Coral Dip? Fish Dip? Onion Dip?

[Guest Bethesda_Jim]

Howdy Folks,

 

I was hoping some of you might be willing to share with me your secrets to your pre-tank preperations (freshwater? Homemade? Store-bought?). I now have two fish in my tank and a few corals and i would like to keep them alive if at all possible.

 

Greatly appreciate It.

 

Bethesda_Jim

[Dell2go]

Howdy Folks,

 

I was hoping some of you might be willing to share with me your secrets to your pre-tank preperations (freshwater? Homemade? Store-bought?). I now have two fish in my tank and a few corals and i would like to keep them alive if at all possible.

 

Greatly appreciate It.

 

Bethesda_Jim

 

Well, I don't know about coral FW dip. But I do know about fish FW dip. Get about 2-4 gallons buck of fresh water (fw), set temp and pH the same as the main tank, put the fish in fw for about 4 mins. That's how I did mine.

HTH,

Huy

[Sugar Magnolia]

Be sure to inspect all new corals for possible predatory hitchhikers like heliacus snails, predatory aeolid nudibranchs, sea spiders...etc. I dip new corals in a coral disifectant - can't remember if it's a Kent or Seachem product. Lugol's would work too.

[dandy7200]

I dip every coral in a strong solution of Tropic Marin Pro Coral Cure. It is iodine based and proven killer of just about every parasite except redbugs. Fish all get hypo in quarantene.

[Guest Bethesda_Jim]

Sweet. What's Hypo?

 

 

I dip every coral in a strong solution of Tropic Marin Pro Coral Cure. It is iodine based and proven killer of just about every parasite except redbugs. Fish all get hypo in quarantene.

[Jenny]

Hyposalinity. You set up your quarantine tank with normal salinity. 1.025. Add your new fish. Slowly over 2-3 weeks lower the salinity to 1.009. Leave it there for a week. Then slowly over 3 weeks bring it back up to 1.025. This will kill marine ick. It is a lot more reliable and effective than fresh water dips.

 

It kinda sucks b/c you want to see your new friend in your display. But its worth the wait to know your fish isn't carrying something.

 

We also dip our corals with lugol's and inspect everything going in for possible hitchhikers and/or damage.

 

HTH

[hbh]

Jenny, This equals out to about a QT time of hypo. for about 4-6 weeks, right? Just wanted to clarify. It really does help w/ ich and I've left mine in QT for 6-8 weeks just to be really sure. I 've read of others main tanks being infested as a result of not QTing or not doing it long enough. Take care of it at the start and the rewards are good and worth it in the end.

[dandy7200]

Actually fish can tolerate lowering the salinity rather quickly it is raising it that you need to go slow on. My prceedure is lower from 1.026 to 1.009 over 2 days ( I have done it in a day though) and hold for 4 weeks. Over the next week bring back up to 1.026 and observe for a week. Still 5-6 week process for adding new fish. During this time they get fat and I learn a little bit about their personality so it is a fun thing for me rather than a chore.

[SteveM]

I dip every coral in a strong solution of Tropic Marin Pro Coral Cure. It is iodine based and proven killer of just about every parasite except redbugs. Fish all get hypo in quarantene.

 

So what would you dip it in if it had red bugs?

[Dell2go]

Can you all elaborate more about how you dip your new coral? Like what is step by step, the set up etc... please

[dandy7200]

So what would you dip it in if it had red bugs?

 

interceptor....shhhhh

[Jenny]

Dandy do you really? I wonder if HeartGuard would work...

 

hbh. Quarantine for minimum of 6 weeks. Longer if they show any signs of illness.

 

Dell2go. For dips you mix new water. Check pH, temp, salinity(if you are doing freshwater obviously 0.000). Then add the medication following the dosing instructions on the bottle. Then just put the fish in and set a timer.

For Fish:

dewormers: praziquantel, fenbendazole (panacur), piperazine (in that order of preference)

give orally

external parasites: Formalin, copper - cupramine, methylene blue (good to use with freshwater dips).

30-60 minute dip

antibiotics: Nitrofurans, kanamycn, minocycline (maracyn-2), neomycin

60 minute dip if they are not eating otherwise give orally

 

We also do 30 minute freshwater dips for clams and zoas.

 

HTH

Jenny

Edited January 11, 2007 by Jenny

[kngfisher]

Is Tropic Marin Pro Coral Cure safe for all coral....SPS/LPS/Softies?

[dandy7200]

Is Tropic Marin Pro Coral Cure safe for all coral....SPS/LPS/Softies?

 

yup, I've even dipped macro algae.....

Edited January 12, 2007 by dandy7200

[hbh]

Dandy, ( or any one else)

 

Why dip Macroalgae? Would a quick rinse under tap water w/ a dip in RO/DI also be effective for why you've dipped it? Hav you ever QTed it? BTW, what are "red bugs". Hope I never get them.... which is why QT is Good. I agree w/ 6 weeks plus. esp. for ich (!) but is this timeframe true across the board for all corals and inverts too?

[Jenny]

hbh,

 

Everything has the possibility of caring unwanted goodies into your tank. And its really a lot easier and less stress if you take preventative measures rather than reactionary. Fresh water dips (dips 30 minutes not just a rinse) can kill some of these things but not all. Thats why its good to use the iodine type solutions, they kill more.

 

See here for info on red bugs link

 

QT all fish minimum 6 weeks. No matter if they show signs of illness or not.

 

As far as coral goes I don't QT. I should but I don't have correct lights on my QT to keep the corals happy and healthy for 6 weeks. So I do preventative dips and inspect for hitchhikers and hope for the best. Same goes for noncoral inverts with light requirements.

 

For inverts that don't have heavy light requirements and live rock they get the QT. Snails have been reported to carry parasites. I'm not sure how often this happens. But I figure better safe than sorry ya know?