Hypo Tank Transfer Method with General Cure API

[chicago]

I have been doing the following for new fish. recently lost like 20 of 45 fish to ick. I did Hypo to the DT and now have started new QT procedures for new fish..

combination of three things.
hypo, ttm and General Cure from API. I also treat and do a bath with Actriflavin.

I have a bunch of 10 gallon tanks.

1. New fish gets acclimated to 1.009 over two to three hours.
2. Placed in 10 gallon tank with only water, heater and airstone.
3. For period of 15 days every morning I place fish in a new 10 gallon tank
4. New tank every morning has newly made saltwater at 1.009
5. tank used for the prior day is rinsed with hot hot sink water. four times
6. paper towel dry and left under ceiling fan for 24 hours to completely dry
7. so new tank rotated in every 24 hours was scoured hot water and dry completely.
8. I add API General Cure every morning with the new tank water. I dose at
recommended level.. which works well as one package is per 10 gallons. API is used for issue of possible flukes and worms.
9. use colander to remove fish. or actually use hands to remove depending
on the aggressiveness of fish.
10. Over the 15 days I do two baths in actraflavine in the evening in separate container... then place back in the 10 gallon tank.
11. 10 gallons tanks are pretty easy to clean in laundry sink fill like one gallon hot water swosh around... turn tank and pour out. hot scolding water hits all sides and rim of the tank..
12. make sure use refracometer that is calibrated to 35 ppt. NOT RODI.
13. VERY IMPORTANT.. I add in some alk solution to the 10 gallons every morning as the PH can be a little low in newly mixed salt at 1.009.
14. I use ESV salt that is the four part is a little more work but mixes quick and clear and seems to be very gentle.. I have used it almost within an hour of mixing with no bad effects on fish..

I treated my female scribble this way. cured the ick and some type of worm on her.. I can also note that my fish actually eat pellets even immediately after being removed and transferred to new tank in the am.

so I am wondering.. TTM works great.. does using Salinity at 1.009 hypo help when combined with the TTM. Does it add a level of benefit?

 

[Humblefish]

so I am wondering.. TTM works great.. does using Salinity at 1.009 hypo help when combined with the TTM. Does it add a level of benefit?

Man, doing TTM every day for 15 straight days is A LOT of work. ;) However, after doing a little research I believe your protocol might be capable of eliminating both ich & velvet. :) Say, you put a fish with velvet in a sterile QT. Those trophonts will remain on the fish for as little as 12 hours before dropping off. It then takes a minimum of 48 hours (according to the literature) for the tomont to rupture and release flagellated dinospores (free swimmers which infect fish) into the water.

So, technically doing a tank transfer every 24 hrs should be more than sufficient to outrun velvet's known life cycle. What gives me pause is I have seen anecdotal accounts where the person claims seeing velvet for 12 hrs, not seeing it for 12 hrs, but then it comes back. If true, that would suggest the literature might not be correct about 48 hours being the shortest encysting time. :eek:

But getting back to your original question ... The only added benefit of combining hypo with TTM is eliminating flukes without the need to use praziquantel.

 

[chicago]

YEP.. lots of work.. but nothing compared to tearing down a 500 gallon plus tank.. and starting all the sps over.. I am lucky that I have the mixing vat, sink and stands with 10 gallon tanks all in a mechanical room.. so really about 15 min in the morning and 15 in the evening.

Assuing you are not referring to the "general Cure" by API how would that help with flukes.. thanks

 

[Humblefish]

Assuing you are not referring to the "general Cure" by API how would that help with flukes.. thanks

Yes, GC contains prazi (for killing flukes) and metro (for eradicating intestinal worms). However, hypo kills flukes and their eggs after just 5 days so treating with praziquantel is redundant. So, you could dose with just straight metronidazole powder for your protocol.

 

[chicago]

good to know... what kills brook ?

 

[Humblefish]

good to know... what kills brook ?

I prefer acriflavine bath followed by transfer to a sterilize QT. Formalin bath works too. Metro is considered an alternative treatment for both brook and uronema.

 

[chicago]

thanks for the info... so one bath will kill brook? no need to repeat?

 

[Humblefish]

thanks for the info... so one bath will kill brook? no need to repeat?

Usually yes. If the fish is transferred to a sterilize QT to prevent reinfection. I can think of 3-4 times where I had to do additional baths. An acriflavine bath, followed up by metro dosed in a sterile QT would be ideal I suppose. Just to play it safe.

 

[chicago]

ok .. so my new protocol is from the store to actraflavin bath for hour or two. then to ttm / hypo for period of 15 days. during the 15 days transfer every day to new tank .. dose metro during the 15 days.

 

[hybridazn]

If you do use hypo do NOT acclimate to 1.009 that quickly, it's 2-3 days to get that low not hours.

 

[chicago]

I have never had a problem dropping down.. raising yes take days.. like half a point per day.. meaning 1..009 to 1.010 takes two days. then again cant hurt to take days ...

 

[Greenstreet.1]

I like your style. Wish I had the time

 

[chicago]

ok.. thought i would update this post.. do my DT is now at 1.013. it was at 1.010 for over 4 months.. I can say that a majority of my fish had no problems. The ones i lost i cannot say was do to being in 1.010 for that long of a time. Some did lose some of that bright color.. but others kept the nice color.