2 new GIGS

[Rmckoy]

Ok guys , I decided that since this thread may NOT have a happy ending (based on the way they looked at noon today) that i would post a pic of this evening ..top down ..midway through water change..

They really don’t look that bad ..

 

[krak256]

My hypothesis is that the pathogen is directly linked to the zooxanthellae within the anemone. The reason I believe this is because ALL sick gigs expel what we think is dead zoox-- and it always looks the same-- brown specks or pieces that resemble rat/mouse poop. I've never seen a healthy anemone expel anything similar. So, I think what's happening is the zoox become infected and/or dies so the anemone expels it. But, during transport, I suspect that anemones have the ability to sense how much water they're in (possibly due to osmotic pressure) so they hold on to the dead zoox which makes the problem worse (since the pathogen multiplies within the anemone). Many times the bags are cloudy, but I rarely see the dead zoox in the bag. It's only when they begin the QT process that we start to see them expel dead zoox.

Furthermore, in my experience, bleached gigs tend to fare better during the QT process, and again, I believe this is due to the fact that there is connection between the pathogen and zoox. Since the gig is bleached--it has less zoox and therefore less for the pathogen to infect. Cipro tends to bleach gigs in the QT process, which I actually think is a good thing. Once they begin to recover, the zoox population quickly returns.

In short, I do think they build up immunity, but in an indirect way. I think they expel the dead zoox, and with the pathogen gone (or mostly gone), the gig can begin the recovery process. The zoox that begins to grow is healthy, and has the ability to fight off the pathogen. It's like ich--healthy fish typically have the ability to fight it and they survive, while stressed fish that may have other ailments have a harder time fighting off the ich, and sometimes succumb to the pathogen.

Again--this is my hypothesis and simply based on my experience and observation. I've probably QTed at least 30 or so gigs, and my success rate is rather low--probably less than 30% have survived.

@D-Nak is the success rate really that low? even with cipro treatment?

 

[D-Nak]

@D-Nak is the success rate really that low? even with cipro treatment?

That's my success rate. I've been doing this for years, and whenever I saw one, no matter the condition, I'd try to save them. This was also when I could get them for a lot less money than they cost now, so these days even when I see them, I pass.

Cipro treatment only works if you catch it in time, and a lot of times they actually look pretty good so new owners add them to their DTs. It's only after the gig deflates a few times before they start treatment and many times this is already too late.