Fixing old mistakes - give me a hand, please!

[Chriss Fishes]

I've been a bad hobbyist. I haven't QT'd - I know, I know! I'm terrible. But I'm repenting for my reefing sins before anything too bad can happen. I've got a juvenile yellow tang in my 55 FOWLR that's showing signs of ich (I'm relatively confident that it's not velvet, as I'm not seeing any dusting on the body, just a few spots on fins) every now and then. It'll flare up after some sort of stress, and then once the parasites drop off, they don't seem to come back for a second round - not visibly, at least. The latest incident was caused by me adding a molly to the tank, I think. She had no previous immunity, so she was covered in ich for a few days, which I guess could have caused the amount of parasites in the tank raise, which caused an outbreak on the tang? I'm not sure - but it sounds smart to me!

 

Regardless, I'm now trying to figure out the best way to treat all of my tanks, as most of them have had some sort of contact (shared fish, rock, nets, etc...), and none have been QT'd. Basically, I'm asking what you guys would do in this situation, and am trying to figure out the best way to proceed without crashing and burning. Here's what I'm doing for each of my tanks:

 

55 Gallon FOWLR:

Stock List:

1 Juvenile Yellow Tang

1 Clarkii Clownfish

1 Yellowtail Damsel

1 Green Spotted Puffer

1 Molly

1 Banded Snake Eel

 

Symptoms:

Tang has been showing ich spots. Minor outbreaks caused by stress - I'm pretty confident that it is ich, and not velvet. Molly has previously shown ich, but seems to have built up some resistance to it. No other fish appear ill.

 

Treatment Plan:

Hyposalinity in my DT. I know this isn't everyone's favorite anymore, what with velvet and strains of hypo-resistant ich, but I've only got 10 gallon hospital tanks. I do have three of them available, but I'm afraid cramming some relatively aggressive fish into small tanks will do more harm than good. With the amount of fish I have (and my current work schedule) I doubt I could make the TTM work. I could use copper, as I have some Copper Power, but then I'd have to leave all the fish in the small tanks while I let the tank run fallow - which, per @Humblefish's latest suggestion, could be done in around 2-3 weeks at a high enough temperature. What do you guys think? I'm open to suggestions. The snake eel is also a burrowing species, and I doubt I could keep enough sand for it to borrow with absorption issues with copper, right? Or no?

 

I've started lowering my DT from it's normal 1.023, and have made it to 1.020 over the past day. I'm basically taking out a bucket of saltwater and replacing it with freshwater - from the reading I've done, I think if I do it slow enough, I should be able to preserve most of my biofilter. I'm not in a massive rush, either, as all of my fish have proven to be resilient to this so far, so I think I have the time to slowly lower the tank into hypo. I'm also confident that I can hold it at 1.009. However, if the consensus from you guys is that hypo-resistant strains of ich are common enough to make hypo obsolete, I'm willing to give copper a try somehow.

 

40 Gallon Macro Tank:

Stock List:

1 Molly

2 Orange-line Chromis (AKA Spiny Chromis)

1 Scissortail Dartfish

 

Symptoms:

None. No fish in this tank appear ill, although I'm looking to have entirely "clean" tanks by the end of this.

 

Treatment Plan:

I figure that once the 55 is dealt with, and my hospital tanks are free, I'd just put these guys into a 10 gallon and follow Humblefish's QT method on his website. I'm in no rush to do this, as these fish seem completely healthy - but, I'd like to include it here just in case, as I'm in uncharted territory. I know that new macros can host disease just as coral can, so I assume I should QT my new macros in a fishless tank for around 16 days to make sure any velvet is dead, right?

 

37 Gallon Wyoming White Tank:

Stock List:

2 Wyoming White Ocellaris Clownfish

 

Symptoms:

None. This pair has been showing breeding behaviour, so this tank is set up as a breeder. Bare bottom, basic equipment, and just a small piece of rock that can be removed to a separate tank in the event of eggs.

 

Treatment Plan:

I think I could probably just remove the rock and follow Humble's QT protocol in this tank, and eventually add the rock back in afterwards. Again, I see no issues with this, but does anyone else?

 

20 Gallon Pseudomugil Cyanodorsalis Breeding Tank:

Stock List:

Empty, although 6 pairs of P. Cyanodorsalis will be arriving on Wednesday or Thursday from Gary Lange.

 

Symptoms:

Duh, none. I don't have the fish yet!

