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Wanted to start a thread on this, as I've noticed a trend lately of not providing enough gas exchange when using medications in QT. It is extremely important to provide additional oxygen when treating sick fish for a few reasons:
- Velvet, ich, flukes and other diseases often invade the gills. When this happens excess mucous builds up around the parasites/worms. This is a self defense mechanism triggered by the immune system; however fluid build up around the insertion point(s) in the gills also makes it more difficult for a fish to breathe.
- Most medications deplete oxygen. The more meds you dose, the less oxygen there is available in the water.
- Mixing meds can also lead to a bacterial bloom (cloudy water). Excess bacteria in the water competes with your sick fish for available oxygen. If a bacterial bloom is severe enough - the cloudier the water is, the worse the bloom is - your fish can literally suffocate to death.
- Lower water temp down to 74 & SG down to 1.017. There is more dissolved oxygen at lower water temperatures and in lower salinity.
- Have a powerhead (or two) pointed towards the surface of the water. It doesn't need to be a strong powerhead (you don't wanna blow the fish all around), but just strong enough to create ripples or a disturbance at the top of the water. This draws in more O2.
- Have the return of your HOB powerfilter create "a waterfall" into the QT. This crashing effect draws more oxygen in. Of course, this and having a powerhead pointed towards the surface will also increase evaporation so be mindful of that.
- A wide open top is the best way to ensure proper gas exchange is taking place. A sealed lid or cover limits gas exchange. You can always use eggcrate as a top if you have jumpers in QT.
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