Ich in tank, Don't have a quarantine tank set up

[commanderwho]

Hello,
I noticed I have ich on my clownfish. I don't have a quarantine tank ready to set up. I do however do have a a spare tank and all the equipment to set one up and can get ro and saltwater at the LFS. My question is do I have to wait for the QT to cycle? or can I add all my fish to the QT right away? How often do I do water changes? I plan on doing the 76 days no fish in my Display tank.
thanks

 

[Sam816]

get saltwater & some bio media from main tank and start the QT. in the mean time add fresh media to the main DT. it will get seeded with bacteria soon enough. start treating your fish asap.

 

[commanderwho]

get saltwater & some bio media from main tank and start the QT. in the mean time add fresh media to the main DT. it will get seeded with bacteria soon enough. start treating your fish asap.

hello, so just get some bio balls out of my display tank and put it into my qt in the back chambers?

 

[Sebastiancrab]

It wouldn't hurt to add some Seachem Stability to both tanks for more bacteria growth. Also, keep Prime on hand just in case.

 

[Sam816]

make sure the media from QT doesn't go back to your DT.

hello, so just get some bio balls out of my display tank and put it into my qt in the back chambers?

Yes, also take some water. that way you wont have to acclimate your fish. they will be less stressed. feed them to full bellies in DT and then move to QT and start copper. if the ich spots are really bad then give freshwater dip on the way to QT.
I wouldn't suggest using prime in DT. prime neutralizes heavy metals incl copper.

 

[commanderwho]

make sure the media from QT doesn't go back to your DT.

Yes, also take some water. that way you wont have to acclimate your fish. they will be less stressed. feed them to full bellies in DT and then move to QT and start copper. if the ich spots are really bad then give freshwater dip on the way to QT.
I wouldn't suggest using prime in DT. prime neutralizes heavy metals incl copper.

Thanks for the reply. I will feed them good before moving them. So I’m looking at seachem cupramine and paraguard. Does it matter which one I get?

 

[commanderwho]

make sure the media from QT doesn't go back to your DT.

Yes, also take some water. that way you wont have to acclimate your fish. they will be less stressed. feed them to full bellies in DT and then move to QT and start copper. if the ich spots are really bad then give freshwater dip on the way to QT.
I wouldn't suggest using prime in DT. prime neutralizes heavy metals incl copper.

What you mean don’t use prime in DT? I use prime when I do water changes...should I not?

 

[Sam816]

What you mean don’t use prime in DT? I use prime when I do water changes...should I not?

Sorry, I meant to write QT. Especially after adding medicine or copper

 

[jaganshi066]

get saltwater & some bio media from main tank and start the QT. in the mean time add fresh media to the main DT. it will get seeded with bacteria soon enough. start treating your fish asap.

Does adding dt media to quarantine actually work? I tried adding a lot and the fish still died?

 

[Sebastiancrab]

make sure the media from QT doesn't go back to your DT.

Yes, also take some water. that way you wont have to acclimate your fish. they will be less stressed. feed them to full bellies in DT and then move to QT and start copper. if the ich spots are really bad then give freshwater dip on the way to QT.
I wouldn't suggest using prime in DT. prime neutralizes heavy metals incl copper.

Sam is correct on the Prime. You don't want to use it with any copper treatment. I keep it on hand in case it is needed for ammonia or nitrate spikes. I used Cupramine to treat Ich.

 

[commanderwho]

Sam is correct on the Prime. You don't want to use it with any copper treatment. I keep it on hand in case it is needed for ammonia or nitrate spikes. I used Cupramine to treat Ich.

Thanks, I ordered cupramine and should arrive tomorrow! Out of curiosity once I finish treating my fish with cupramine and they stay in the QT tank for 3 months and once I put them into the Display Tank, can I reuse that same water to QT future livestock? Or should I dump all that water and cycle new water for future live stock for QT?

 

[Uncle99]

I have never cycled my QT.

I do make daily 10% water changes maintaining the correct level of copper, and vacumn up uneaten foods to compensate. I use the ammonia badge, but not sure exactly why.

I don’t put in anything like rock or other hard surfaces, the copper destroys any value this might have had.

I more interested in getting fish into treatment.

Once I see the last spot disappear, I continue treatment for a further 14 days, then, start to remove the copper through carbon and water changes for another 7 days.

Then, I clean that QT, fill with new saltwater, add a Aquaclear filter with both a new seeded sponge from my sponge and or a small rock from my DT, and here they sit for 70ish days.

Then back into the DT they go, the QT is cleaned and dried and ready if needed.

 

[commanderwho]

I have never cycled my QT.

I do make daily 10% water changes maintaining the correct level of copper, and vacumn up uneaten foods to compensate. I use the ammonia badge, but not sure exactly why.

I don’t put in anything like rock or other hard surfaces, the copper destroys any value this might have had.

I more interested in getting fish into treatment.

Once I see the last spot disappear, I continue treatment for a further 14 days, then, start to remove the copper through carbon and water changes for another 7 days.