 

Treatment Plan:

These fish are kin to freshwater dwarf rainbows, but are from marshes in Australia where they experience hypersaline water for part of the year. Awesome fish, and I can't wait to have them - I had cycled this tank with media from my 55 gallon, as this tank was running at around 1.020. So I probably introduced plenty of ickies when I moved that media over. Since these are euryhaline fish, would it be reasonable to introduce them to this tank, and begin to lower the SG to around 1.002? I know velvet begins to die off around 3 PPT, which is about 1.002. How long would I have to hold it that low for velvet to die out? I know most other marine disease would probably die along with velvet, so I guess this is my plan. Unless someone sees a flaw in it, of course.

 

So, yeah, that's what I'm currently stressing about. It helps me to write it out, and to get input from people who know more than me. I truly appreciate the read and any advice you guys can give me. And yes, I will be QT'ing from here on out. Lesson learned!

 

[Humblefish]

I think your treatment plan for the 55 has a reasonable chance of success. Just use a calibrated refractometer at all times while doing hypo, and maintain 1.009 SG for 30 days (using an ATO helps). Also, test pH often and raise as needed.

 

For the other tanks, I would "test" them using black mollies before considering any treatments: https://www.nano-reef.com/forums/topic/406744-black-molly-quarantine/

[Chriss Fishes]

1 hour ago, Humblefish said:

I think your treatment plan for the 55 has a reasonable chance of success. Just use a calibrated refractometer at all times while doing hypo, and maintain 1.009 SG for 30 days (using an ATO helps). Also, test pH often and raise as needed.

 

For the other tanks, I would "test" them using black mollies before considering any treatments: https://www.nano-reef.com/forums/topic/406744-black-molly-quarantine/

Thank you!

 

55 gallon is down to 1.018 today. Once I get the 55 taken care of (or at least settled into hypo) I'll start testing the other tanks with mollies. 

 

Again, I appreciate it!

[Chriss Fishes]

As of tonight, the yellow tang has developed a few more isolated spots on his body - farther than it's ever gotten before. Probably due to me being in the tank draining out water and messing with the tank. He's still eating really well, though, so I'm hopeful.

 

Acclimating 4 mollies (2 females for the 40, and 2 males for the 37 and 20) to see if all tanks need to be treated. Currently at 1.010.

[Chriss Fishes]

Mollies have all been in the tanks for about 30 minutes - all 4 made the acclimation well, and have already started to graze. I'll be checking up on them a few times a day to watch for any signs of disease.

 

 

[mcarroll]

On 8/23/2020 at 10:25 PM, HarrisonAquatics said:

I've got a juvenile yellow tang in my 55 FOWLR that's showing signs of ich

How many times that's been uttered in this hobby....

 

On 8/23/2020 at 10:25 PM, HarrisonAquatics said:

It'll flare up after some sort of stress, and then once the parasites drop off, they don't seem to come back for a second round - not visibly, at least

This is not coincidence....you have to put your finger directly on what the "some sort of stress" actually is and make effort to eliminate it.

 

The stress is living in that tiny tank with mean fish and wicked predators.

 

On 8/23/2020 at 10:25 PM, HarrisonAquatics said:

The latest incident was caused by me adding a molly to the tank, I think. She had no previous immunity, so she was covered in ich for a few days, which I guess could have caused the amount of parasites in the tank raise, which caused an outbreak on the tang?

Too many fish + even more fish = Even more Ich.

 

I hope you added the Molly because you wanted a Molly and not to "test your tank for parasites".  (Doing it as a test is cruel.)

 

On 8/23/2020 at 10:25 PM, HarrisonAquatics said:

55 Gallon FOWLR:

Stock List:

1 Juvenile Yellow Tang

1 Clarkii Clownfish

1 Yellowtail Damsel

1 Green Spotted Puffer

1 Molly

1 Banded Snake Eel

Holy moly!  That's 100 or 150 gallons worth of fish (and fish attitude) in a 55.

 

Isn't the green spotted puffer brackish?

 

No treatment is going to eliminate stress from overcrowding and attitude issues.  Not even Copperpower or General Cure.  Definitely not hyposalinity.  😉

 

You need to de-stock some of these animals so the rest that remain can live comfortably and peacefully.

 

You don't have a tank big enough for a Tang, and that Clarkii will have to go too....what you do with the rest can depend on what your favorites are (and whether the puffer is really appropriate).

 

On 8/23/2020 at 10:25 PM, HarrisonAquatics said:

40 Gallon Macro Tank:

Stock List:

1 Molly

2 Orange-line Chromis (AKA Spiny Chromis)

1 Scissortail Dartfish

 

Symptoms:

None. No fish in this tank appear ill

Look at the size of the tank and that stock list.

