Ok, so I thought I might chronicle my experience using the Ruby Reef Products. I'm sure I will have a questions regarding dosing and/or length of treatment as I go, so feedback is most welcome!
Treatments I have tried: Freshwater 5 minute dips, 2 rounds of PraziPro, CopperPower (on most fish). All fish were quarantined from 1 to 2 months while the 180 gal was cycling. I perform 10-25% water changes each week. API Furan2, MetroPlex, and KanaPlex in combination with FOCUS was added to frozen fish food for 15 days. Fish were then transferred to the 180 newly cycled tank. Within a few weeks, fish were itching again. I have some snails in the tank now, so I though I would try the Ruby Reef products next.
Symptoms developing in the 180 gallon tank: Hippo tang has a few white blotches on skin, almost like body flukes would look after a freshwater dip, but the fish had a freshwater dip for five minutes and the patches did not come off. The fish also flashes or itches gills and body. Sometimes the tang hovers in the power head stream to help with respiration, though velvet may not be the cause because the fish has had this problem for about three weeks now and it has not died. Velvet usually kills quickly. All fish are still eating. All other fish in the tank flash/ itch as well, with the worst signs of flashing observed by the Midas Blenny. No visible signs of parasites on the body of the blenny. No signs of flukes during the freshwater blenny's dip. Sometimes it looks almost as if there is a white fungal dusting covering the yellow tang's body, but then it seems to clear up in a few days. Typical white spots not visible on any fish...just a whitish coating covering the entire skin of some of the fish. The yellow eyed Kole has a bunchy abdominal area. I suspected internal parasites, but food meds did not correct the problem. Maybe the Kole is just a pig when it eats and a bunchy abdominal area is normal? The ruby headed fairy wrasse purchased almost looks as if it's back is broken. It eats well, went through CopperPower well, but still swims funny. I did more research and now suspect Ichthyophonus fungus, which according to information obtained from http://www.saltwater-aquarium-online-guide.com/fish-diseases-and-treatments/ this fungus can cause curvature of the spine and an odd swimming behavior. If this is the problem in my tank, all the fish are all probably doomed! The problem could also be bacterial in nature. Mycobacterium bacteria, for example, shows no visible outward signs on the fish until late stages except in fish behaviors. Paravortex flatworms or Monogenetic trematode worms are also suspect, even though I did the freshwater dip, the trematode worms may be too small to see.
So, I believe there are multiple problems going on and have decided to try another direction with treatment: Ruby Reef Kick Ick and Rally. At this point, I figure, what can it hurt? I will also try to catch the ruby headed wrasse and remove it from the tank if possible. Feedback on the Ruby Reef products for those of you who have tried them would be great!
I will update this thread as treatment progresses. I will also try to get some pictures up.
Saturday: Day one of treatment: Added Kick Ick and Rally as directed on bottle labels to the 180gal tank. I am using the dosing regiment for visible signs of illness listed on the bottle. All 7 turbo snails survived 1st treatment. All fish seem to be tolerating treatment well. All fish eating. Fish still flashing/itching.
Sunday: Day 2 of treatment: Added 2nd dose of Rally as directed. No visible changes in fish behaviors. Fish still itching and continue to visit power head stream from time to time to support respiration. Turbo snails still alive.
Monday: Day 3 of treatment: Added 3rd dose of Rally as directed. No visible changes in fish behaviors. Fish still itching. White patches still visible on Hippo tang. It may be my imagination, but fish seem to be visiting the power head less frequently. It's Monday, a work day for me, so I was not able to observe fish behaviors as much today. Turbo snails still alive.
On a positive note, the skimmer has finally calmed down for those of you who were helping out with my skimmer overflow problem. Even with the medication in the tank, the skimmer is settling down nicely, though it is setting in only 5 inches of water now and it should be in 8 inches of water. I am letting the skimmate go back in the sump right now to prevent removal of the medications.
Questions... For those of you who have used the Ruby Reef products before, when should I do a water change? How long is Kick ick active in the tank? How long is Rally active in the tank? The one bottle (I think it was the Kick Ick says a few rounds of treatment might be needed, but then in big bold lettering it warns that treatment should continue for two weeks after the last visible signs of illness are noted on the fish. Does that mean I repeat treatment one after the other without water changes for two full weeks after the last symptoms are noted, that I don't pause the treatment to allow any parasite eggs in the tank to hatch? I was under the impression that some types of eggs will only hatch after the meds are out of the tank. If this is true, pausing between treatments seems necessary. Still, what do I know. I've come to the conclusion that I'm terrible at keeping big saltwater fish. I never had these problems with my two little nanos. If I lose all fish again, I will probably leave the big tank hobby for good.