Then, I clean that QT, fill with new saltwater, add a Aquaclear filter with both a new seeded sponge from my sponge and or a small rock from my DT, and here they sit for 70ish days.

Then back into the DT they go, the QT is cleaned and dried and ready if needed.

 

[commanderwho]

Hello, but wouldn't taking a small rock from DT contaminate the new saltwater QT?

 

[Uncle99]

Hello, but wouldn't taking a small rock from DT contaminate the new saltwater QT?

Hi....yes...yes..yes...we have many DT tanks going....nothing from the infected thank ever goes to QT or anywhere. That’s my fault, I should have been clearer.

In your case, I use a bottle of Fritzyme 9 or equivalent and some Marine Pure which should create a very quick cycle so you can maintain your fish while your DT completes.

Just keep an eye on ammonia for the first few days and be ready to change some water if ammonia increases.

 

[Sam816]

Hello, but wouldn't taking a small rock from DT contaminate the new saltwater QT?

yes it will bring Ich with it, same as your fish. which will be killed by the copper, same as ich on your fish.
but the live rock from DT will also bring bacteria to prevent ammonia spikes.
copper will stress the fish, which will be alleviated by absence of proper hiding spots and final blow will be ammonia spike that will literally burn their gills and give open playground for Ich and other nasty microbes to play in. that's why you will read multiple threads about fish getting other infections/ailments while in copper treatment.

 

[Sam816]

Thanks, I ordered cupramine and should arrive tomorrow! Out of curiosity once I finish treating my fish with cupramine and they stay in the QT tank for 3 months and once I put them into the Display Tank, can I reuse that same water to QT future livestock? Or should I dump all that water and cycle new water for future live stock for QT?

copper power and copper safe are considered safer for fish and they don't evaporate(not sure if its the right term) leading to fall in coper level. if your copper level goes below the therapeutic level your treatment cycle resets & starts again once your level is back up. in any case Hanna copper checker is a MUST!!
If the water is good in terms of nitrate levels then you can reuse the water( or do a partial water change) and get the copper level back to required level. I have an old sump full of media n heater that run in my garage all the time. i ghost feed it every now and then and top it up with dechlorinated tap water. i've purchased 3 small 5-10 gallon tanks for setting up QTs in emergency.

Uncle99s method is also good but not for someone who is QTing for the first time and/or with multiple fish.

as for 76day fallow. find the sticky for Going Fallow. fallow period of 4 weeks is supposed to work for most ich strains.
if you don't have corals/CuC, you can reduce salinity in DT to 1.00 for 4 weeks. it will tighten screws on the ich further more.

 

[Sam816]

Does adding dt media to quarantine actually work? I tried adding a lot and the fish still died?

If that media works in the DT then it will certainly work in QT. disease and stress will kill the fish before ammonia spike provided the QT is set up with fresh/acceptable saltwater.

 

[commanderwho]

copper power and copper safe are considered safer for fish and they don't evaporate(not sure if its the right term) leading to fall in coper level. if your copper level goes below the therapeutic level your treatment cycle resets & starts again once your level is back up. in any case Hanna copper checker is a MUST!!
If the water is good in terms of nitrate levels then you can reuse the water( or do a partial water change) and get the copper level back to required level. I have an old sump full of media n heater that run in my garage all the time. i ghost feed it every now and then and top it up with dechlorinated tap water. i've purchased 3 small 5-10 gallon tanks for setting up QTs in emergency.

Uncle99s method is also good but not for someone who is QTing for the first time and/or with multiple fish.

as for 76day fallow. find the sticky for Going Fallow. fallow period of 4 weeks is supposed to work for most ich strains.
if you don't have corals/CuC, you can reduce salinity in DT to 1.00 for 4 weeks. it will tighten screws on the ich further more.

Thank you for your response! I do have corals and cuc in my display so it’s recommended to fallow for 76 days then right? I plan to go a little longer the. 76 days and add a spare power head for dead spots.
So I will be quarantining 3 fish...is my 5 gallon too small for 3? 2 clownfish (1 to 1.5 inch) royal gramma 1.75 inch to 2 inch).
Only one clown has a few spots that I see and the other one is good. Royal gramma on the other hand has quite a bit. Still eating. Should I do a freshwater dip on the gramma?
plan is to set up the tank with a sponge filter no sand and get water from DT. Grab a cave decoration in the garage and a small piece of live rock from DT. Would this work? I’ll be using cuprimine. Thanks

 

[commanderwho]

Hi....yes...yes..yes...we have many DT tanks going....nothing from the infected thank ever goes to QT or anywhere. That’s my fault, I should have been clearer.

In your case, I use a bottle of Fritzyme 9 or equivalent and some Marine Pure which should create a very quick cycle so you can maintain your fish while your DT completes.

Just keep an eye on ammonia for the first few days and be ready to change some water if ammonia increases.

thank you! I’ll get a bit time if fritztme 9. It did work when I set up my DT and yes ammonia spikes did happen on the first few days.