Perfect storm situation - and some questions

[don_chuwish]

So while I'm in the middle of a complete DT rebuild I have all my livestock in 2 holding tanks, a 29G and 36B. A 15G QT tank already had a new Sailfin Tang in it, almost due to come out. Extra rocks in a tub with circulation. Lots going on.
Then the Hippo in the 36B sprouted Ich. No new fish had been added so I figured it was the stress of the new situation, small tank, etc. I was amazed to find that there was even Ich in any of my systems.
So when the Ich showed some persistence (went away, came back days later, typical). I had to pull the Sailfin out of QT and put it in the 29G. Pull all the rock & coral out of the 36B so I could catch the 2 Hi-Fin banded gobies, Perc pair AND the Hippo and put them all in the 15G QT/HT for treatment. Now the rock & coral in the 36B will have to go for a fallow period. Ugh.
As soon as I can get the 120G DT up and running again, the 29G can become the QT/HT.
REALLY glad of my RO/Mixing station lately - it's been busy.

So after all that rambling back story, I do have questions!
I have Mardel Copper Safe, Kanaplex, Furan-2 and the API Copper test kit on the way. Meanwhile I've treated with Rid-Ich because that's what I had handy. Seems to be helping and certainly not hurting.
If I add some carbon and do several water changes, will starting Cu after the Rid-Ich be OK?
Also, I've been steadily lowering salinity, not with a goal of hypo but more like 1.020 or so. Just because I've heard it can help. True?
Any problem doing that reduced salinity and Cu at the same time?

 

[melypr1985]

If I add some carbon and do several water changes, will starting Cu after the Rid-Ich be OK?

You should be fine running copper after the carbon and water changes.

Also, I've been steadily lowering salinity, not with a goal of hypo but more like 1.020 or so. Just because I've heard it can help. True?

It can help.

Any problem doing that reduced salinity and Cu at the same time?

None at all.

 

[don_chuwish]

Thanks, you're a gem! Actually better than a gem, gems aren't particularly helpful in this situation.

 

[don_chuwish]

So far so good. Oddly enough the ich on the Hippo and the little bit I saw on one clown never seemed to bother them much. They were still active and hungry at all times. Hippo seemed to have one cloudy eye. Over two days I've brought Cu up to 1ppm and will add a little more today. Prazi went in 2 days ago and Kanaplex yesterday. Everyone seems fine with the environment but I do want to get them in something larger ASAP. For a little extra nutrition while I keep feed volume low I've been soaking Hikari Marine S in Selcon. Doing daily 1/3 water changes.

 

[melypr1985]

So far so good. Oddly enough the ich on the Hippo and the little bit I saw on one clown never seemed to bother them much. They were still active and hungry at all times. Hippo seemed to have one cloudy eye. Over two days I've brought Cu up to 1ppm and will add a little more today. Prazi went in 2 days ago and Kanaplex yesterday. Everyone seems fine with the environment but I do want to get them in something larger ASAP. For a little extra nutrition while I keep feed volume low I've been soaking Hikari Marine S in Selcon. Doing daily 1/3 water changes.

Sounds like your doing good. Keep a watch out for cloudy water (bacterial bloom) with all these meds in the water. If this happens adding extra O2 with a small powerhead or extra air stone is a good idea.

 

[cameronh]

Thanks, you're a gem! Actually better than a gem, gems aren't particularly helpful in this situation.

She knows what's she's talking about.....I'll give her that[emoji12]


I really don't like the look of these new emoticons.

 

[don_chuwish]

Sounds like your doing good. Keep a watch out for cloudy water (bacterial bloom) with all these meds in the water. If this happens adding extra O2 with a small powerhead or extra air stone is a good idea.

Thanks! I've got a small powerhead at the surface already and I use the Tom Surface Skimmer with my HOB filter. I like both the surface skimming and extra agitation it provides. There was some cloudiness this morning but not bad, mostly cleared up with the water change. The cloudy eye is looking a lot better too.

 

[don_chuwish]

Today they move to a new 55G QT I've set up in the garage. It'll be nice to get the laundry room countertop back! But here's where they've been the past 10 days. Sponge filter is a recent addition - I really don't like using it because of the salt creep but I wanted the additional bio filter. Water is a bit cloudy but getting better. The Hippo has never looked better - some raggedness has cleared up that had me worried even before the ich break out.

 

[don_chuwish]

This gives them a bit more room. New tank, but everything else was pulled together from the piles of things I have in storage. The stand is the old one for my 120G that I'm currently rebuilding. Good enough for 55G. Got the 15G all cleaned up and out of the laundry room even.

 

[don_chuwish]

Everything is looking really good. 2nd and last dose of PraziPro yesterday. Now just a matter of keeping Cu at the right level for another 2-3 weeks. Hopefully by then the new 120G will be up and running.

 

[don_chuwish]

Wow, I never knew how spunky the Hippo could/should be! Raggedy fins are starting to look better and the energy level is insane. Not just at feeding either. Great to see.
Scary thing happened though. A few days ago I was doing a water change and trying to siphon up stuff - expecting to see the two Hi-Fin gobies come out of hiding from the decorations. But no. They had disappeared. No sign of them at all. I turned over everything, took apart the PVC, shook the fake tree stump in the water. Nowhere. Looked around outside the tank for goby jerky, nothing. Started to think they'd jumped and been gobbled up by the cat or dog but just couldn't imagine it.
Next day, I find one goby looking just fine, grabbing food as it goes by.
One, two days - still just one goby.
Figured the littler one was just somehow not able to adjust, or whatever, but there were no signs of remains.
Did a water change today and cleaned out the canister filter. How in the HECK he got over the skimming intake of the Toms (see March 12th post photo above) I can't imagine, BUT there he was tucked up against the foam pad in the Fluval 305. Imagine my shock when he wiggled energetically when I touched him! Caught the little bugger in a cup and dropped him back in the tank. None the worse for wear.
Eating happily minutes later. Craziest dang thing.

 

[don_chuwish]

Happy to say that all is still going well. Except for the 'lucky' goby - he must have been an adrenaline junky and didn't get enough of a thrill from the filter exploration. Found his dried up little body in front of the tank one day. I'm at 5 weeks now since pulling them all from the holding tank where they got exposed. Slowly raising salinity and diluting out the Cu, 5G water changes at a time. Got down to just under 1ppm and put in Cuprasorb today. By the time they are up to 1.025 (quite a few water changes from now) it'll be time for everybody to get in the all new tank. Can't wait to be back down to one system!
Hippo tang keeps looking better and better, fins all filling out and body getting noticeably more fleshy. I don't know if it had Flukes, Crypto and some bacterial thing going on, but it was at least 2 out of those 3.
Thanks again for the help!