Can you mix formalin and prime?

[Hal3134]

I've got some new fish coming tomorrow and like to add a drop of prime to the bag as soon as I open it. After acclimating to temp, I usually dump the water from the bag into a bucket and add formalin and malachite green for a 30 min bath. I've never noticed any issues, but is it ok to mix the prime and formalin?

I've ordered Fritz Quick Cure Ich which is a mix of formalin and malachite green. I used to use Safety Stop which is formalin and malachite green separately, but this med has them together.

 

[Mjrenz]

I've got some new fish coming tomorrow and like to add a drop of prime to the bag as soon as I open it. After acclimating to temp, I usually dump the water from the bag into a bucket and add formalin and malachite green for a 30 min bath. I've never noticed any issues, but is it ok to mix the prime and formalin?

I've ordered Fritz Quick Cure Ich which is a mix of formalin and malachite green. I used to use Safety Stop which is formalin and malachite green separately, but this med has them together.

You could make a potentially lethal combo if there's copper in the water the fish came in. It's also usually the best idea to get them out of that water right away, ammonia will start to develop as soon as the water is exposed to air

 

[ngoodermuth]

Do you do this in leui of QT, or before going into QT?

Either way, formalin is very harsh on fish and known carcinogen. It’s also not going to be 100% guaranteed to keep any parasite out of your DT used on it’s own, though it may reduce the initial parasite numbers and weaken the fish in the process. There’s no such thing as an “Instant QT”.

I don’t touch the stuff unless absolutely necessary, personally.

 

[Hal3134]

Before going into QT.

I do it because I have to follow the LA acclimation process in order to get the 14 day guarantee. This means only a slow addition of my tank water.

 

[Mjrenz]

Before going into QT.

I do it because I have to follow the LA acclimation process in order to get the 14 day guarantee. This means only a slow addition of my tank water.

I would recommend against the method of slowly adding tank water, it's really the worst thing to do for a fish that's been building up waste in a tiny bag. There's some really good advice contained in this article that explains the reason behind this
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/beginners-guide-to-acclimation-and-quarantine.304980/

 

[Hal3134]

I get it, but again, LA requires it to get their 14 day warranty.

 

[Mjrenz]

I get it, but again, LA requires it to get their 14 day warranty.

The only other thing that I could suggest is using biospira, it works quickly to process ammonia but not as quickly as prime does to bind it and make it safe. The only thing about prime is that it will kill your fish if there's any copper in the water

 

[Mjrenz]

Double post

 

[Mjrenz]

I have no idea why that posted multiple times

 

[Hal3134]

Update: I talked with LA and they said it is ok to match temp and salinity in the QT to the shipping bag, acclimate for temp, and then transfer directly into the QT (skipping the drip acclimation or 1/2 cup of water every 4 minutes). They also confirmed that they do NOT run copper in their holding tanks. Only in their hospital tanks.

I had a powder blue tang, sixline wrasse, and 6 zebra barred dartfish arrive today (Monday) that shipped on Friday for (planned) Saturday delivery. UPS screwed up again (second time this happened in the last 6 months). Anyway, sixline was floating on its back. I added 1 drop of Prime to each bag upon opening, acclimated for temp, and then threw them directly into my QT which had been adjusted to the same salinity as the bags. Last I checked the sixline was improving, and the others looked fine from the beginning.

 

[ngoodermuth]

Sorry about the DOA... shipping problems are so frustrating [emoji35]

 

[Hal3134]

Actually the sixline is recovering. To my great surprise, he's swimming around normally. I haven't had him eat yet, but it's only been 36 hours since he arrived. I can only presume that it was an oxygenation issue given how fast he recovered, or that he recovered at all.