Cowfish deworming?

[S_OS]

Hello all,

I am planning on getting another cowfish because after a year and a half of keeping marine livestock, I feel I am ready. I managed to keep my last cowfish alive for half a year and that was when I barely knew a lot about keeping saltwater fish, I was still changing the water in old tap water (New York city rusty copper pipes...), now I use ro/di.

Okay that's enough, now I wanted to know, if I were to get my Boxfish, how would I deworm it? I have no idea how it's done, I don't know any lingo, I don't know any products, so if someone could explain to me thoroughly what I would have to do, it would be highly appreciated.

Thanking in advance.

 

[EmdeReef]

I would use API general cure which contains both praziquantel and metronidazole. Follow manufacturer instructions for dosing. Would only use it in a quarantine tank.

If that doesn’t work you can try mixing metro with seachem focus and feed to the fish or even API general cure. For instructions: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/metronidazole.298762/#post-3655831

 

[wesman42]

I would use API general cure which contains both praziquantel and metronidazole. Follow manufacturer instructions for dosing. Would only use it in a quarantine tank.

If that doesn’t work you can try mixing metro with seachem focus and feed to the fish or even API general cure. For instructions: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/metronidazole.298762/#post-3655831

I second this....except I would start with feeding general cure + seachem focus. The reason being is adding general cure to the water will only act on external parasites. Internal parasites are managed by general cure + focus in the food.

 

[S_OS]

Would I have to quarantine him if he is the only fish in the tank? I have a 10 gallon aquarium I've been running for 3 months now, it's currently without fish and I wanted to get this very tiny boxfish. The 10 gal I have has no wavemakers and is moderate to mainly low flow. I just wanted to know if I could deworm the fish in a reef tank (there are no tubeworms at the moment)

 

[4FordFamily]

Would I have to quarantine him if he is the only fish in the tank? I have a 10 gallon aquarium I've been running for 3 months now, it's currently without fish and I wanted to get this very tiny boxfish. The 10 gal I have has no wavemakers and is moderate to mainly low flow. I just wanted to know if I could deworm the fish in a reef tank (there are no tubeworms at the moment)

Yes, the idea of the QT is to prevent disease from making it in to the display.

I agree on soaking food in general cure and seachem focus to bind the meds to the food so they’re ingested and not leeched in to the water column.

 

[ihavecrabs]

Would I have to quarantine him if he is the only fish in the tank? I have a 10 gallon aquarium I've been running for 3 months now, it's currently without fish and I wanted to get this very tiny boxfish. The 10 gal I have has no wavemakers and is moderate to mainly low flow. I just wanted to know if I could deworm the fish in a reef tank (there are no tubeworms at the moment)

I would avoid a boxfish until you set up a larger aquarium. I believe the suggested size is 150 gallons and above for most all boxfish species. With a juvenile, you might get away with a slightly smaller tank, but not for long.

 

[S_OS]

Yes, the idea of the QT is to prevent disease from making it in to the display.

I agree on soaking food in general cure and seachem focus to bind the meds to the food so they’re ingested and not leeched in to the water column.

The 10 gal tank I have has a few corals, would they be affected by the meds? And if I only soak his food will I not have to dose the whole tank?

I would avoid a boxfish until you set up a larger aquarium. I believe the suggested size is 150 gallons and above for most all boxfish species. With a juvenile, you might get away with a slightly smaller tank, but not for long.

I've found it's best to upgrade your tank while the cowfish grows. The cowfish I am looking at is small small (not a typo), like the size of my thumbnail. I am upgrading very soon anyways from my 30 gal so when the cowfish grows 2 inches I can plop them in there from the 10 gal and move him if it grows above 5 inches to the next tank (if God wills the fish to stay alive for that long). I wanna try and keep him alone for a while so he can get extremely adapted to captivity life, maybe even set up his own tank.

 

[4FordFamily]

The 10 gal tank I have has a few corals, would they be affected by the meds? And if I only soak his food will I not have to dose the whole tank?





I've found it's best to upgrade your tank while the cowfish grows. The cowfish I am looking at is small small (not a typo), like the size of my thumbnail. I am upgrading very soon anyways from my 30 gal so when the cowfish grows 2 inches I can plop them in there from the 10 gal and move him if it grows above 5 inches to the next tank (if God wills the fish to stay alive for that long). I wanna try and keep him alone for a while so he can get extremely adapted to captivity life, maybe even set up his own tank.

Feed only what the fish will eat to prevent leeching. It could impact corals if it’s not consumed.

 

[S_OS]

Feed only what the fish will eat to prevent leeching. It could impact corals if it’s not consumed.

Than I have my answer. Thank you!

 

[EmdeReef]

The 10 gal tank I have has a few corals, would they be affected by the meds? And if I only soak his food will I not have to dose the whole tank?





I've found it's best to upgrade your tank while the cowfish grows. The cowfish I am looking at is small small (not a typo), like the size of my thumbnail. I am upgrading very soon anyways from my 30 gal so when the cowfish grows 2 inches I can plop them in there from the 10 gal and move him if it grows above 5 inches to the next tank (if God wills the fish to stay alive for that long). I wanna try and keep him alone for a while so he can get extremely adapted to captivity life, maybe even set up his own tank.

Ideally, you should start with a larger well established tank. 10g makes it a challenge to maintain stable parameters. Cowfish are pretty messy eaters and also generally grow at the fastest rate early on. Possible to see up to an inch of growth in a month early on until they hit ~8-9” - average captivity size.

Stressors, including water parameters, may cause them to secrete toxins into the tank. In a 10g it’s almost sure to wipe the tank.

 

[S_OS]

Ideally, you should start with a larger well established tank. 10g makes it a challenge to maintain stable parameters. Cowfish are pretty messy eaters and also generally grow at the fastest rate early on. Possible to see up to an inch of growth in a month early on until they hit ~8-9” - average captivity size.

Stressors, including water parameters, may cause them to secrete toxins into the tank. In a 10g it’s almost sure to wipe the tank.

Yeah that's always something to keep in mind but I can manage. Hopefully.