 

No stress.  No worries.  No ich.

 

These fish have good immune systems because they aren't living under constant threat.

 

Don't mess with this tank.

 

On 8/23/2020 at 10:25 PM, HarrisonAquatics said:

37 Gallon Wyoming White Tank:

Stock List:

2 Wyoming White Ocellaris Clownfish

 

Symptoms:

None. This pair has been showing breeding behaviour, so this tank is set up as a breeder. Bare bottom, basic equipment, and just a small piece of rock that can be removed to a separate tank in the event of eggs.

Again, plenty of size for the fish you have.  The problem here is the format....unless you're going into production on clownfish babies, you don't want to force these guys to live in a bare tank.  They'll breed in a reef just fine.

 

Don't mess with this tank other than to add more rock and other decorations to make sure it's very naturalistic.  It should look nothing like a stereotypical QT tank.

 

On 8/23/2020 at 10:25 PM, HarrisonAquatics said:

And yes, I will be QT'ing from here on out. Lesson learned!

QT is a handy tool, but doesn't make fish-keeping foolproof.  It's not really clear that it would have helped in your current predicament since the root problem is overstocking.

 

It's even possible to make things worse with QT if you do it wrong.  (Lots of folks experience this.)

 

A simple freshwater bath for 10-15 minutes before adding them to the QT for observation, or to the display tank, is usually all it takes.

 

Your hyper-stress 55 Gallon will still bring down a fishes immune system even if they've been QT'd.  

 

No immune system means SOMETHING is going to get 'em sooner or later.

[mcarroll]

2 hours ago, HarrisonAquatics said:

Acclimating 4 mollies (2 females for the 40, and 2 males for the 37 and 20) to see if all tanks need to be treated.

  You (and they) would be better off just putting them in their own dedicated Molly tank.  There's no good reason to subject them to this "test".

[Chriss Fishes]

46 minutes ago, mcarroll said:

How many times that's been uttered in this hobby....

I understand that a dozen questions a lot like mine pop up on this (and every other) forum daily - however, I'm simply checking in with the community to ensure that there are no blatant issues with my plan moving forward. Things get overlooked - I don't think I've missed anything as far as treatment incompatibilities (fish that can't handle copper, for example) but I'm not an expert, and to be frank, this is uncharted territory for me. I've done my research, but I felt the need to ask for safety of my own fish.

 

46 minutes ago, mcarroll said:

This is not coincidence....you have to put your finger directly on what the "some sort of stress" actually is and make effort to eliminate it.

 

The stress is living in that tiny tank with mean fish and wicked predators.

When I mentioned "some sort of stress" I was basically referencing any stressful event in general. A power outage, me moving rock around, loud noises outside the tank during construction, anything like that. Calling a 55 gallon "tiny" for a juvenile tang is a bit much, IMO - definitely too small for an adult, but we're talking a juvenile. Also, who's the wicked predator in this situation? I've seen Clarkii clowns kept in similar tanks with great success. Green Spotted Puffers can be aggressive, sure, but this is a juvenile that has actually been bullied by the molly who lives in this tank a few times. The damsel is just over 1".  Aggression is not currently a factor (that I can see), and I hope to move all of these guys to a 125 that I'm building before I ever see any issues. If I start seeing signs of aggression before I can move them, I'd be just fine with rehoming them to someone who can currently take care of them - I just haven't seen the need to.

 

46 minutes ago, mcarroll said:

Too many fish + even more fish = Even more Ich.

 

I hope you added the Molly because you wanted a Molly and not to "test your tank for parasites".  (Doing it as a test is cruel.)

Again, we're disagreeing that this is too many fish. As adults? Sure. But these are juveniles. This is a grow-out tank. And, in fact, I did add that molly to the tank because I wanted that molly. We'll also have to disagree on using these fish to test for parasites cruel - they'll live happy lives, regardless of whether or not they catch anything. If they show up with a disease or a parasite, I can acclimate them back to freshwater, and they can live their lives out in a fresh or brackish water tank from now on. I have several tanks running, and these guys can go in almost all of them.

 

 

46 minutes ago, mcarroll said:

Holy moly!  That's 100 or 150 gallons worth of fish (and fish attitude) in a 55.

 

Isn't the green spotted puffer brackish?

 

No treatment is going to eliminate stress from overcrowding and attitude issues.  Not even Copperpower or General Cure.  Definitely not hyposalinity.  😉

 

You need to de-stock some of these animals so the rest that remain can live comfortably and peacefully.

