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Ich damn it! Is a 5 gal ok for QT/ hospital tank


uwharrie

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Looking at my tank today and my Coral Beauty has spots on his fins. The clown looks fine but it seems my bicolor blenny may be scratching. Have been reading only treatment is to remove them from the main tank to treat. Found a basic AIO top fin at petsmart on sale. Plan on trying hypo salinity. Is a 5 gal big enough? Will add a heater and air stone.

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Just to be clear:

 

Are you going to be trying hypo salinity repeatedly, to catch the ich in all its stages?

 

If I were you I'd get a large hospital tank to put them in while the tank sits fallow for three months, and medicate in the hospital tank. Then quarantine any additions in the future.

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I would personally not put a coral beauty, a bicolor blenny, and a maroon clown all in a 5 gallon for 8-12 weeks.

 

You don't need anything fancy. A rubber-made tub and anything that moves the water for oxygen (I use a $5 azoo filter with no media but a sponge might be nice for bacteria), a heater if your house is cold, and anything fish safe for hiding spots (can be pvp pipes).

 

 

Here is mine i have going right now, I should have more hiding spots but this goby doesn't give a crap about hiding. He is too busy being depressed that he has no sand (tries to sift the glass, poor thing).

 

I almost didn't QT (was feeling lazy).... but thankful I did... 3 days after I bought him he started showing ich. I am doing the tank transfer method.

 

IMG_20151124_123941283_HDR_zpsnjtwf0bd.j

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With a coral beauty I would do something bigger. Hospital tanks seem stressful enough with pulling them out of their home, treating them with powerful medication or extreme salinity. A 20g would be much more appropriate. All your fish would live in it for 2 months so you want to make it as stress free as possible so they can heal.

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Get as large a container as you can, and keep Seachem Prime as well as Stability (or another bacterial supplement) on hand. The bacterial supplement won't help you if your medication is anti-bacterial, but it is super helpful for post-medication, when you're observing and holding them there to keep the display tank fallow. Prime will detoxify ammonia that you register (before you do a water change).

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Even if they are all juveniles

I would personally not put a coral beauty, a bicolor blenny, and a maroon clown all in a 5 gallon for 8-12 weeks.

 

You don't need anything fancy. A rubber-made tub and anything that moves the water for oxygen (I use a $5 azoo filter with no media but a sponge might be nice for bacteria), a heater if your house is cold, and anything fish safe for hiding spots (can be pvp pipes).

 

 

Here is mine i have going right now, I should have more hiding spots but this goby doesn't give a crap about hiding. He is too busy being depressed that he has no sand (tries to sift the glass, poor thing).

 

I almost didn't QT (was feeling lazy).... but thankful I did... 3 days after I bought him he started showing ich. I am doing the tank transfer method.

 

IMG_20151124_123941283_HDR_zpsnjtwf0bd.j

My plan was to keep hypo salinity the entire time. I think I was reading 8 weeks. Then put them back in the display. I am not planning on adding more fish. So my only risk is reinfecting my existing fish

 

Just to be clear:

 

Are you going to be trying hypo salinity repeatedly, to catch the ich in all its stages?

 

If I were you I'd get a large hospital tank to put them in while the tank sits fallow for three months, and medicate in the hospital tank. Then quarantine any additions in the future.

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You'll have too keep an eye on the ph if you do hypo. That said I don't think fish are too sensitive to pH swings. Plus you have to be sure it's ich because hypo doesn't cure other parasitic diseases.

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I am planning on a trip to the LFS Friday and will see if they have the proper medications. I will not swear it is Ich on the beauty but it looks like it and given the blenny seems itchy. ( those two have only been in the tank a couple of weeks)

I am beginning to see why folks get in and out of this hobby so fast! :-)

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I am planning on a trip to the LFS Friday and will see if they have the proper medications. I will not swear it is Ich on the beauty but it looks like it and given the blenny seems itchy. ( those two have only been in the tank a couple of weeks)

I am beginning to see why folks get in and out of this hobby so fast! :-)

 

Hehe well certain fish are more likely to have issues - angelfish and wrasses particularly should go through a prophylactic treatment regimen before being added to any tank.

 

My primary advice in your situation would be to confirm the diagnosis, make a treatment plan, then stick to it.

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So I come home tonight and no spots. Would the visible stage come and go that fast? Should I still treat? Or take a wait and see approach?

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If you can, treat. Use chloroquine phosphate. New life spectrum makes some that's easy to use. It's a powder. And it is less harsh on the fish

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Never mind, he finally stayed out long enough for me to get a good look. Yep white spots still on the fins.

So I come home tonight and no spots. Would the visible stage come and go that fast? Should I still treat? Or take a wait and see approach?

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Can you elaborate more on the prophylactic treatment? ( or point me to the info) I am quickly seeing why it is good to QT fish. At least right now with a 29 gal I don't have many fish or plan on many. I just don't have a lot of room to set up a big QT which is why I thought the 5 would be a good size. Will look into a bigger QT tank but guessing I cant go bigger than a 10

 

Hehe well certain fish are more likely to have issues - angelfish and wrasses particularly should go through a prophylactic treatment regimen before being added to any tank.

 

My primary advice in your situation would be to confirm the diagnosis, make a treatment plan, then stick to it.

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Certainly, since some fish have a much higher chance of coming in with parasites (wrasses and angels ime) it's a good idea to treat them with anti parasitic medications whether you immediately notice symptoms or not. Fortunately these medications aren't particularly stressful. I use praziquantel for external and metronidazole infused with food for internal parasites.

 

It sometimes takes several days or even weeks to positively identify some parasites so that's why I think it's better to just treat.

 

Crypto and diseases where the treatment is more stressful or the symptoms are more positively identifiable should be treated as needed.

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I think you could get away with prazi and metro at the same time but I'm not sure about combining those with Cooper based meds for crypto (or cp)

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Can you elaborate more on the prophylactic treatment? ( or point me to the info) I am quickly seeing why it is good to QT fish.

 

 

Yeah, It's a complete pain in the ass to pull all the fish out and treat for 3 months vs just QT to begin with.

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Neither of these would effect Ich but would remove most internal parasites I would think. ( both are commonly used in horses and dogs) How long do folks typically treat? It does make sense to treat with both and then wait to see if Ich appears while in QT and treat with copper

 

Certainly, since some fish have a much higher chance of coming in with parasites (grasses and angels ime) it's a good idea to treat them with anti parasitic medications whether you immediately notice symptoms or not. Fortunately these medications aren't particularly stressful. I use praziquantel for external and metronidazole infused with food for internal parasites.

 

It sometimes takes several days or even weeks to positively identify some parasites so that's why I think it's better to just treat.

 

Crypto and diseases where the treatment is more stressful or the symptoms are more positively identifiable should be treated as needed.

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