Quarantine Question

[SourAngelfish]

Hey guys, so I appreciate all of the help with my velvet/ich issue, still not sure what it was. Anyways I decided to setup a qt tank to start getting new fish ready while the display is still running medication... I discovered my issue, the seachem copper test would literally give completely different results within 5 minute ranges (test, get .5, test again 5 minutes later and get .2). So I assume my copper just was not right at all and that’s why the fish continued to be reinfected after about 2 weeks. So I purchased a Hanna HR copper checker that should help me out a lot...

So now to my question,
This is my first true QT tank, what parameters do I need to be looking out for? I let a sponge sit in my highly established nano for several days and put it in the back of the filter, atm the QT tank has a convict tang and a tasseled filefish, ammonia has been reading 0 but it’s making me nervous as I expect to be seeing some. I’m also dosing stability and prime daily, the plan right now is when my Hanna copper checker comes in, to slowly raise the copper on the new arrivals over the course of two weeks until it matches the display tank, then move them over, this is my last set of fish. I do plan to add a puffer, I pulled the trigger and grabbed one off divers den, I’m currently keeping him in the nano as he’s too tiny, my plan is to add him last after the rest of the fish have been added and copper is at therapeutic for 30 days. I’ll then remove the copper and add the puffer. Wish I didn’t listen to the stores that said it would be fine to drip acclimate them into the high copper... Does this sound like a good plan? Fish haven’t been reinfected since the last wave, the 3 fish in the tank are quite hardy so my assumption is that my copper is probably higher and the test kit wasn’t reading it.

also curious if the tasseled filefish or convict tang are particularly copper sensitive

 

[SourAngelfish]

I am also wondering if Cupramine is gonna read well on the Hanna tester and what it should be at?

 

[SourAngelfish]

My other option is running this as an observative quarantine until the main tank is done medicating... my bet is the convict tang will come down with something though. Thoughts?

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Hey guys, so I appreciate all of the help with my velvet/ich issue, still not sure what it was. Anyways I decided to setup a qt tank to start getting new fish ready while the display is still running medication... I discovered my issue, the seachem copper test would literally give completely different results within 5 minute ranges (test, get .5, test again 5 minutes later and get .2). So I assume my copper just was not right at all and that’s why the fish continued to be reinfected after about 2 weeks. So I purchased a Hanna HR copper checker that should help me out a lot...

So now to my question,
This is my first true QT tank, what parameters do I need to be looking out for? I let a sponge sit in my highly established nano for several days and put it in the back of the filter, atm the QT tank has a convict tang and a tasseled filefish, ammonia has been reading 0 but it’s making me nervous as I expect to be seeing some. I’m also dosing stability and prime daily, the plan right now is when my Hanna copper checker comes in, to slowly raise the copper on the new arrivals over the course of two weeks until it matches the display tank, then move them over, this is my last set of fish. I do plan to add a puffer, I pulled the trigger and grabbed one off divers den, I’m currently keeping him in the nano as he’s too tiny, my plan is to add him last after the rest of the fish have been added and copper is at therapeutic for 30 days. I’ll then remove the copper and add the puffer. Wish I didn’t listen to the stores that said it would be fine to drip acclimate them into the high copper... Does this sound like a good plan? Fish haven’t been reinfected since the last wave, the 3 fish in the tank are quite hardy so my assumption is that my copper is probably higher and the test kit wasn’t reading it.

also curious if the tasseled filefish or convict tang are particularly copper sensitive

Be sure not to use Prime and Cuprimine at the same time, it can release toxic amounts of copper.

Leaving a sponge filter in a tank for a few days is not long enough to populate it with nitrifiying bacteria. Be sure your ammonia test is a good one, as I expect that you will see a ammonia rise at some point.

Jay

 

[SourAngelfish]

Be sure not to use Prime and Cuprimine at the same time, it can release toxic amounts of copper.

Leaving a sponge filter in a tank for a few days is not long enough to populate it with nitrifiying bacteria. Be sure your ammonia test is a good one, as I expect that you will see a ammonia rise at some point.

Jay

Sounds good, ended up moving some year old matrix over as well so I’m sure that’ll help. Just tested and got .5 ammonia, did a 50% WC and dosed prime and stability...
Any tips on getting a convict tang to eat well? Looks like he maybe developing HLLE? He has only taken flakes the two days I’ve had him

 

[SourAngelfish]

Be sure not to use Prime and Cuprimine at the same time, it can release toxic amounts of copper.

Leaving a sponge filter in a tank for a few days is not long enough to populate it with nitrifiying bacteria. Be sure your ammonia test is a good one, as I expect that you will see a ammonia rise at some point.

Jay

So as of now my copper test won’t be arriving until Friday, thus I’m able to use prime, have been testing twice daily. What ammonia level with prime should I do a water change? I know it should be 0 if there’s copper in the tank but it’s currently at .25 and I’ve dosed prime. Is this considered safe?

 

[Jay Hemdal]

You need to keep the ammonia below 0.25, using prime, water changes or bacteria in a bottle.
HLLE is rare in convict tangs, and it won’t affect their appetite. What other foods have you tried?
Jay

 

[SourAngelfish]

You need to keep the ammonia below 0.25, using prime, water changes or bacteria in a bottle.
HLLE is rare in convict tangs, and it won’t affect their appetite. What other foods have you tried?
Jay

I’ve got just about anything you can think of and have tried a lot. Won’t take Nori or romaine soaked in garlic, no pellets, no fish frenzy, no black worms, no mysis, brine, only will take the flakes... maybe she’s just getting settled

 

[Jay Hemdal]

I’ve got just about anything you can think of and have tried a lot. Won’t take Nori or romaine soaked in garlic, no pellets, no fish frenzy, no black worms, no mysis, brine, only will take the flakes... maybe she’s just getting settled

Usually, these settle in within a day or 36 hours. If it is eating enough flakes to sustain it, and the flakes are a good brand, that is a nutritionally complete diet, so you should concentrate on the ammonia issue and what treatment(s) you plan to use.

Jay

 

[SourAngelfish]

Hanna checker came today... I now see why my puffer and tuskfish passed.. doubt it was the velvet, I think I was overdosing copper, the seachem test still looks like it’s reading .4 which is very frustrating

 

[SourAngelfish]

I’m going to finish out copper treatment in the main tank, drop it to 0, and add the rest of the fish if they appear disease free after the 2 weeks li have left

 

[SourAngelfish]

Will also be testing all my tanks with freshwater mollies so I can be 100% sure no velvet is present anywhere