 

You don't have a tank big enough for a Tang, and that Clarkii will have to go too....what you do with the rest can depend on what your favorites are (and whether the puffer is really appropriate).

And, again, this is a grow-out tank. None of these fish (besides the molly) is an adult.

 

No, the GSP isn't brackish. Most people keep them in high-end brackish or fully marine as adults, as they tend to show better coloration and longevity that way. Anything above 1.010 is probably fine, though.

 

I don't see the tank as overcrowded - although, if the general consensus is that it is overcrowded, I don't mind thinning the herd. No attitude issues thus far. And hypo has been proven to work - I don't see why you're bashing that.

 

46 minutes ago, mcarroll said:

Look at the size of the tank and that stock list.

 

No stress.  No worries.  No ich.

 

These fish have good immune systems because they aren't living under constant threat.

 

Don't mess with this tank.

Thanks for the advice here. I don't intend to add anything until I get everything under control and under my finger, although there will be a few more fish added down the line.

 

46 minutes ago, mcarroll said:

Again, plenty of size for the fish you have.  The problem here is the format....unless you're going into production on clownfish babies, you don't want to force these guys to live in a bare tank.  They'll breed in a reef just fine.

 

Don't mess with this tank other than to add more rock and other decorations to make sure it's very naturalistic.  It should look nothing like a stereotypical QT tank.

I'm not trying to get crazy high production, but I would like to raise a few. I don't remember seeing any issues reported keeping tanks this way in any of clown breeding threads, and I don't see any stress behavior in the pair at the moment. I do appreciate the input, though.

 

46 minutes ago, mcarroll said:

QT is a handy tool, but doesn't make fish-keeping foolproof.  It's not really clear that it would have helped in your current predicament since the root problem is overstocking.

 

It's even possible to make things worse with QT if you do it wrong.  (Lots of folks experience this.)

 

A simple freshwater bath for 10-15 minutes before adding them to the QT for observation, or to the display tank, is usually all it takes.

 

Your hyper-stress 55 Gallon will still bring down a fishes immune system even if they've been QT'd.  

 

No immune system means SOMETHING is going to get 'em sooner or later.

We still disagree on the overstocking issue, but I appreciate your viewpoint here. A strong immune system is definitely important, we're agreeing on that.

 

I don't want any of this to come off as combative, I just find that what you said here is pretty contrary to what I've read in a lot of other places. The general consensus that I found while reading is that a 55 gallon will be fine as a grow-out for a yellow tang. While reading on puffer forums, the general consensus was that GSP's can often get along (in full marine) with quite a few other species of fish - they can be aggressive, but it comes down to their personality at the end of the day. This guy has been monitored since day one, and he's actually been pushed around by other fish (namely the molly) more than he's done anything to bother anyone else. He will eventually have his own tank, though. The clown didn't take too well to her mate, but hasn't bothered any other fish, although I am aware that this is an aggressive species of clown. I'm also aware that a 55 gallon is more than large enough for a pair of adult Clarkii Clowns - not in the current tank stocking, sure, but I sincerely doubt that a pair of Clarkii (or a single one) needs a bigger tank.

 

Again, I appreciate the input, and I will take it under advisement, truly. If I see aggression, or start to see the fish get cramped, I'll move them to other tanks. Just, currently, I don't see the need to. If other people would like to weigh in, and the consensus is that my issues are rooted in tank stocking, I'll be happy to reconsider.

[mcarroll]

18 hours ago, HarrisonAquatics said:

We still disagree on the overstocking issue, but I appreciate your viewpoint here. A strong immune system is definitely important, we're agreeing on that.

Fish density matters...more than we often would like to admit.  In fish breeding, and aquaculture more generally, they have density rules down to a science...a maximum allowed grams of fish per gallon, gauged according to the fish type (a weighting factor) and the application in question (eg. breeding, fish for food, ornamental display, et al.)

 

As far as the profession of culturing aquatic organisms is concerned, when the fish load is considered the most valuable, the lowest stocking densities are used to maximize survival of each individual. 

 

All things considered, doing that minimizes all common problems – especially fish loss.  

 

This *should* be almost exactly how we define our needs with our home tanks.  

 

When you push density too far, you get results exactly like you're getting.  Disease (and other problems) becomes more prevalent, immunity gets lower, etc.

