Qt tank ph

[Fishie]

I am setting up a couple qt,s for no medication and plan on using a 3rd bucket qt for medication if needed

 

1) qt1. -10g with air stone and a small hydor for circulation....I do have a heater but the temp seems to stay steady with just the pump running

2) qt2 - biocube 8g

3) qt3 medication tub- with heater and pump for agitation.

 

I used water from my dt for each of them...is there anything else I need to do...how would I maintain ph ...?

 

The mediation i would use if needed will be mardel and prazi pro....should I medicate or prazipro dip everything even if it is healthy and eating or just put them in the 1/2 qt and observe

 

I have 2 qts incase I get more fish or if I need to move to a 2nd for w.e reason

[Fishie]

Oh and I have PVC pipes for hiding in all 3

[Origami]

Ideally, you start with new salt water in QT tanks, not water from your tank. A fish weakened from the stress of capture & transport may be exposed to pathogens present in your main tank that an otherwise healthy fish could fight off.

 

If you have decent alkalinity and circulation in the tank, pH should remain acceptable. Monitor and manage ammonia and water quality with water changes, and by siphoning off any detritus from the bottom of the tank during the water changes.

[Jan]

You may want to have something like stability and Amquel on hand if you haven't let your QT system cycle. You may experience a small cycle. Ideally you want to have your QT cycled before you add anything to it.

 

1st step in QT is observation for 2 weeks or so. Look for signs of not eating (fish should be eating right away), swimming problems, flashing, frayed fins, cloudy eyes, excessive slime, white spots, black spots, thread like projections hanging from the body or gills, labored respiration, head up tail down hanging around the surface, raised scales, bloating, etc..

 

Know your fish. Copper is very strong. Coppersafe is the mildest copper medication you can use. Angels, for instance, don't do well with copper at full strength. Do your research before you medicate. Sometimes the cure can kill and then sometimes if you don't use the right dosage it wont help. It's all a delicate balancing act.

 

Wetwebmedia has the best information on disease and treatment on the internet along with many pictures. I posted something about dips-baths written by Bob Fenner in another thread. Check it out.

[Fishie]

Ive read that mardel copper safe isn't good for tangs

 

What about ich-x...is that safer than copper safe for tangs

 

I am also considering hyposalinity but I am afraid of ph imbalance with it

 

Also some sites seem to indicate that most wild caught specimens have a high probability of internal parasites even if they don't show signs...so I was thinking of using prazi pro as a remedy for that...is that safe for tangs...just using tangs since they seem delicate compared to most other specimens

[Jan]

Copper (Coppersafe is chelated copper. Easier on the fish), Formalin (Ich-X) is all harsh.

 

You can always adjust your PH.

 

I've read the same thing about parasites.

 

I just dosed my entire reef with Prazi-pro. I have 3 tangs and they are fine. Prazi pro is ok. My experience is pure prazi in a QT is better.

 

I read about every fish I have. That's what you should do too. That's what everyone should do.

 

Wetwebmedia for researching diseases, diagnosis and treatment is the best site on the internet. Really for researching most anything. The team of WWB is great about getting back to you with answers as well. Just make sure to have all your ducks in a row.

Edited July 29, 2012 by Jan

[Fishie]

Cool thanks much...I think this is my game plan then...

Introduce the fish with a regular qt ... Drip acclimate

Then after a few days if everything seems ok and Fish are eating...replace half the water with fresh saltwater and then doze prazipro...let them treat in it for 5-7 days ...

After treated transfer to a seperate holding qt with clean water and if ok move to dt

 

 

If There is any sign of ich In the above process then use copper safe ( so qt will have copper plus prazi pro) at this point...after 5 days remove the specimen and add theM to a normal untreated qt...if ich returns add copper safe and continue to monitor until last ick falls off and then wait 2-4 weeks to add back to dt.

 

Monitor ph and ammonia during qt period and adjust / make changes as needed using a ph buffer or amqel

Edited July 29, 2012 by Fishie

[Jan]

I don't believe you can use prazi of any kind with copper. That's why I have a copper tank and another hospital tank for prazi and everything else. I've used coppersafe and formalin as instructed by the coral supervisor of Drs Foster and Smith. He has many years experience treating all kinds of fish at the Divers Den facility. He suggested 1/2 strength coppersafe with formalin for the angelfish. One of the owners of one of our sponsoring LFS's also advised against prazi and copper. He wasn't too crazy about using prazi-pro for anything.

 

I would really ask the WWM crew or a LFS about which meds, if any, you can mix. As was mentioned in another thread your fish are already stressed from transport. Medicating adds more stress. Copper and formalin are hard meds.

 

Read what Bob Fenner has to say about Dips and baths here. http://www.wetwebmedia.com/dips_baths.htm

I've followed these directions and have had very good results. You really need to make sure everything is exactly as he states. I didn't dip for more than 1 minute. It's pretty drastic and a lot of work if you're treating more than one fish because you'll need to dip each fish in new dip to avoid cross contamination or re-infection. It worked really well for me, but it's really stressful for the fish.

 

Cool thanks much...I think this is my game plan then...

Introduce the fish with a regular qt ... Drip acclimate

Then after a few days if everything seems ok and Fish are eating...replace half the water with fresh saltwater and then doze prazipro...let them treat in it for 5-7 days ...

After treated transfer to a seperate holding qt with clean water and if ok move to dt

 

 

If There is any sign of ich In the above process then use copper safe ( so qt will have copper plus prazi pro) at this point...after 5 days remove the specimen and add theM to a normal untreated qt...if ich returns add copper safe and continue to monitor until last ick falls off and then wait 2-4 weeks to add back to dt.

 

Monitor ph and ammonia during qt period and adjust / make changes as needed using a ph buffer or amqel

[.OptimusPrime.]

Fishie, I have read both these articles and plan to QT as they outline:

 

 

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/blog/quarantining-marine-fish-made-simple

http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/fish-diseases-treatments/23584-fish-quarantine-process-step-step.html

 

Not to hijack your thread fishie, but I had a quick question for those who do QT.

 

What meds do you keep on hand at all times? What are you using for Formalin..I can't seem to locate any Formalin-3.

 

So far I have copper / prazi-pro / Macryn two.

 

 

[Jan]

ICH-X for formalin. It has the 3% formaldehyde. I also have praziquantel powder in addition to prazi-pro. I like the results I get from the pure powder in Qt as opposed to the prazi-pro that I use in my mixed reef.

 

Fishie, I have read both these articles and plan to QT as they outline:

 

 

http://www.advanceda...ish-made-simple

http://www.reefsanct...-step-step.html

 

Not to hijack your thread fishie, but I had a quick question for those who do QT.

 

What meds do you keep on hand at all times? What are you using for Formalin..I can't seem to locate any Formalin-3.

 

So far I have copper / prazi-pro / Macryn two.

 

 

Edited July 29, 2012 by Jan

[Fishie]

Kordon rid ich also has formalyn right

 

 

I was just going over what's in petsmart

[Jan]

No. That's herbal and reef safe. Formalin is NOT reef safe.

 

Kordon rid ich also has formalyn right

 

 

I was just going over what's in petsmart

Edited July 29, 2012 by Jan

[Fishie]

Where did u get methlyne blue solution from Jan?

[Jan]

Quantum Reefs.

 

Where did u get methlyne blue solution from Jan?

[Fishie]

Quantum Reefs.

 

Ok one more question

When the specimens arrive do u temp acclimate and then dip directly...or do u temp, salinity and mainly ph acclimate to a pre qt area which will have same settings as the qt...so pre stage in temp qt...dip then...main qt

Edited July 29, 2012 by Fishie