Many times I'm inspired to write threads by what I've read in other post here, I was going to do a thread on ammonia, but decide to expand it to a more complete guide on an observational qt, IMO. I do strongly believe in a qt for lions, eels, and other predatory fish I often refer to. These species many times come in with internal parasites and need to be initially fed live food. The qt will serve not only to assure health but to establish a feeding regime that can sometimes be difficult to establish in a dt.
SET UP; a small lion, scorp, or angler would be just fine in a 10g. Eels will do better in something longer like a 20l. Filtration is paramount, this is the failure of many qts, even those not focusing on predatory fish. While a sponge filter may work, I highly suggest a small hob filter filled with biomedia like Seachem matrix. Because this is an observational qt, some rock woukd be fine and is good to create caves and perching spots. Calculate actual water volume in case you need to treat with general cure or prazipro. I run my observational like a smaller version of my display, making them comfortable and less stressed will contribute to a better outcome. This is an observational qt not a hospital tank, so if meds like an antibiotic is require the rock and any substrate must be removed or the fish will have to moved to an actual hospital tank.
AMMONIA, this is why it is very impotant to have a fully cycled tank with an abundance of biomedia even including rock. A sponge filter likely will not be able to handle the ammonia spikes produced by the ammonia spike due to elimination. Just as they guys gorge their meals, meaning large meals all at once, they also produce a large amount of waste all at once. I have known many times a fish coming in eating good, fed a good meal, then a couple of days later, dead out of the blue. When the fish eliminated it produced such a high ammonia spike the filter couldn't handle it, and it killed the fish. This is a very common mistake so many people make with their qts. An inadequate filter may eliminate enough ammonia as not to immediately kill the fish, but prolonged lower levels of ammonia will eventually kill them. This lower level of ammonia also weakens the fish and allows other issues to surface. If you are concerned, daily testing for ammonia is not a bad idea, and immediate action taken even with a trace of ammonia, through water changes.
GENERAL CURE and PRAZIPRO; while I do an observation and only treat when necessary, these meds are safe to use prophylactically. Internal parasites and even flukes can be a common occurrence, so be prepared. This is where the calculation of water volume comes in handy, you want to dose these meds to water volume, not tank size. These meds have been proven to safe as long as they are dosed properly. Aeration and proper dosage are the main 2 points. I have seen some species of scorps, the rhino and yellow spot, as well as anglers react negatively to a full dose, initially. These were fish that had to be treated and their reaction could also be influenced by their illness. I found them to handle the meds by splitting the dose into 3rds and administering it over 12-24 hours. If after offering the appropriate live foods and they refuse to eat, I start general no longer than 24 hrs later. The longer you wait, the more your chances of success decline. While general cure does contain praziquental, I have found prazipro be more effective for flukes.
PROTOZOAN diseases, ich or velvet. If you get a healthy lion, eating well, then honestly, you should have no concern over protozoan disease. Lions and scorps have a super slime coating that will shed off when attacked by a protozoan disease, if they are healthy in good water conditions, this should not be a concern. And eels are even more resistant. If you visually see the indicators of a protozoan disease you better act very quickly or it will be too late. Once a visual sign has presented itself, the fish is likely already in a state of poor health, and the outcome many times is not good. These diseases are hard to see on many scorps and anglers because of the texture of their skin. Even though to this very day i still get push back from the disease forum on using copper on these species, all I have to say is "good luck". If you spot visual clues or are overly concerned of spreading a protozoan disease to your display, then hyposalinity is a good option. This will not handle velvet but will handle ich, honestly if it's velvet and you see it, it's likely too late. There's a sticky in the disease forum on hyposalinity. Be AWARE that your water quality will suffer when placed in hypo, the diversity of the bacteria will die off in a lower salinity. I strongly suggest daily if not bi-daily ammonia test. I have transferred lions, scorps, and eels from tanks with protazoan diseases and none of them were ever affected. Mind you this has to be immediately, and I do mean immediately.
ACTION and HONESTY, you would be surprised how many times I've responded to individuals and find them still discussing it days later in the disease forum. I have literally recommended treatment with general cure for a lion not eating and find days later them having a discussion with people recommending garlic. Individuals also need to be complete in their description of the situation. I have literally had people ask for help and it takes several post to even find out the tank is in hyposalinity, or they are not forthcoming about copper treatment. You are what you eat, yes feeding rosies or a dominant krill diet does make a difference.
