of fish's immune system. Article below from Advanced Aquarist on BG.

Feature Article: Beta Glucan As A Biological Defense Modulator: Helping Fish To Help Themselves

Wouldn’t it be great if there were one thing that we could give any sick fish that could help it? Aquarists dream of a “magic bullet” that could be used as a treatment for a plethora of problems.

www.advancedaquarist.com

 

[Slawman]

Very sucky situation, sorry to hear. I don't think you will be able to house that many large fish in a 50. If it were me I would be looking for a cheap second hand additional 50 or even 100. Proper quarantine is a long time and limiting stress is a very important aspect particularly if there is a likelihood they have been exposed. Hyposalinity is my method of choice....good luck.

 

[Qasimja]

check facebook marketplace and craigslist and offerup i got a 55G tank and stand im using for a QT for 30 dollars off the marketplace

 

[jerrod]

Thought that would be to crowded but wasn't sure. I moved a few of my smaller fish into the small 10 and 20 gallon tanks I have (still have 3 to catch) and all the larger fish into the 50 gallon tank. The 50 gallon has 4 tangs and one wrasse all 4-5 inches large. Doing fresh water dips in between display and quarantine. Tanks are still crowded but not as bad and less aggression. I placed on HOB on the 50 as well as the large canister filter (rated for 150 gal per hour) and soaked the filters in Seachem Stability and am stockpiling RODI water in a 275 gallon container so I will be able to do multiple water changes between all the tanks as needed. Currently dosing and feeding a mixture of spiralina, mysis, brine, and reef frenzy with Seachem Metroplex and soaking in garlic guard. I went and purchased some Biomax and added it as suggested Big G, also added some marine pure blocks that were from the existing quarantine to speed up the biological filter now just hoping for the best. One fish looks close to death and isn't eating and that is the Kole tang he is in complete isolation. The other that has it bad is the powder brown but is highly active and eating like a pig so I have hope that my fish will make it and only lose the one due to my laziness.

Thank you all for the help and tips on how to do this safely.

 

[Big G]

After the FW dips consider giving the badly infected fish a 60-90 minute bath in Ruby Reef Rally. It has both antiseptic and antibiotic qualities that when used following a FW dip has shown to greatly increase survival rates of even badly infected fish.

Best of luck. You can do this. We're all pulling for you and your fish!