Clownfish quarantine

[rockstarta78]

So I am finally ready to put fish in my tank. I have setup a hospital tank. I plan on treating all my fish for minimum of 4 weeks before putting it in the DT. My question is can clownfish be treated with Cupramine? Or should I go with Paraguard? I also plan on treating them with Prazipro. I can't find any info on which fish will tolerate copper and which fish won't.

Thanks for your help

 

[eatbreakfast]

Clownfish will handle copper. Wrasses and Angels don't do well with copper.

 

[Trey B]

Cupramine is your best choice copper treatment. Clowns are fine with it, and i have even treated puffers with it successfully at lower concentration for a longer time period. You have named off all 3 of my recommendations of chemicals. I use the same things with great results. Seems like you are on track!

 

[DeniseAndy]

Why do you want to just randomly treat? I would suggest you just watch the fish in qt until you see signs of any issues. Also, many clowns are captive bred and do not need major (if any) treatments. At least the ones from good breeders that have not gone into a retail tank.

However, I am not an advocate of copper in any form. Just a personal preference. If I was to treat for the heck of it or as a preventative, I would follow a protocol of formalin. Basically use 1ml per 10gal of water do this once a week for three weeks. Make sure to get lots of air into the tank with formalin (it takes o2 out) and handle properly.

 

[rockstarta78]

This is a preventive measure. I'd rather be safe than sorry. Which one is formalin? Paraguard?

 

[DeniseAndy]

Formalin is formalin. Although, they do have an alternative out there now. Paraguard is the alternative to formalin. I have not used it though, so no experience with it vs formalin.

I understand safe than sorry. I just would not put a fish though a 4 week copper treatment. I have seen the method I mentioned used regularly for preventative measures and works great. I have had friends use it and I have used it also.

 

[rockstarta78]

Thank you. My biggest worry is/was since I am new to the hobby I wasn't sure if I could identify the diseases accurately. I think I will be going with the formalin route.

 

[Humblefish]

I think I will be going with the formalin route.

FYI; Formalin is a known carcinogen. I do not advise using it unless absolutely necessary (i.e. velvet, brook outbreak) and even then, only in a 1 hr bath solution to limit exposure time.

IMHO; your best option for prophylactically treating these clownfish is tank transfer method: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/tank-transfer-method.192655/

It is a chemical free solution to ich, while observing to see if a more serious disease presents itself. Whilst doing TTM, you can deworm by dosing Prazipro at the onset of "Day 4" and "Day 10"; transfers 2 & 4 respectively.

 

[rockstarta78]

FYI; Formalin is a known carcinogen. I do not advise using it unless absolutely necessary (i.e. velvet, brook outbreak) and even then, only in a 1 hr bath solution to limit exposure time.

IMHO; your best option for prophylactically treating these clownfish is tank transfer method: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/tank-transfer-method.192655/

It is a chemical free solution to ich, while observing to see if a more serious disease presents itself. Whilst doing TTM, you can deworm by dosing Prazipro at the onset of "Day 4" and "Day 10"; transfers 2 & 4 respectively.

Thank you @Humblefish. For now I have decided just to observe the fishes. If I see something I'll start with Prazipro. But trying to avoid med for now. TTM sounds like the best route.

 

[Trey B]

Just because they dont show a symptom, doesnt mean they are ick free.

 

[Humblefish]

Just because they dont show a symptom, doesnt mean they are ick free.

+1 Both ich and flukes can harbor inside the gills out of sight. And even ORA clownfish can get ich and even brook (or any other disease) if they spend time in a disease infested tank somewhere along the way, or the breeder cross contaminates his hatchery. People make mistakes.

 

[Trey B]

Im a firm believer in eradication rather than taking any chances. If you treat for it properly it will never be a worry. Simple observation is going to just be wasting time.

 

[Humblefish]

Simple observation is going to just be wasting time.

IMO; it depends on what kind of person you are. Busy or non-observant types are probably going to miss key behavioral symptoms of a disease in QT. But if you are one of these attention to detail kinda people who have 15-30 mins every day to sit in front of a QT and just watch, you will notice that something is off. A fish with parasites or worms inside the gills will twitch or shake his head, rub or scratch against something, or dart quickly through the water in an attempt to "dislodge" whatever is bothering the gills. It's these subtle behavioral symptoms you have to look for when just passively observing.

 

[rockstarta78]

IMO; it depends on what kind of person you are. Busy or non-observant types are probably going to miss key behavioral symptoms of a disease in QT. But if you are one of these attention to detail kinda people who have 15-30 mins every day to sit in front of a QT and just watch, you will notice that something is off. A fish with parasites or worms inside the gills will twitch or shake his head, rub or scratch against something, or dart quickly through the water in an attempt to "dislodge" whatever is bothering the gills. It's these subtle behavioral symptoms you have to look for when just passively observing.

Thank you I didn't know what I was looking for. Now I do.

 

[Dennis2213]

Why do you want to just randomly treat? I would suggest you just watch the fish in qt until you see signs of any issues. Also, many clowns are captive bred and do not need major (if any) treatments. At least the ones from good breeders that have not gone into a retail tank.

However, I am not an advocate of copper in any form. Just a personal preference. If I was to treat for the heck of it or as a preventative, I would follow a protocol of formalin. Basically use 1ml per 10gal of water do this once a week for three weeks. Make sure to get lots of air into the tank with formalin (it takes o2 out) and handle properly.

When you lose your whole tank to a sick fish that looks great when you buy them. At that point you will understand!

 

[DeniseAndy]

When you lose your whole tank to a sick fish that looks great when you buy them. At that point you will understand!

I have lost fish to a sick fish. However, with captive bred fish direct from breeders, there is usually no issues. With wild caught, I always have a protocol. Just not copper.

 

[vetteguy53081]

So I am finally ready to put fish in my tank. I have setup a hospital tank. I plan on treating all my fish for minimum of 4 weeks before putting it in the DT. My question is can clownfish be treated with Cupramine? Or should I go with Paraguard? I also plan on treating them with Prazipro. I can't find any info on which fish will tolerate copper and which fish won't.

Thanks for your help

Cupramine can be harsh on them especially at therapuetic level. Coppersafe would be mild but not sure why you are attempting a full blown treatment when theyre not sick. For preventative, I highly recommend using ruby rally Pro which covers an array of conditions but also mild. The other option is general cure.