SET UP; a small lion, scorp, or angler would be just fine in a 10g. Eels will do better in something longer like a 20l. Filtration is paramount, this is the failure of many qts, even those not focusing on predatory fish. While a sponge filter may work, I highly suggest a small hob filter filled with biomedia like Seachem matrix. Because this is an observational qt, some rock woukd be fine and is good to create caves and perching spots. Calculate actual water volume in case you need to treat with general cure or prazipro. I run my observational like a smaller version of my display, making them comfortable and less stressed will contribute to a better outcome. This is an observational qt not a hospital tank, so if meds like an antibiotic is require the rock and any substrate must be removed or the fish will have to moved to an actual hospital tank.
AMMONIA, this is why it is very impotant to have a fully cycled tank with an abundance of biomedia even including rock. A sponge filter likely will not be able to handle the ammonia spikes produced by the ammonia spike due to elimination. Just as they guys gorge their meals, meaning large meals all at once, they also produce a large amount of waste all at once. I have known many times a fish coming in eating good, fed a good meal, then a couple of days later, dead out of the blue. When the fish eliminated it produced such a high ammonia spike the filter couldn't handle it, and it killed the fish. This is a very common mistake so many people make with their qts. An inadequate filter may eliminate enough ammonia as not to immediately kill the fish, but prolonged lower levels of ammonia will eventually kill them. This lower level of ammonia also weakens the fish and allows other issues to surface. If you are concerned, daily testing for ammonia is not a bad idea, and immediate action taken even with a trace of ammonia, through water changes.
GENERAL CURE and PRAZIPRO; while I do an observation and only treat when necessary, these meds are safe to use prophylactically. Internal parasites and even flukes can be a common occurrence, so be prepared. This is where the calculation of water volume comes in handy, you want to dose these meds to water volume, not tank size. These meds have been proven to safe as long as they are dosed properly. Aeration and proper dosage are the main 2 points. I have seen some species of scorps, the rhino and yellow spot, as well as anglers react negatively to a full dose, initially. These were fish that had to be treated and their reaction could also be influenced by their illness. I found them to handle the meds by splitting the dose into 3rds and administering it over 12-24 hours. If after offering the appropriate live foods and they refuse to eat, I start general no longer than 24 hrs later. The longer you wait, the more your chances of success decline. While general cure does contain praziquental, I have found prazipro be more effective for flukes.
PROTOZOAN diseases, ich or velvet. If you get a healthy lion, eating well, then honestly, you should have no concern over protozoan disease. Lions and scorps have a super slime coating that will shed off when attacked by a protozoan disease, if they are healthy in good water conditions, this should not be a concern. And eels are even more resistant. If you visually see the indicators of a protozoan disease you better act very quickly or it will be too late. Once a visual sign has presented itself, the fish is likely already in a state of poor health, and the outcome many times is not good. These diseases are hard to see on many scorps and anglers because of the texture of their skin. Even though to this very day i still get push back from the disease forum on using copper on these species, all I have to say is "good luck". If you spot visual clues or are overly concerned of spreading a protozoan disease to your display, then hyposalinity is a good option. This will not handle velvet but will handle ich, honestly if it's velvet and you see it, it's likely too late. There's a sticky in the disease forum on hyposalinity. Be AWARE that your water quality will suffer when placed in hypo, the diversity of the bacteria will die off in a lower salinity. I strongly suggest daily if not bi-daily ammonia test. I have transferred lions, scorps, and eels from tanks with protazoan diseases and none of them were ever affected. Mind you this has to be immediately, and I do mean immediately.
ACTION and HONESTY, you would be surprised how many times I've responded to individuals and find them still discussing it days later in the disease forum. I have literally recommended treatment with general cure for a lion not eating and find days later them having a discussion with people recommending garlic. Individuals also need to be complete in their description of the situation. I have literally had people ask for help and it takes several post to even find out the tank is in hyposalinity, or they are not forthcoming about copper treatment. You are what you eat, yes feeding rosies or a dominant krill diet does make a difference.
