So here's my question... When in the lifespan of your reef tank, and how, do you 'prevent' parasites. In the short lifespan of my 7 gallon reef, since February, I have lost 2 clownfish. Both lasted approximately 2 months while another I got at the start of the tank is still in it and appears healthy as ever. Both clowns I lost had no outward signs of parasites aside from appearing sort of skinny. I took my clown out of DT today and placed him in a 1 gallon hospital bucket with a bubbler and heater and he seemed to be rebounding a bit. Went on a 911 call, I'm a paramedic, stopped at LFS on way home and bought a bottle of paragard I was going to dose bucket with. Got home, clown was dead so didn't have a chance to try it. This fish was completely healthy and ate this AM then just sort of started listing around the tank throughout the morning until I pulled him out. What should I have done to prevent these deaths or treated when I noticed it? I want to learn so please let me have what you got!
When do you 'prevent' parasites?
- Thread starter M3d1C
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h2so4hurts
Active Member
What else did you have in the bucket? Just aeration?? He probably died of ammonia toxicity if you didn't have ammolock or other ammonia reducer in there. I use 10 gallon Sterilite tubs from Walmart for QT.
piranhaman00
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You need an at least 10 gallon QT tank. Treat all fish for parasites with copper or chloroquine. Large UV is also said to help, I do both 
Thanks for your service doing this difficult time.
Thanks for your service doing this difficult time.
ReeferWarrant
Valuable Member
May have added stress to it too by not giving it anywhere to hide. The PVC in @h2so4hurts picture is a good means of giving them shelter. How old is your tank? What are the parameters of the tank? (Salinity, Temp, Ammonia, Nitrates)
Would he have died of ammonia toxicity in just a few hours? Don't they live in bags for over the world flights longer than that without any aeration or anything?What else did you have in the bucket? Just aeration?? He probably died of ammonia toxicity if you didn't have ammolock or other ammonia reducer in there. I use 10 gallon Sterilite tubs from Walmart for QT.
ReeferWarrant
Valuable Member
The biggest thing to insure no parasites is by QT them like above. If they have been in the tank and it was in fact parasites, then the tank is infected. I havent dealt with that yet but I would look up how to mitigate that.
h2so4hurts
Active Member
Definitely. When suppliers ship by air they fill the bags with pure oxygen and sometimes include ammonia lockers.
Sebastiancrab
2500 Club Member
See my threads on treating ick and velvet for your tank if you have no coral. The experts came to the rescue! I came down with it this past weekend and am now using Paraguard in my DT. Luckily, I caught it the first day.
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