Ich Treatment Diary(Polyp labs, neem oil, UV etc)

[TurdFerguson]

A couple more pics of both clowns. The sick clown seems in respitory distress but is eating well.

 

[TurdFerguson]

Peroxide is tricky - it oxidizes organics. As those are oxidized, more unreacted peroxide is left in the water. The net result is that peroxide becomes more toxic to the animals the longer you dose it. I no longer use peroxide unless I measure the residual with low range test strips (tough to find those though). Do you have any shrimp in the tank? They are really sensitive to unreacted peroxide - so if they die, you’ve gone too high with the dose.

I may be able to put together a small hospital tank for 42 days with the remaining fish. What size tank would I need to house 2 clowns, 2 PJs, and 1 Goby for 42 days? Would a 20 gallon get it done? I was thinking bare bottom with some PVC, and an air stone. Thoughts?

 

[Jay Hemdal]

I may be able to put together a small hospital tank for 42 days with the remaining fish. What size tank would I need to house 2 clowns, 2 PJs, and 1 Goby for 42 days? Would a 20 gallon get it done? I was thinking bare bottom with some PVC, and an air stone. Thoughts?

The shrimp still being alive likely means you have not overdosed the peroxide then (think of them like a canary in a coal mine).

A 20 long tank would work, a 20 high a bit less so. The trick will be though, getting an active bio-filter going in the new tank. So many times I've seen people try to set up a QT on the fly and then lose fish due to ammonia in the QT. If you have a good sponge filter or other biomedia that you can transfer from the DT, that will work. Relying on bottled bacteria and water changes to control the ammonia in the QT is risky.

 

[TurdFerguson]

The shrimp still being alive likely means you have not overdosed the peroxide then (think of them like a canary in a coal mine).

A 20 long tank would work, a 20 high a bit less so. The trick will be though, getting an active bio-filter going in the new tank. So many times I've seen people try to set up a QT on the fly and then lose fish due to ammonia in the QT. If you have a good sponge filter or other biomedia that you can transfer from the DT, that will work. Relying on bottled bacteria and water changes to control the ammonia in the QT is risky.

Thanks! I can move a sponge over, buy some of that bottled sea water, and move a couple gallons from the DT. Think that'll work? I was thinking of using the hyposalinity method. The research I read says to use 15%. Not sure exactly what means so i was going to use 1.015. Can I use that for the full 42 days safely with the fish? Any tips on this?

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Thanks! I can move a sponge over, buy some of that bottled sea water, and move a couple gallons from the DT. Think that'll work? I was thinking of using the hyposalinity method. The research I read says to use 15%. Not sure exactly what means so i was going to use 1.015. Can I use that for the full 42 days safely with the fish? Any tips on this?

Hyposalinity only works for ich and most flukes. It doesn’t work for velvet, Uronema or Brooklynella. I don’t think your fish have Uronema or velvet. However, if they have ich AND Brook, hypo won’t work for Brook. If they just have ich, then the standard hyposalinity is 30 days at a specific gravity of 1.009, measured VERY accurately, since 1,008 is tough on the fish and 1.010 may not control ich. There is an article at the top of the fish disease forum on hypo - I’m on my phone and can’t link it for you.

 

[TurdFerguson]

After

Hyposalinity only works for ich and most flukes. It doesn’t work for velvet, Uronema or Brooklynella. I don’t think your fish have Uronema or velvet. However, if they have ich AND Brook, hypo won’t work for Brook. If they just have ich, then the standard hyposalinity is 30 days at a specific gravity of 1.009, measured VERY accurately, since 1,008 is tough on the fish and 1.010 may not control ich. There is an article at the top of the fish disease forum on hypo - I’m on my phone and can’t link it for you.

After reading what you recommended I started the Hospital tank and added Cupramine at the recomended dosage. The parameters are the same as DT except the copper. I did this yesterday afternoon. The fish have yet to eat anything and seem very unhappy. I am monitoring amonia twice daily before and after work. No issues yet. I am worried about them. I put rocks in there for hiding. I took some rocks from the DT so there would be some bacteria. If they continue not to eat should I move them back? Do you think the glass bottom is confusing them? Thanks-Mike

 

[Jay Hemdal]

After

After reading what you recommended I started the Hospital tank and added Cupramine at the recomended dosage. The parameters are the same as DT except the copper. I did this yesterday afternoon. The fish have yet to eat anything and seem very unhappy. I am monitoring amonia twice daily before and after work. No issues yet. I am worried about them. I put rocks in there for hiding. I took some rocks from the DT so there would be some bacteria. If they continue not to eat should I move them back? Do you think the glass bottom is confusing them? Thanks-Mike

I suggest coppersafe or copper power over Cupramine. You can’t change that now though.

You need to run Cupramine at 0.5 to 0.6 ppm. You’ll need an accurate copper test to maintain the proper levels. Don’t use any reducing agents with it, at least not in excess. That includes Prime and other ammonia detoxfiers.

Moving the back would be a mistake - they will die without treatment. They may also die with treatment, but that is a better option overall.

As I had mentioned. This could be ich and brooklynella….copper won’t help with Brook though.

Just checking - you moved all fish to the treatment tank? What are you using to test for ammonia?

 

[TurdFerguson]

I suggest coppersafe or copper power over Cupramine. You can’t change that now though.

You need to run Cupramine at 0.5 to 0.6 ppm. You’ll need an accurate copper test to maintain the proper levels. Don’t use any reducing agents with it, at least not in excess. That includes Prime and other ammonia detoxfiers.

Moving the back would be a mistake - they will die without treatment. They may also die with treatment, but that is a better option overall.

As I had mentioned. This could be ich and brooklynella….copper won’t help with Brook though.

Just checking - you moved all fish to the treatment tank? What are you using to test for ammonia?

There are not many pet stores near me. All they had was Cupramine. They did not have any copper tests. They had one kind of amonia test strip and it was API I believe. I figured waiting on delivery was not a good idea. The Cupramine said not to use with other meds and the Brook at the store did not list Ich among the parasites that it treats.

 

[TurdFerguson]

There are not many pet stores near me. All they had was Cupramine. They did not have any copper tests. They had one kind of amonia test strip and it was API I believe. I figured waiting on delivery was not a good idea. The Cupramine said not to use with other meds and the Brook at the store did not list Ich among the parasites that it treats.

BTW, thanks for all your help! I dont wat to ever go through this again. I will nt add fish again until the fall. But I want to add parasite free fish. I heard Biota fish never come in contact with parasites. Is this true?

 

[Jay Hemdal]

BTW, thanks for all your help! I dont wat to ever go through this again. I will nt add fish again until the fall. But I want to add parasite free fish. I heard Biota fish never come in contact with parasites. Is this true?

Yes - Biota are fish are a good choice, so are some pre quarantined fish, like Dr Reef