Please Review My Quarantine Procedure

[nickkohrn]

I am currently battling Pyramid Snails, Acropora-Eating Flatworms, and Acoel Flatworms in my display system. I recently removed all Montipora frags from that system due to Montipora-Eating Nudibranchs. Needless to say, even after dipping in Dr G's SPS & LPS Coral Dip Solution and CoralRx Coral Dip, I ended up with an army of pests. I will be dipping all corals in Melafix prior to starting a daily treatment regiment with Korallen-Zucht Flatworm Stop and Korallen-Zucht Coral Booster. This led to me to search for a fish that targets these pests. So, I began searching for a Six Line Wrasse (Pseudocheilinus hexataenia) at local shops. Unfortunately, I have been unable to find any. However, I did come across, and purchase, a similar species yesterday — a Scarlet Pin Stripe Wrasse (Pseudocheilinus evanidus).

I have been cycling bio balls, MarinePure spheres, and a MarinePure plate for more than one month, which will be going into a frag system that I am in the process of building. Yesterday evening, I set up my spare 24g AQUATOP all-in-one aquarium with glass lid, put roughly fifty bio balls into a rear chamber, added PVC fittings, acclimated the wrasse, and monitored it for a short amount of time prior to going to bed. I checked on the wrasse after waking today, and it is still alive and moving about cautiously. I added some PolypLab Polyp-Booster to the tank to trigger a feeding response to ensure the wrasse still exhibits a feeding response, which it did.

So, here is where my plans for quarantine begin. I am requesting your feedback to ensure that I give the wrasse the best chance at survival.

For the first week, I plan to simply observe the fish to ensure it swims and eats normally. The following week, I will mix frozen foods with API General Cure and Seachem Focus to treat for intestinal worms and internal parasites, for a total of two weeks since the fish is currently producing healthy-looking feces. I will also be dosing General Cure it to the water to treat external worms, following instructions in @Humblefish's article about Praziquantel.

After the General Cure treatment, I will begin a copper treatment, utilizing my Hanna Checker and Endich Copper Power and following instructions in @Humblefish's article about copper treatments.

Following the copper treatment, I will observe the wrasse for another thirty days to ensure the absence of signs and symptoms of parasites and diseases. If no signs or symptoms are present, then I will move the wrasse into the frag system.

Do you see anything wrong with the quarantine procedure that I have outlined above?

 

[Big G]

Plan looks good. When adding the copper, especially with wrasses, it's important to use several small doses spread out throughout the day rather than a large dose. Some fish, especially wrasses, can be sensitive to copper. So small doses allows you the luxury of observing the fish as the concentration of copper gets closer to therapeutic level. The Hanna is a true blessing and Copper Power is great.
Did you actually measure the QT tank to check for actual water capacity? I have measured several and they vary quite a bit. I also marked the glass in 5 gallon increments. Makes it easy to measure for water changes and dosing meds/copper.
Best of luck.

 

[nickkohrn]

Did you actually measure the QT tank to check for actual water capacity? I have measured several and they vary quite a bit. I also marked the glass in 5 gallon increments. Makes it easy to measure for water changes and dosing meds/copper.
Best of luck.

Oh, I didn’t do that.

I will slowly increase the copper level over a few days to ensure a gradual acclimation for the wrasse. Also, I may mark the inside of two five-gallon buckets so that I know how much water to drain and add during water-changes. I could mark them at the capacity of four gallons, which would help when calculating how much copper to add to the new water before adding it to the tank.

 

[Big G]

Also, do you have any Seachem Prime and an ammonia alert badge in the QT? You can dose Prime with Copper Power to control ammonia levels if needed.

 

[nickkohrn]

Also, do you have any Seachem Prime and an ammonia alert badge in the QT? You can dose Prime with Copper Power to control ammonia levels if needed.

I do have Prime, but I need to get a Seachem badge. I’m hoping that the bacteria-laden bio-balls will be able to handle the bio-load, even through the copper treatment.

 

[Big G]

I do have Prime, but I need to get a Seachem badge. I’m hoping that the bacteria-laden bio-balls will be able to handle the bio-load, even through the copper treatment.

I've had problems with both Bio-balls and Marinepure plates in copper tanks. They have turned gooey green and ammonia spikes. So I tossed them. Switched to Fuval Biomax ceramic in a mesh bag in the HOB filter. Works great. Humblefish has also done great with a mesh bag of Seachem Matrix.

