Help !! Lanthanum chloride toxicity (sp)

[ACMEaquarist]

I’ve been working out of town for several months and now that I’m back I’m trying to correct my high phosphates that developed in the interim. I made the error of using a product I didn’t research prior to using. I dosed lanthanum chloride in the tank half a capful in my 100 gallon tank about a week ago and again today. Phosphates came down nicely. However, my lovely, precious hippo tang began hiding and not coming out to eat and I now realize this is the likely cause. What do I do now? How can I help her ?

 

[Mebbid]

What did you use to remove the precipitate?
How did you dose it?

Large water changes and extra aeration would probably be a good start. If at all possible, removing the tang to a hospital tank with air stones running would probably be best practice

 

[ACMEaquarist]

What did you use to remove the precipitate?
How did you dose it?

Large water changes and extra aeration would probably be a good start. If at all possible, removing the tang to a hospital tank with air stones running would probably be best practice

Ok. I’ll start water changes. I really was stupid on this one and didn’t research it at all (I’m an butt) I have a a filter sock and a running protein skimmer I did not see any visible precipitate. The tank didn’t get cloudy at all. I wouldn’t have even known that the product was an issue at all, except she started acting weird and I started to research it and it all came together. You’d think I’d have learned to not do anything new without research by now. In any event, I’ll start the water changes right away

 

[Mebbid]

Ok. I’ll start water changes. I really was stupid on this one and didn’t research it at all (I’m an butt) I have a a filter sock and a running protein skimmer I did not see any visible precipitate. The tank didn’t get cloudy at all. I wouldn’t have even known that the product was an issue at all, except she started acting weird and I started to research it and it all came together. You’d think I’d have learned to not do anything new without research by now. In any event, I’ll start the water changes right away

It's soo easy to do unfortunately :( Nobody would ever think that an additive to reduce phosphate could hurt fish like that.

Hope everything turns out alright.

 

[UMALUM]

If there is any precipitate left in the system it has settled somewhere and doing water changes will be like looking for a needle in a haystack. There is no cure if indeed your tang did somehow ingest the lc so just try and keep stress to a minimum and cross your fingers. Once again any remaining lc will not effect the water column once settled so save your time and money and don't go stirring anything up. Good luck with him.

 

[Mebbid]

If there is any precipitate left in the system it has settled somewhere and doing water changes will be like looking for a needle in a haystack. There is no cure if indeed your tang did somehow ingest the lc so just try and keep stress to a minimum and cross your fingers. Once again any remaining lc will not effect the water column once settled so save your time and money and don't go stirring anything up. Good luck with him.

On the assumption that all the lanthanum chloride has precipitated out. It can stay in solution until it reacts with phosphate. Any lanthanum chloride that has precipitated out and settled on the surfaces can dissolve and release the phosphate back into the water column.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I don’t think we have a good understanding of the exact mechanism of tang impact from lanthanum, or how to deal with an existing case aside from possible water changes if lanthanum is still elevated. That said, what is the current phosphate? If it is not too low, then free lanthanum will not be an excessive levels, I expect.

 

[ACMEaquarist]

I don’t think we have a good understanding of the exact mechanism of tang impact from lanthanum, or how to deal with an existing case aside from possible water changes if lanthanum is still elevated. That said, what is the current phosphate? If it is not too low, then free lanthanum will not be an excessive levels, I expect.

Thank you so much for your insight. I did a large water change and between LC and water changes the phosphates and nitrates are very near zero. In the assumption that the rapid swing in phosphate might be also causing her behavior and the fact that the small amount of LC I added has already reacted and gone, I’m gonna hold on water changes and just keep things quiet in the tank. Hoping for the best!! Thank you again!!

 

[BryanM]

You could also consider adding an airstone, and skim wet to help export suspended particulates.

If you choose to use LC in the future IMO it should be dosed in a 5-10 micron filter sock. But honestly with tangs I don't think it is worth the risk, and I'd use GFO in a reactor.