API GC treatment question

[kouma]

@Humblefish I read through your posts and I am preparing to treat my 300G tank with 3x API GC boxes (each box is supposed to cover 100G). I purchased a total of 6.

Long story short, treatment has to be in main tank as I do not have a QT to fit my fish (i.e. my clown trigger alone is 14"). This is fish only with blue and red carpet anemones.

My water parameters are 1.023 and temp is 28C. Plan is treat day 1; wait 7-9 days; treat again; wait 2 days; 25% water change.

My questions are: 1- during the treatment, do I turned off UV and skimmer? 2- is the above plan sound? 3- Does API GC have an expiry date? In case I decided to buy in bulk

Thank you!

 

[Idoc]

1. Yes, turn off UV during any medication treatments.

2. General Cure treatments can be different depending on what your addre attempting to eradicate.... what are you trying to clear out of your tank?

3. Yes, all meds have expiration dates.

 

[kouma]

Thanks @Idoc What about skimmer? does that go off as well

I am treating flukes and internal parasites

 

[Idoc]

Thanks @Idoc What about skimmer? does that go off as well

I am treating flukes and internal parasites

Well, I'm not really sure about skimmers and medications! I've only medicated in quarantine tanks without skimmers. I would lean toward shutting it off if possible though just to make sure the medication remains in the water long enough. The Praziquantel in the GC usually works it's magic in the first 24-48 hours anyhow, so probably could run it after 72hrs until the next dose. The reason for the next dose is only to catch the flukes that hatch between doses... hence waiting 6 days after the first dose.

If you want to hit internal parasites/ worms, then just medicating the water column isn't going to be enough. To get internal parasites/worms, you must also feed medicated food twice a day for 14-21 days! Mix a scoop of GC with a scoop of Focus (to bind the med to the food) with a tablespoon of food and make a slurry. You can refrigerate this... and freeze it as well.

 

[kouma]

Idoc regarding internal parasites/worms, my trigger for example eats full pieces of shrimp/fish. How can I medicate whole foods? I doubt if I leave a piece of shrimp socked in the medication it will absorb it.

 

[DarkSky]

Idoc regarding internal parasites/worms, my trigger for example eats full pieces of shrimp/fish. How can I medicate whole foods? I doubt if I leave a piece of shrimp socked in the medication it will absorb it.

Try using Seachem Focus, it helps bind medication to food for internal treatments. When I took an emperor angel through QT, I used that when feeding large food w/ API General Cure.

 

[Greenstarfish03]

I just used focus for the first time as described above and I was surprised how well it worked and how easy it was, There are instructions in one of Humblefish's post. Its essential one scoop of focus one scoop of GC, pinch a Epson salt a few drops of vitamins or tank water and a table spoon of food and mix it all up. I used mysis shrimp and pellets and it worked fine. I would assume you can use just about any type of food.

 

[kouma]

Thanks. I am buying focus now. Do know the proportions of API GC vs focus vs whole foods vs water that I should use?

 

[DarkSky]

I've used equal parts Focus and General Cure. Instructions on the packet for Focus are accurate.

 

[Greenstarfish03]

Thanks. I am buying focus now. Do know the proportions of API GC vs focus vs whole foods vs water that I should use?

This originaly came from humblefish i think but there is a 1/8 teaspoon scooper in the focus us one scoop of that, same size scoop of GC, a punch of epson salt, per tablespoon of food. Mix the vitamins or water in a few drops at a time until u have enough to mix it up good. Then just feed it to the fish. I stored mine in the fridge after i made it so i didnt have to make it every day. For me the above lasted about a week, but your fish are bigher then mine

 

[kouma]

Thanks everyone that was helpful.

 

[kouma]

Hello all,

So I completed the following treatment for my 320Gal tank:

Day 1: API GC treatment (3 boxes + 3 packets)
Day 7: 10% WC + API GC treatment (3 boxes + 3 packets)
Day 10: (today)

So far my trigger looks better, he is 300% more active and eats a lot more aggressive. However, only about 80% of the symptoms are gone, i.e. eye cloudiness and white things (worms) on this head. No stringy poop anywhere in the tank.

Question:

Does the potency of API GC decays with time? or as long as it is in the water, like copper, it will always deliver the correct level of chemicals needed to eradicate parasites and worms.

I am asking because the package instructions tells us to re dose after 48hours (without any WC). Why bother re-dose unless the potency of the medication weakens?

Moreover, does the medication evaporates? during my treatment, my ATO added fresh water. Do I need to dose fresh medication to the amount of water evaporated?

 

[kouma]

Any feedback is appreciated