Parasites in my tank & How do I setup medicine/qt tank?

[leilanastasia]

Alright, so I have parasite outbreaks like ich. I am wondering what is the best way to setup a medicine/quarantine tank. I got a Fluval over the back filter and took the carbon out and instead put in zeolite for the ammonia. I also have a heater and airstone. Does the tank itself need to cycle like a display? If I'm being completely honest, I have no idea.. Just don't want my fish to die if I put 'em in there. Gotta do it right. I'm pretty new to the hobby, 6 months in. I have a reef safe ich medication (medic from polyp lab) on the way but since I live in AK it is going to take at least a week before it gets here. Right now though, I've only got Paraguard on hand and it's definitely not reef safe lol. I also have a UV sterilizer on the way to hopefully help with the parasites? I don't believe it will completely eradicate them but maybe it will help with the population? Lmk please

Basically, if I have parasites in my water like ich, and other internal parasitic bacteria, does the bacteria just stay in there and reproduce more? What else, if anything, do I need for the medicine/quarantine tank? Do I need to cycle the quarantine/medicine tank or can I just put a fish in right away? Will the UV sterilizer work decently to get the population down on the parasites? How long should I be quarantining and/or medicating fish for in the qt tank?

If you guys have any recommendations and ideas, I have open ears.

 

[Suohhen]

The only way to guarantee ich is out of the mt is by following a strict fallow period but by no means do you have to do so. Many people simply do everything they can to keep the fish healthy and ich shouldn't be a problem. It is really a personal choice on what you want to do. Check out the fish disease forum on this site. It is full of everything you'd ever want to know about disease and treatment.
As for Qt as long as you dose nitrifying bacteria, live is best such as Dr tims or fluval, and something like prime you can add fish right away, just take it slow and keep up on water changes especially at the beginning.
I know this hobby can be tuff but your keeping a positive additude and seeking help so you'll be fine.

 

[fishguy242]

hi ,read this at atop of forum,post as much info as you can,pics help too,best wishes,
try to post asap,experts will come asap..
@Jay Hemdal @vetteguy53081

 

[leilanastasia]

The only way to guarantee ich is out of the mt is by following a strict fallow period but by no means do you have to do so. Many people simply do everything they can to keep the fish healthy and ich shouldn't be a problem. It is really a personal choice on what you want to do. Check out the fish disease forum on this site. It is full of everything you'd ever want to know about disease and treatment.
As for Qt as long as you dose nitrifying bacteria, live is best such as Dr tims or fluval, and something like prime you can add fish right away, just take it slow and keep up on water changes especially at the beginning.
I know this hobby can be tuff but your keeping a positive additude and seeking help so you'll be fine.

Thanks! I think I'll just do a fallow period, might as well.

 

[leilanastasia]

Another question about quarantine tanks; Will any implements, thermometer, airstones, and air tubing, need to be sterilized after being with a sick parasite infested fish? Will I need to throw out all my bio media/filtration and then sterilize the hanging back filter itself as well? Also how long does one quarantine fish for? Can you medicate a healthy fish automatically once in quarantine?

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Another question about quarantine tanks; Will any implements, thermometer, airstones, and air tubing, need to be sterilized after being with a sick parasite infested fish? Will I need to throw out all my bio media/filtration and then sterilize the hanging back filter itself as well? Also how long does one quarantine fish for? Can you medicate a healthy fish automatically once in quarantine?

Never transfer an item between tanks (nets, your hands, etc.) Treat anything that has been in an exposed tank by putting it through a fallow period (45+ days). You can sterilize items that need to be moved, but it is better to have dedicated equipment for each tank.

Yes - you should always medicate new fish as a preventative. Here is my basic quarantine protocol:

30 days with Coppersafe (and a good test kit to measure it)
3 prazipro treatments, a week apart
2 weeks of observation
a 5 minute freshwater dip to screen for flukes, then move them into the exhibit.


This happens to coincide well with a fallow period for the tank (as long as the water is kept at 81 degreees).

Jay

 

[Storm Trooper Reefer]

Short answer, yes. I use a 10g with HOB for QT. New recruits get about 2 weeks to acclimate before going into DT. Ich has like a 3 month life cycle. Between uses of my QT, I run it with fresh water, carbon and some vinegar for a day or two before drying it out and storing. The salifert ammonia detection badges are a good tool. Only advice is keep it simple and do one thing at a time. Don’t mix medications, if it can avoided. Good luck.

 

[leilanastasia]

Short answer, yes. I use a 10g with HOB for QT. New recruits get about 2 weeks to acclimate before going into DT. Ich has like a 3 month life cycle. Between uses of my QT, I run it with fresh water, carbon and some vinegar for a day or two before drying it out and storing. The salifert ammonia detection badges are a good tool. Only advice is keep it simple and do one thing at a time. Don’t mix medications, if it can avoided. Good luck.

Thank u! So after one fish goes in from say a pet store and it’s done being medicated/qt’d, you’ll want to take it down, clean everything and start again before putting a second into quarantine? Or can you put in a second fish right after the first?

 

[leilanastasia]

Do you guys recommend a 76 day fallow period?

 

[leilanastasia]

Never transfer an item between tanks (nets, your hands, etc.) Treat anything that has been in an exposed tank by putting it through a fallow period (45+ days). You can sterilize items that need to be moved, but it is better to have dedicated equipment for each tank.

Yes - you should always medicate new fish as a preventative. Here is my basic quarantine protocol:

30 days with Coppersafe (and a good test kit to measure it)
3 prazipro treatments, a week apart
2 weeks of observation
a 5 minute freshwater dip to screen for flukes, then move them into the exhibit.


This happens to coincide well with a fallow period for the tank (as long as the water is kept at 81 degreees).

Jay

Amazing advice

 

[vetteguy53081]

Do you guys recommend a 76 day fallow period?

The new industry standard is 45-60 days fallow.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Thank u! So after one fish goes in from say a pet store and it’s done being medicated/qt’d, you’ll want to take it down, clean everything and start again before putting a second into quarantine? Or can you put in a second fish right after the first?

You can place additional fish in QT tank after but do a good siphoning to assure and dead cysts or trophants are removed.