Quarantining macroalgae??
- Thread starter kevsqn
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It could inadvertently contain free swimmers in some droplets of water, but not the tomont (encysted) stage. I recommend:
- Isolating the macroalgae to a bucket of water for 48 hrs (to starve out any Crypto free swimmers)
- Rinsing/dipping it with DT water to "wash away" any free swimmers
2 days for ich, but 15 for velvet if you wanted to be totally safe. So, you could just stick it in a fishless frag tank for 15 days.
Velvet (a dinoflagellate) free swimmers have the advantage of using photosynthesis to obtain energy, something ich (a true parasite) theronts cannot do. So this is why velvet dinospores can survive longer (15 days) without a fish host to feed upon before dying out.
What about any pods that may be inhabiting the macro algae? Could their exoskeleton not carry tomonts? And if you attempt to rinse how can you be sure you have removed all the pods and/or free swimmers?
In theory yes, pods could host tomonts since they are a crustacean with an exoskeleton.
I guess a coral dip would be in order to kill any pods. I did (accidentally) dip some chaeto in Bayer one time and it survived.
In theory yes, pods could host tomonts since they are a crustacean with an exoskeleton.
Perhaps I am thinking this thru too much...dead or alive if a single pod with a single tomont is introduced to your DT system or a single free swimmer manages to survive a rinse...you now risk introduction of ICH and/or Velvet to your fish.
If your DT is parasite free, you can use some water from tank to QT the algae when you perform WC, it will be filled with nutrients that will help the algae to grow in QT.
I think a small bucket with a cheap light (make sure it has good photosynthetic spectrum, the closer to violet and the further from green the better) and DT for 15 days should make you good to go, maybe transfer to a bucket after a week to ensure the parasites remain in old water, and then by the next week you will be good to go.
Best of luck
I think a small bucket with a cheap light (make sure it has good photosynthetic spectrum, the closer to violet and the further from green the better) and DT for 15 days should make you good to go, maybe transfer to a bucket after a week to ensure the parasites remain in old water, and then by the next week you will be good to go.
Best of luck
That's what I am thinking. Will also drive my invertebrate QT procedure because unless nothing is added within a given 76 day period you never know for sure wether or not any free swimmers may be present in the water column. You can count days on a calendar but you can't easily see the free swimmers.
Humblefish would say I am OCD. But he would be wrong--it's really C-D-O!
Ok so qt for 15 days is safe or not? What if tank is only 4.5 weeks out from having a fish in it and not 100% sure if it's ich free? Full of pods and a couple snails as well as a few corals. Or can it be placed in a bucket of new water for 15 days? Rinsed well then placed in clean water?
I'm currently trying to QT all fish and allow DT to remain fallow to clear it of any ich or diseases. I have already gone through TTM and internal parasite treatment and don't want to introduce possibly infected algae and have to start over.
I'm currently trying to QT all fish and allow DT to remain fallow to clear it of any ich or diseases. I have already gone through TTM and internal parasite treatment and don't want to introduce possibly infected algae and have to start over.
15 days only works under the following circumstances:
- You are using copper or CP to treat for external parasites (e.g. ich, velvet).
- You test your Cu level each & every day to ensure it remains therapeutic for the entire 15 days. With CP, it is best to use a newly setup QT to ensure biofilm isn't breaking the medication down.
- On Day 15, transfer the fish only to another QT at least 10 feet away from the treatment tank.
- This process does not eliminate worms, bacterial infections and other diseases. Ich & velvet only.
@Humblefish What about other pests? How do I ensure there is no aptasia, red bugs, flat worms, etc. in the macro? I'm read that macro is a common transfer method for pests. Is there a way to cleanse the chaeto to eliminate or largely reduce chances of pest transfer?
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