Treatments I have tried: Freshwater 5 minute dips, 2 rounds of PraziPro, CopperPower (on most fish). All fish were quarantined from 1 to 2 months while the 180 gal was cycling. I perform 10-25% water changes each week. API Furan2, MetroPlex, and KanaPlex in combination with FOCUS was added to frozen fish food for 15 days. Fish were then transferred to the 180 newly cycled tank. Within a few weeks, fish were itching again. I have some snails in the tank now, so I though I would try the Ruby Reef products next.
Symptoms developing in the 180 gallon tank: Hippo tang has a few white blotches on skin, almost like body flukes would look after a freshwater dip, but the fish had a freshwater dip for five minutes and the patches did not come off. The fish also flashes or itches gills and body. Sometimes the tang hovers in the power head stream to help with respiration, though velvet may not be the cause because the fish has had this problem for about three weeks now and it has not died. Velvet usually kills quickly. All fish are still eating. All other fish in the tank flash/ itch as well, with the worst signs of flashing observed by the Midas Blenny. No visible signs of parasites on the body of the blenny. No signs of flukes during the freshwater blenny's dip. Sometimes it looks almost as if there is a white fungal dusting covering the yellow tang's body, but then it seems to clear up in a few days. Typical white spots not visible on any fish...just a whitish coating covering the entire skin of some of the fish. The yellow eyed Kole has a bunchy abdominal area. I suspected internal parasites, but food meds did not correct the problem. Maybe the Kole is just a pig when it eats and a bunchy abdominal area is normal? The ruby headed fairy wrasse purchased almost looks as if it's back is broken. It eats well, went through CopperPower well, but still swims funny. I did more research and now suspect Ichthyophonus fungus, which according to information obtained from http://www.saltwater-aquarium-online-guide.com/fish-diseases-and-treatments/ this fungus can cause curvature of the spine and an odd swimming behavior. If this is the problem in my tank, all the fish are all probably doomed! The problem could also be bacterial in nature. Mycobacterium bacteria, for example, shows no visible outward signs on the fish until late stages except in fish behaviors. Paravortex flatworms or Monogenetic trematode worms are also suspect, even though I did the freshwater dip, the trematode worms may be too small to see.
So, I believe there are multiple problems going on and have decided to try another direction with treatment: Ruby Reef Kick Ick and Rally. At this point, I figure, what can it hurt? I will also try to catch the ruby headed wrasse and remove it from the tank if possible. Feedback on the Ruby Reef products for those of you who have tried them would be great!
I will update this thread as treatment progresses. I will also try to get some pictures up.
Saturday: Day one of treatment: Added Kick Ick and Rally as directed on bottle labels to the 180gal tank. I am using the dosing regiment for visible signs of illness listed on the bottle. All 7 turbo snails survived 1st treatment. All fish seem to be tolerating treatment well. All fish eating. Fish still flashing/itching.
Sunday: Day 2 of treatment: Added 2nd dose of Rally as directed. No visible changes in fish behaviors. Fish still itching and continue to visit power head stream from time to time to support respiration. Turbo snails still alive.
Monday: Day 3 of treatment: Added 3rd dose of Rally as directed. No visible changes in fish behaviors. Fish still itching. White patches still visible on Hippo tang. It may be my imagination, but fish seem to be visiting the power head less frequently. It's Monday, a work day for me, so I was not able to observe fish behaviors as much today. Turbo snails still alive.
On a positive note, the skimmer has finally calmed down for those of you who were helping out with my skimmer overflow problem. Even with the medication in the tank, the skimmer is settling down nicely, though it is setting in only 5 inches of water now and it should be in 8 inches of water. I am letting the skimmate go back in the sump right now to prevent removal of the medications.
Questions... For those of you who have used the Ruby Reef products before, when should I do a water change? How long is Kick ick active in the tank? How long is Rally active in the tank? The one bottle (I think it was the Kick Ick says a few rounds of treatment might be needed, but then in big bold lettering it warns that treatment should continue for two weeks after the last visible signs of illness are noted on the fish. Does that mean I repeat treatment one after the other without water changes for two full weeks after the last symptoms are noted, that I don't pause the treatment to allow any parasite eggs in the tank to hatch? I was under the impression that some types of eggs will only hatch after the meds are out of the tank. If this is true, pausing between treatments seems necessary. Still, what do I know. I've come to the conclusion that I'm terrible at keeping big saltwater fish. I never had these problems with my two little nanos. If I lose all fish again, I will probably leave the big tank hobby for good.
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