QT Tank Sterilization

[SaracensRugby]

Ok, just had issue in my QT tank with fish dying, didn't have copper in there as started with metro/prazi. So moved fish into second QT tank with fresh water and treating with copper. I pulled 1 sponge filter from QT #1 into QT2 to keep bacterial filter going.

Let's assume I have velvet or something in my main QT tank now. Is it enough to put copper in there and let that kill any bugs like velvet/ich? Will it even kill those with no fish? I don't want to go fallow for 76 days in this QT, as I want to add some more fish. Looking for advice on how to "treat" my QT, if that makes sense. I can bleach it, and start fresh, but the sponge filters I took out to use in QT #2, if I brought them back into QT#1 could obviously be carrying said bugs right back in.

Thoughts?

 

[Weeb]

Ok, just had issue in my QT tank with fish dying, didn't have copper in there as started with metro/prazi. So moved fish into second QT tank with fresh water and treating with copper. I pulled 1 sponge filter from QT #1 into QT2 to keep bacterial filter going.

Let's assume I have velvet or something in my main QT tank now. Is it enough to put copper in there and let that kill any bugs like velvet/ich? Will it even kill those with no fish? I don't want to go fallow for 76 days in this QT, as I want to add some more fish. Looking for advice on how to "treat" my QT, if that makes sense. I can bleach it, and start fresh, but the sponge filters I took out to use in QT #2, if I brought them back into QT#1 could obviously be carrying said bugs right back in.

Thoughts?

You're right about the cross contamination from the sponge filters. Clean out the QT with tap water and rinse several times with RODI water. Put in a brand new sponge filter, add purchased bacteria to start the bio filter.

If you really don't know the problem/disease that was in QT1, then go the bleach route, also with a new sponge filter and nitrifying bacteria addition.

Sponge filters are inexpensive and a bottle of nitrifying bacteria isn't all that expensive.

This is what I would do.

 

[SaracensRugby]

Couldn't I just keep the sponge filter that I left in QT1 in there when I rinse with tap and rodi for a few days? That would kills the bugs too right? Then could seed all over again, right?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Ok, just had issue in my QT tank with fish dying, didn't have copper in there as started with metro/prazi. So moved fish into second QT tank with fresh water and treating with copper. I pulled 1 sponge filter from QT #1 into QT2 to keep bacterial filter going.

Let's assume I have velvet or something in my main QT tank now. Is it enough to put copper in there and let that kill any bugs like velvet/ich? Will it even kill those with no fish? I don't want to go fallow for 76 days in this QT, as I want to add some more fish. Looking for advice on how to "treat" my QT, if that makes sense. I can bleach it, and start fresh, but the sponge filters I took out to use in QT #2, if I brought them back into QT#1 could obviously be carrying said bugs right back in.

Thoughts?

velvet is a flagellate and will not only die off within 14 days but also die off from copper. Ideal is to place a clean seeded sponge but rinse although some of the bacteria will be displaced. Treat with Coppersafe or Copper Power at therapeutic level 2.25-2.5 For a FULL 30 days (do not interrupt this 30 day period) monitored by a reliable Copper Test kit such as Hanna Brand- No API brand. Also monitor Ammonia levels while in quarantine with a reliable test kit and add aeration during treatment using an air stone.
The display tank should be kept fishless (FALLOW) for 4-6 weeks to assure the existing parasites go through their life cycle without a host fish and die off

 

[Tired]

It really might be easiest to just bleach everything and start over with bottle bacteria. You can pretty reliably get a sponge filter (or tank) cycled in the time it would take to get the velvet off the old filter, and that way, you'd be sure the velvet was gone.

 

[Weeb]

Couldn't I just keep the sponge filter that I left in QT1 in there when I rinse with tap and rodi for a few days? That would kills the bugs too right? Then could seed all over again, right?

It depends on the type of 'bugs' are there. Some, like Cryptocaryon irritans (Marine Ich) can ensist in low oxygen areas of the sponge. Plus, if there are flukes/worms or some unknown 'bug' there is a risk. Why worry about it. New sponge filter seeded with purchased nitrifying bacteria is safe.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Ok, just had issue in my QT tank with fish dying, didn't have copper in there as started with metro/prazi. So moved fish into second QT tank with fresh water and treating with copper. I pulled 1 sponge filter from QT #1 into QT2 to keep bacterial filter going.

Let's assume I have velvet or something in my main QT tank now. Is it enough to put copper in there and let that kill any bugs like velvet/ich? Will it even kill those with no fish? I don't want to go fallow for 76 days in this QT, as I want to add some more fish. Looking for advice on how to "treat" my QT, if that makes sense. I can bleach it, and start fresh, but the sponge filters I took out to use in QT #2, if I brought them back into QT#1 could obviously be carrying said bugs right back in.

Thoughts?

To clarify. you can utilize the 2nd and current quarantine tank and clean the first one to eliminate any chance of parasite reintroduction. Id rather have a fresh tank with clean equipment than risk of parasite reintroduction.

 

[SaracensRugby]

Ok thanks all. So here is the plan based on all of the above. QT #2 is kind of burned, in that I took the sponge filter from qt1 in there. I will treat those fish for 45 days, 31 in copper to hopefully wipe that tank. Will follow the 31 days with metro for a week, then a week of prazi, then another week of observation.
In the meantime, I will nuke Qt 1 with bleach, then put a new sponge filter or two (45 gallons), and seed it with bacteria. I can then transfer the fish into this tank when they are ready for observation, prior to moving to display. Miss anything?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Ok thanks all. So here is the plan based on all of the above. QT #2 is kind of burned, in that I took the sponge filter from qt1 in there. I will treat those fish for 45 days, 31 in copper to hopefully wipe that tank. Will follow the 31 days with metro for a week, then a week of prazi, then another week of observation.
In the meantime, I will nuke Qt 1 with bleach, then put a new sponge filter or two (45 gallons), and seed it with bacteria. I can then transfer the fish into this tank when they are ready for observation, prior to moving to display. Miss anything?