 

Check out some of the journal articles on this search:

https://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&as_sdt=0%2C47&q=aquaculture+fish+density&btnG=&oq=aquaculture+fish+den

[Chriss Fishes]

1 hour ago, mcarroll said:

Fish density matters...more than we often would like to admit.  In fish breeding, and aquaculture more generally, they have density rules down to a science...a maximum allowed grams of fish per gallon, gauged according to the fish type (a weighting factor) and the application in question (eg. breeding, fish for food, ornamental display, et al.)

 

As far as the profession of culturing aquatic organisms is concerned, when the fish load is considered the most valuable, the lowest stocking densities are used to maximize survival of each individual. 

 

All things considered, doing that minimizes all common problems – especially fish loss.  

 

This *should* be almost exactly how we define our needs with our home tanks.  

 

When you push density too far, you get results exactly like you're getting.  Disease (and other problems) becomes more prevalent, immunity gets lower, etc.

 

Check out some of the journal articles on this search:

https://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&as_sdt=0%2C47&q=aquaculture+fish+density&btnG=&oq=aquaculture+fish+den

I'm sitting down with some dinner to read that now. Thanks for the article.

 

I hope I didn't come off as defensive or sharp yesterday - I truly do appreciate your input and advice, it's just contrary to what a lot of others have said. Even still, I plan to dig a little deeper into these articles and see what I can learn.

[mcarroll]

All good either way.  You know we're only trying to help you be successful....and we know that's all you really want.  The rest is words, words, words, words.  We'll get it right.  😉  🙂  

 

Along with the lack of problems in the other tanks, it's the density and the personality combo in that 55 Gallon tank which has me going on this.  Not simply the number of fish.

 

As mentioned, density measurements consider fish type and mass....not just numbers of fish.  You have some heavy duty personalities in there, along with some relatively fragile ones...and you're seeing the predictable problems with the fragile ones.

 

Let us know what you ultimately decide to do!

 

BTW, I don't know how reliable this site is, but their Green-spotted page seems to have the same kind of info I've seen on a few others, so I'll post it at least to get your thoughts:

https://www.fishlore.com/aquariummagazine/nov08/greenspottedpuffer.htm

A quote...

Quote

A big issue with these fish is the question of tank mates. Some have reported success in keeping the Green Spotted puffers with the Figure Eight Puffer, which when young looks very similar to the Green Spotted Puffer. However, the Figure 8 will only get to 4" and is much less aggressive, while the GSP will get up to 6" and is extremely aggressive as an adult. Some other possible tank mates could be mollies, scats, monos, archerfish, and bumblebee gobies. However, it is not uncommon for a puffer to get along with one of these tank mates for many months and then as soon as a sign of weakness shows or space becomes crowded, the puffer will eat the other fish. The best setup for them is species only, with either only one specimen or a large tank with several GSPs.

One of my favorite Clarkii pictures...no story:

 

 

[Chriss Fishes]

GSP's can definitely be aggressive - I was pretty sure that since mine was a juvenile (maybe 2.5" when I got him, and close to 3.5" now) he'd be fine. So far, he has been.

 

That said, after reading, I think I'm going to expedite the process of moving fish around. My 125 still needs to be resealed, plumbed, and I still need to finish the stand - so I won't be just throwing that together. I'll take my time. I had planned on having it up around New Year's, and I think I'll stick to that. However...

The Ocellaris clowns in the 37 can be moved to the 40, as that tank has a relatively light load and has some non-aggressive fish. I want to raise some clowns, but I wouldn't have the means to do it well with COVID around anyway. The molly that's in the 37 with them can be moved to the 40 with the other 4 mollies. I could then move the GSP into the 37, which will be big enough for him until I can get him his own 40 down the road. I'd of course decorate the 37 with some rock and sand.

 

I can move the damsel to my 10 gallon nano. It's fishless, so he should do well in there. That just leaves the molly, clarkii, and yellow tang in the 55. If I have aggression between the Clarkii and the tang, I can move the Clarkii into a 10 gallon until I get another tank set up - but, I haven't seen them mess with eachother, so I think they'll be fine.

 

So, here'd be the new stocking list:

 

55:

Yellow Tang

Clarkii Clown

Molly

 

40:

5 Mollies

1 Orange-striped Chromis

2 Ocellaris Clowns

 

37:

Green Spotted Puffer

 

20:

12 Pseudomugil Cyanodorsalis

 

10:

YT Damsel

 

Can we agree that this the best stocking plan with the tanks I have available right now?

