Mixed QT and Ich

phpwebdev · Sep 11, 2019

Hello,

Ignoring the obvious mistake where I placed a new clwon fish into a QT tank with a new coral frag (same LFS), is there anything I can do with this frag now that I need to treat my QT with Cupramine? I assume there is no easy way out of this: I will need to either toss my frag into a separate QT tank (which I don't have), clean it somehow and place it in my DT, or toss it in the garbage.

The clown has a white spot that showed up today that appears to be ich.

I can already guess what the consensus will be about what to do with my frag.

Punchanello · Sep 11, 2019

Is it an sps frag?

I ask because you can significantly reduce the risk of ich travelling with the frag by removing and throwing away the plug (if it has one), super-gluing any exposed skeleton at the base or elsewhere, then rinsing the frag using some DT water.

It's not foolproof so it depends on your appetite for risk. I wouldn't use this approach with LPS though.

Crossfire · Sep 11, 2019

I'd put the frag in a bag and bring it back to the LFS to hold onto if you don't want to put it in your display. What type of coral is it?

Personally, I'd just dip it with coral rx then an iodine dip and put it in my display. That's just me though. If there is a chance it has bad hitchhiker on it, then back to the lsf it goes.

Then again, if you think it may introduce ich into your system, just throw it out. Not worth it at all.

phpwebdev · Sep 11, 2019

It’s an Alveopora LPS.

Punchanello · Sep 11, 2019

phpwebdev said:
It’s an Alveopora LPS.

I noticed you said the clown had one spot - it may not be ich. It might be worth waiting a little to make sure you need to treat with copper before doing anything drastic.

If it does turn out to be ich, I wouldn't risk it. I would take it back to the shop and wait for the clown to be treated and moved to the main tank.

bluprntguy · Sep 11, 2019

I’d move the clown to a 5 gallon bucket and treat the clown with modified TTM (link below). That should cover all parasites. You can then leave the coral in the existing quarantine tank and it can go fallow for 45 or 76 days (depending on your aversion to risk). TTM for a clown can be as simple as a 5 gallon bucket, heater, and air stone.

Hybrid TTM to treat all parasites!

10/9/2022: Jay Hemdal and the current Fish Medic staff are suggesting that people find other treatments rather than TTM. It has some substantial drawbacks: “Tank chasing” method (Tank Transfer Method - TTM) A mostly theoretical method for treating Cryptocaryon infections takes advantage of...

www.reef2reef.com

phpwebdev · Sep 11, 2019

Punchanello said:
I noticed you said the clown had one spot - it may not be ich. It might be worth waiting a little to make sure you need to treat with copper before doing anything drastic.

If it does turn out to be ich, I wouldn't risk it. I would take it back to the shop and wait for the clown to be treated and moved to the main tank.

I am monitoring the fish today and have my QT meds coming tomorrow. I figure by tomorrow I will know whether its ich or not (3 days). I will also add the fish has not eaten since coming home (4 days). I will have to call my LFS and see if they provide a QT tank or not.

phpwebdev · Sep 11, 2019

Some pictures of my clown. Do his gills look ok? They seem a little flared to me. He is just nudging food and every once in a while lurches side to side quickly. The white spot I saw last night is gone.