I dont see need for metro which needs to be treated precisely.. Go with prazi instead for 14-21 days after copper.

 

[SaracensRugby]

I got burned by brook in the past, and was under impression that metro treated that. Thx for advice.

 

[Weeb]

Will follow the 31 days with metro for a week

Metronidazole does kill surface parasites (e.g., Brooklynella hostilis (Brook)), but it's an unusual for a Chemoprophylaxis treatment. I'd only include this if fishes express this condition during observation. I would extend the observation time to 3 weeks.

Feed the best foods. See the Fish Nutrition post.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Ok, just had issue in my QT tank with fish dying, didn't have copper in there as started with metro/prazi. So moved fish into second QT tank with fresh water and treating with copper. I pulled 1 sponge filter from QT #1 into QT2 to keep bacterial filter going.

Let's assume I have velvet or something in my main QT tank now. Is it enough to put copper in there and let that kill any bugs like velvet/ich? Will it even kill those with no fish? I don't want to go fallow for 76 days in this QT, as I want to add some more fish. Looking for advice on how to "treat" my QT, if that makes sense. I can bleach it, and start fresh, but the sponge filters I took out to use in QT #2, if I brought them back into QT#1 could obviously be carrying said bugs right back in.

Thoughts?

The "lowest common denominator" is the fish that you moved to the second QT. If copper works well to save them, then it can also be used in the first QT to "sterilize" it - not really sterilize, but the copper will work just as well as it did on the fish in QT2. If the copper fails in QT2, then you have something else going on, and you should sterilize QT1.

I try to keep people from sterilizing QTs because using an unstable, newly cycled QT is a lot riskier than a very stable QT. The only time I sterilize a QT is if I had a pathogen I could resolve, or to red7uce prazi-eating bacteria.

Jay

 

[SaracensRugby]

So it's weird, I moved the fish and put them in QT tank 2, and went to check on them this morning and the wrasse is not looking to good. They have been in copper since Wednesday, the 2.5 recommended dosage. They have been eating fine, with good activity, if they both perish really not sure what took them. Unless it is velvet (never dealt with it before) and it was already too late. In which case, going to nuke both QT tanks and start fresh I guess. Thoughts? There are no signs of heavy breathing, no sores on the fish, just colors look a little faded (on the wrasse) and one eye is a little glassy.

 

[Weeb]

So it's weird, I moved the fish and put them in QT tank 2, and went to check on them this morning and the wrasse is not looking to good. They have been in copper since Wednesday, the 2.5 recommended dosage. They have been eating fine, with good activity, if they both perish really not sure what took them. Unless it is velvet (never dealt with it before) and it was already too late. In which case, going to nuke both QT tanks and start fresh I guess. Thoughts? There are no signs of heavy breathing, no sores on the fish, just colors look a little faded (on the wrasse) and one eye is a little glassy.

Without supporting symptoms, it doesn't seem to be Amyloodinium ocellatum (Marine Velvet). Copper will prevent the re-infection of the fish, since it kills the free-swimming parasite.

Can you take a longish (1+ minute) video of the fish? Upload the video to YouTube, then link the video in a post here.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

So it's weird, I moved the fish and put them in QT tank 2, and went to check on them this morning and the wrasse is not looking to good. They have been in copper since Wednesday, the 2.5 recommended dosage. They have been eating fine, with good activity, if they both perish really not sure what took them. Unless it is velvet (never dealt with it before) and it was already too late. In which case, going to nuke both QT tanks and start fresh I guess. Thoughts? There are no signs of heavy breathing, no sores on the fish, just colors look a little faded (on the wrasse) and one eye is a little glassy.

Without heavy breathing, this isn't velvet. Faded color and glassy eyes are both symptoms of Gyrodactylus skin flukes. I had presumptively ruled that out since you mentioned treating them with prazi in your first post....maybe we need to revisit that?

+1 on being able to see a good video.

Jay

 

[SaracensRugby]

April 30, 2023

youtube.com

Here you go. Lost color, but this is indicative of what has happened to others. Lost color, dead within 24-36 hours. Some weird bubble around his eye. Anthia is fine.

 

[SaracensRugby]

And yes I had treated with the recommended dose of prazi for 7 days initially. All fish were treated with it. Guess I should have done a freshwater dip and dip with rally pro as well.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

And yes I had treated with the recommended dose of prazi for 7 days initially. All fish were treated with it. Guess I should have done a freshwater dip and dip with rally pro as well.

That well could be flukes. Did you just dose prazi one time or two? It needs to be dosed a minimum of two times in order to control Neobenedenia and other egg laying flukes. Prazi only remains active in the water for less than 36 hours. Prazi does not kill fluke eggs. What happens is with one dose, it kills the adult flukes on the fish, but then, some eggs hatch out 5 to 7 days later and reinfect the fish. then, the fish look good for a few weeks but then develop symptoms again.....

Jay

 

[SaracensRugby]

Ok thx. I need to research if I can do copper and prazi real quick. I dosed once.
how do you recommend I treat the QT tanks, if it is flukes?

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Ok thx. I need to research if I can do copper and prazi real quick. I dosed once.
how do you recommend I treat the QT tanks, if it is flukes?

Prazi is typically dosed twice, 8 days apart. You need to remove carbon filtration and stop collecting skimmate, but keep any skimmer running back into the tank. Some people do a 25% water change before the second dose.

Jay