 

The eventual stocking (I just have to build, plumb, and set up these tanks) would be something like this:

 

125:

Yellow Tang

Assorted FOWLR fish

 

75:

Clarkii Clown

Assorted Aggressive Reef Fish

 

40:

GSP

 

37:

Ocellaris Breeding Setup

 

I think the "eventual" stocking is definitely better, but find the first list acceptable. Let me know your thoughts.

 

In other news, the 55 is now down to 1.011. No ammonia or nitrite, and nitrates are around 20. PH has dropped to around 7.8. All fish are eating, displaying good color, and don't seem to be behaving differently. The tang still has a few spots, but has less than he did - although I suspect the ich are just dropping off and haven't made it back to attach yet. I should be down to 1.009 tomorrow, and from there, I hope to see some improvement.

[mcarroll]

I like!  

 

But now I feel like the other fish in that 55 Gallon: Where's that snake-eel?!?!  😉

[Chriss Fishes]

He's long forgotten in the sand-bed of the 55...

 

He'd go into the 125 with the larger fish.

[mcarroll]

On 8/27/2020 at 12:39 AM, HarrisonAquatics said:

He's long forgotten in the sand-bed of the 55...

As in: R.I.P.?

[Chriss Fishes]

3 hours ago, mcarroll said:

As in: R.I.P.?

Oh, no. I saw him last night.

 

As in: I only see him every 5-7 days. Very reclusive. When I do see him, it's just his tiny head - and then he jolts back into the sand before I can get a good look.

 

The 55 is officially into hypo - 1.009. I've been calibrating my refractometer before every use, so I'm confident that it's accurate. Might pick up another cheap one at the LFS today for peace of mind, though.

 

All fish have a good appetite, and are behaving normally. No spots on any fish for a few days, so that's good. I guess I'll start the 30-day clock tomorrow, just to be sure. I've moved the Wyoming White clowns and the molly from the 37 to the 40, and have moved the GSP into the 37 for the time being. I'll just lower his water to around 1.004 with water changes. Hold it there for a month and then go back to marine.

Everyone else seems healthy. No spots on the mollies or anything like that. Not been two weeks, though. I'll keep you posted!

[Chriss Fishes]

No incidents with hypo yet. Fish don't seem to care - they haven't been behaving any differently and are eating like pigs. No water quality issues, either - it seems my biofilter made the transition.

 

My 40 gallon isn't clean. One of the black mollies I added came down with ich. I'll be removing all of the fish from that tank to a hospital tank and treating with Copper Power.

 

I'm making this edit not even an hour after I made this post - I walked into my living room, and saw that my 55 was leaking. I grabbed buckets and siphons and started removing water as quickly as I could. I wiped area water from the bottom rim, looking for where the leak was coming from, but I couldn't find anything. I figured I had split a seam, or maybe had a super slow leak - so I continued to siphon. After I had removed about 25 gallons, I noticed that there was water on the back glass, too. And my HOB skimmer cup was full of just... water. Turns out, my skimmer was leaking. I read a review that said another customer had the same issue, but I figured it was just a one-time lemon. Apparently not. Ugh. I mixed the new water a 1.009 - so this tank got a 50% water change, I guess.

[Chriss Fishes]

Tested the skimmer on a bucket of saltwater (1.025), and it leaked there, too. Thought that it was maybe connected to hyposalinity and larger bubbles, but nope. I sent it out today for a return.

 

I'd like some clarification on the length of my hypo treatment. I've read in some places that the 30 days starts whenever you see the last ich spot disappear - in other places, I've read that the timer starts as soon as you hit 1.009. Which is it?

[mcarroll]

I'm not sure offhand, but how many days difference is it from when you started vs when the last spot disappeared?

[Humblefish]

12 hours ago, HarrisonAquatics said:

I'd like some clarification on the length of my hypo treatment. I've read in some places that the 30 days starts whenever you see the last ich spot disappear - in other places, I've read that the timer starts as soon as you hit 1.009. Which is it?

30 days from when SG reaches 1.009. It's very important that the salinity never creeps up past 1.009 for the entire 30 days. If this happens, the 30 day clock starts over.

[Chriss Fishes]

11 hours ago, mcarroll said:

I'm not sure offhand, but how many days difference is it from when you started vs when the last spot disappeared?

All spots disappeared before I ever hit 1.009.

 

9 hours ago, Humblefish said:

30 days from when SG reaches 1.009. It's very important that the salinity never creeps up past 1.009 for the entire 30 days. If this happens, the 30 day clock starts over.

Thanks for the clarification! So far I've been able to keep it steady at 1.009.