SHRIMPOCALYPSE! Help Water Testing. Mean Clownfish.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Dec 1, 2016

FWIW, a copper test kit cannot accurately test low enough to say water is OK for a reef tank. They are intended for monitored medication levels when treating fish.

If you detect any with a kit in a reef tank, it is too much, but detecting none is not an assurance of being OK.

cmcoker · Dec 1, 2016

I noticed a dog bone carpet in one of your pictures, any chance this happened around the time you maybe put flea prevention on one of your pets? Frontline, pet armor, many flea controls use fipronil as the main ingredient and it can definitely kill shrimp, I've seen it happen at work..
It's also difficult to wash off your hands...

Sarah007 · Dec 6, 2016

Copper test came back all clear. Very observant! Interesting on the dog flea prevention possibility. It is 100% possible I put frontline on the dogs, pet them over the next few days, and then put my hand in the tank. Is the flea prevention still likely to be transported to the tank if it has dried on the dogs before petting them? Do you know how long the fipronil will linger in the tank if that was the culprit? It does not seem to have an effect on snails or the emerald crab.

cmcoker · Dec 6, 2016

Sarah007 said:
Copper test came back all clear. Very observant! Interesting on the dog flea prevention possibility. It is 100% possible I put frontline on the dogs, pet them over the next few days, and then put my hand in the tank. Is the flea prevention still likely to be transported to the tank if it has dried on the dogs before petting them? Do you know how long the fipronil will linger in the tank if that was the culprit? It does not seem to have an effect on snails or the emerald crab.

It should only be an issue while there is the oily spot on their shoulders, once that is gone if should be fine. I handle dogs all day at work with no issues, and a lot of them have frontline applied regularly. It's really when you get it on your hands during application that I'd be concerned. If I have to apply frontline spray to a patient, I wear gloves and don't put my hands in the tank until I've showered.
I'd just run some carbon and call it good, maybe wait a while to add any shrimps to give time for water changes to dilute as well.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Dec 7, 2016

Sarah007 said:
Copper test came back all clear. .

What test? A hobby kit isn't useful in this context.

Goby-won · Dec 13, 2016

Sarah007 said:
Update on the mean clown situation: The female clown served about 20 days in the isolation cage before being set free. It seems to have completely eliminated the aggression the clown was showing towards the wrasse. In fact, the wrasse is officially the third wheel with the clowns. He "schools" with them non stop and they seem to have accepted him. Still waiting to add shrimp, finally ordered a copper test and should have it by Friday.

Congratulations on your success PRISON REFORM. You have proven it can be done.