How to Quarantine

[Raptor72]

Yes I have the alert badge I can't seem to tell the reading on it since day 1

Yes, can someone help dumb this device down for me also? Is the center dot the reading and you compare it to the other surrounding sections for a reading?

The instructions on the package are a bit confusing.

 

[4FordFamily]

Yes, can someone help dumb this device down for me also? Is the center dot the reading and you compare it to the other surrounding sections for a reading?

The instructions on the package are a bit confusing.

Shine a light behind it for best reading. In many lights it looks slightly green when it’s actually yellow.

 

[LouieP]

Yes, can someone help dumb this device down for me also? Is the center dot the reading and you compare it to the other surrounding sections for a reading?

The instructions on the package are a bit confusing.

Yes you compare the center to the 4 other colors to get your reading.

 

[Raptor72]

Thanks

 

[JCTReefer]

For a comparison, this is what mine has looked like for the last 5 weeks. I wouldn't worry about the faint color around the perimeter of the read out. I verified the reading with an API test kit before dosing copper also. Test kit read 0ppm. Besides seeding in my sump for a month, I also used Seachem Stability to add additional bacteria to my filter sponge. Poured this over the sponge then into the filter it went. No issues with ammonia as to date during the quarantine process. Some claim it takes a little while longer than BioSpira to start working. Been adding a capful a week also. Figured it couldn't hurt.

 

[Skep18]

Hey I Just did a 5 gal water change on my 20 gal QT and my tests came back ammonia reading between .25 and .50 ppm on the api test and copper power is the only thing I've used so far and the hanna checker came back 2.66 copper. 3 weeks into quarantine after NOT doing it before my last addition and I had to break down my whole tank because 2 tangs and 6 line wrasse showing ich in DT. Long story short everyone was doing great until yesterday I lost powder blue after only showing fatigue and having breathing for 24hrs and he was the strongest throughout all of this now I dont know what the issue is and im inexperienced with mostly all.of the hobby I want to learn and not repeat mistakes/ form bad habits for the fish sake(and my pockets)

Get a bottle of Bio Spira on Amazon for $11. If you use the recommended dose, it can last you ~3-4 QT tanks. Ammonia bacteria take hold rather quickly. Definitely not an excuse to not do water changes but I find it helps tremendously with maintaining lower levels.

EDIT: In a pinch, Petco sells the same bottle for $20.

 

[vriserva25]

Hey what does everyone do with the tank if there are no fish in QT?

 

[Gareth elliott]

Mine is currently a science experiment [emoji23]

 

[Bob Lauson]

I bought a bannerfish and powder blue tang and put both in quarantine. I ran that Prazipro for 7 days and both fish were swimming around and eating well. I did a 30% water change and have started Copper (Cupramine). I followed the instructions and dosed half the Cupramine and had a copper level of 0.15 then, 48 hours later, dosed the second half and the copper measured about 0.40. The bannerfish is doing awesome but the tang has decided not to eat AND remains in pretty much one place, i.e. not swimming around. The tang was fine after the first dose of copper but changed his behavior after the second dose. I did a water change again to reduce the copper level and will check that level tonight. I read on page one of this thread that the copper can cause a fish to stop eating while it adjusts. Does that also apply to its swimming habits? The tang color still looks great. Is this normal with the first couple days of copper?

 

[Humblefish]

I bought a bannerfish and powder blue tang and put both in quarantine. I ran that Prazipro for 7 days and both fish were swimming around and eating well. I did a 30% water change and have started Copper (Cupramine). I followed the instructions and dosed half the Cupramine and had a copper level of 0.15 then, 48 hours later, dosed the second half and the copper measured about 0.40. The bannerfish is doing awesome but the tang has decided not to eat AND remains in pretty much one place, i.e. not swimming around. The tang was fine after the first dose of copper but changed his behavior after the second dose. I did a water change again to reduce the copper level and will check that level tonight. I read on page one of this thread that the copper can cause a fish to stop eating while it adjusts. Does that also apply to its swimming habits? The tang color still looks great. Is this normal with the first couple days of copper?

Some fish are copper intolerant, and appetite suppression, lethargy, paleness, heavy breathing can all be signs of this.

 

[Bob Lauson]

Some fish are copper intolerant, and appetite suppression, lethargy, paleness, heavy breathing can all be signs of this.

Thanks for the response. The tang is now dead. Bummer:(

 

[Gary Ellis]

Doesn't keeping a fish by himself for a month in a 10g with just a piece of PVC pipe seem cruel. Don't they get lonely and more stress out?

 

[VJV]

Thanks for the response. The tang is now dead. Bummer:(

Sorry for your loss [emoji20]. My experience with Cupramine has been that you need to raise levels much slower than what they advertise. I typically raise 0,1ppm per day for 3 days, wait a couple of days to see how the fish are doing and than another 0,1 for another one or two days. Always observe the behavior while doing this.

In my experience acanthurus such as PBT or achilies are very sensitive to Cupramine. Wrasses are also mostly a no go, except for six line.

Also, you said that you added half the recommended dosage and only got to 0,2ppm... are you using the old bottles (where they advised 16 drops to get to 0,25) or the new ones (where they advise 20 drops)? Do you have substrate or calcarious rock?

Cheers

 

[VJV]

One other thing: I always do a 80% water change after Prazi and run some carbon before Cupramine. Still, in spite of all this care Cupramine still has a high death toll in my experience. Unfortunately I do not have access to other medications where I live. It is also difficult to be 100% sure that Cupramine was the culprit. Perhaps the fish was already ill and it spiraled downwards because copper throws the immune system down... who knows.

 

[pecan2phat]

Question on flukes, tapeworms.
If I suspect that my DT housed infected fish and now they have all been removed to a QT/treatment tank, do I need to treat the fish-less display or will they die off without any fish?

 

[Oceanreef]

Can you use microbacter 7 with general cure or prazipro in quarantine at the same time? @Humblefish
Thank you

 

[Humblefish]

Can you use microbacter 7 with general cure or prazipro in quarantine at the same time? @Humblefish
Thank you

Yes, although if meds are active in the water at the time of dosing Microbacter7 it may kill the nitrifying bacteria contained therein.

 

[Oceanreef]

Thank you! Added the microbacter 7 and will prazipro today

 

[VJV]

Hi, I have a Melanurus and a Yellow wrasse in QT (observation only) for two weeks. The Melanurus is becoming more and more active while the yellow wrasse is frequently lying down and not eating much. Too scratching or white dots. Is this normal for yellow wrasses?

 

[Humblefish]

Hi, I have a Melanurus and a Yellow wrasse in QT (observation only) for two weeks. The Melanurus is becoming more and more active while the yellow wrasse is frequently lying down and not eating much. Too scratching or white dots. Is this normal for yellow wrasses?

Yellow Coris? Do you have sand in there for him? IME; they operate on a "schedule" and won't act right unless they have sand to burrow in at night.