 

[nickkohrn]

I've had problems with both Bio-balls and Marinepure plates in copper tanks. They have turned gooey green and ammonia spikes. So I tossed them. Switched to Fuval Biomax ceramic in a mesh bag in the HOB filter. Works great. Humblefish has also done great with a mesh bag of Seachem Matrix.

Oh, I appreciate the heads-up about that. I’ll pick up some of the ceramic media that you mentioned. I’ll push back copper treatment for a week or two, if needed, to give the media a chance to be colonized so that it can handle ammonia better should I need to trash the bio-balls.

 

[MERKEY]

Sounds like a plan!

The only thing I would suggest is try to only treat the fish for what it needs

You should be able to tell that within the observation period.

Wouldnt wat to add more stress than is needed.

 

[nickkohrn]

Sounds like a plan!

The only thing I would suggest is try to only treat the fish for what it needs

You should be able to tell that within the observation period.

Wouldnt wat to add more stress than is needed.

That’s why I get so confused about this topic. I’ve added fish to my system after only observation before, and I’ve also used prophylactic treatments. I know that wrasses are typically more sensitive, so I wouldn’t mind mitigating stress, but I want to ensure that I don’t add it to the system after observation only to have it show signs of disease or parasites because they were hidden during observation.

I definitely have mixed feelings about this topic, which makes deciding which path to take more challenging.

 

[MERKEY]

That’s why I get so confused about this topic. I’ve added fish to my system after only observation before, and I’ve also used prophylactic treatments. I know that wrasses are typically more sensitive, so I wouldn’t mind mitigating stress, but I want to ensure that I don’t add it to the system after observation only to have it show signs of disease or parasites because they were hidden during observation.

I definitely have mixed feelings about this topic, which makes deciding which path to take more challenging.

I feel ya on this one!

With humblefishes (and many others on this site) help I am about 8 weeks into a fallow period due to what I think is velvet and ich.

So I put all my guys through 30 days of copper. Then saw white poop on my flame angel and flukes on clowns. Treated all with 2 rounds of each metro, GC, and prazi.

At this point I am in the same boat as you and will QUARENTINE EVERYTHING.

But the level of Quarentine is where I want to be sure I dont make myself crazy.

I will put every one through the 1 week observation as you and then 14 days of copper regardless. Then another 14 days in separate tank using TTM to observe and get eating again. As for other meds I think I will only use as necessary. So if I notice stringy white poop we treat, If someone is swimming into powerheads, we treat.

I want to be proactive as much as possible but with a sensitive fish there has got to be a sensitive approach. Wrasse are as stated very sensitive and make it more difficult. Definitely not impossible but for the first timer quarantining it can be a little daunting. I am no expert but I would suggest a longer observation time before and after copper treatment and a week break between meds to gain strength back and to make sure it is eating.

Good luck with this little guy and pics if you got em

 

[nickkohrn]

I feel ya on this one!

With humblefishes (and many others on this site) help I am about 8 weeks into a fallow period due to what I think is velvet and ich.

So I put all my guys through 30 days of copper. Then saw white poop on my flame angel and flukes on clowns. Treated all with 2 rounds of each metro, GC, and prazi.

At this point I am in the same boat as you and will QUARENTINE EVERYTHING.

But the level of Quarentine is where I want to be sure I dont make myself crazy.

I will put every one through the 1 week observation as you and then 14 days of copper regardless. Then another 14 days in separate tank using TTM to observe and get eating again. As for other meds I think I will only use as necessary. So if I notice stringy white poop we treat, If someone is swimming into powerheads, we treat.

I want to be proactive as much as possible but with a sensitive fish there has got to be a sensitive approach. Wrasse are as stated very sensitive and make it more difficult. Definitely not impossible but for the first timer quarantining it can be a little daunting. I am no expert but I would suggest a longer observation time before and after copper treatment and a week break between meds to gain strength back and to make sure it is eating.

Good luck with this little guy and pics if you got em

Thank you!

I am using the light fixture that came with the AQUATOP aquarium, so I have been keeping only the blues on so that it can get used to its surroundings without feeling quite as exposed.

It's likely that you can see some pyramid snails on the rear wall. I brushed some off of a snail in my main system so that I could see if the wrasse would be interested in them. Unfortunately, it took one into its mouth before quickly releasing it back into the water.

Sorry for the annoying audio in the following video. I forgot to remove the noise before uploading it.