Emergency hospital tank

crash29ca · Sep 6, 2018

Hi everyone

I had some power issues this week and now I have a sick clown fish. Power outages were 4days ago and lasted a 1 and 2 hours respectively. In my display tank I had lost the 2 fish I originally had to ich 6 months ago. DT was fishless for only 2 months and I was convinced to add 2 cromies who did well a couple months later bought 2 Clarke clowns as a spur of the moment purchase. This was definitely not my plan. Now in the same boat with sick fish. Today the larger clown had definite ich spots and a cloudy eye. He was swimming ok and ate well. I can pick up a 10 gal tank tomorrow to start a Qt tank and treatment tank. I have a brand new hob with a bio wheel. I am on nights so when I get home I can start to make salt water. Just did WC so don’t have any readily to go. How soon can I put the fish in there to start treating it. And do I just put the bio spira right on the wheel. And any medication suggestions I am open 2. Also is a 10 gal too small to treat all my 4 fishes in. Chromies are 3/4”. And 1 clown is 3/4” and the other is 1.25 to 1.5”. Fist thought is to treat the sickes fish which is the largest right away. But want to take all the fish from the DT for 76 days.

Humblefish · Sep 6, 2018

I rarely see cloudy eye when a fish has ich; but I see it often (as a secondary infection) when a fish has velvet: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/velvet-amyloodinium-ocellatum.217570/

Best to utilize this protocol on each & every fish: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/velvet-amyloodinium-ocellatum.217570/#post-2499437

crash29ca · Sep 6, 2018

Thanks for the advice. I have never treated a sick fish before and have never had a QT Tank or a Hospital tank. I was in the process of setting up a QT tank but unfortunately the used tank I got leaked. I don’t know if the clown will make it till I can help him. Will a fresh water dip give him some extra time till I get everything set up and get the necessary supplies

Big G · Sep 7, 2018

Do yourself and the fish a favor, if possible, opt for a 20 gal for your QT. Much, much easier to control the water parameters in a healthy way for the fish. Plus, you can easily use the 20 for several small fish (like your list above) or one or two larger fish. Also, add a small size foam bubble filter and a small, very small powerhead to your list.

Big G · Sep 7, 2018

crash29ca said:
Thanks for the advice. I have never treated a sick fish before and have never had a QT Tank or a Hospital tank. I was in the process of setting up a QT tank but unfortunately the used tank I got leaked. I don’t know if the clown will make it till I can help him. Will a fresh water dip give him some extra time till I get everything set up and get the necessary supplies

Yes. A freshwater dip will buy you some time. It will remove a tremendous number of the parasites off of the fish's gills allowing it to breathe much easier.

crash29ca · Sep 7, 2018

Ok how quickly can I put the fish in the tank if I get started on it tomorrow. Obviously the DT is infected so I can’t use that water to seed anything

Humblefish · Sep 7, 2018

crash29ca said:
Ok how quickly can I put the fish in the tank if I get started on it tomorrow. Obviously the DT is infected so I can’t use that water to seed anything

As soon as the salt is mixed and all QT equipment is online. You have no time to lose if this is velvet.

crash29ca · Sep 7, 2018

Ok thank you so much. Unfortunately I am at work till 4am. And nothing will be open till 10 am or so. I will do a fresh water dip as soon as I get home for the sickest fish. Then follow your write up for all 4 fish. And let you know how it goes. Thanks again.

crash29ca · Sep 7, 2018

QT tank will be in place after all this. Plus a fallow period for 77 days just to be safe before these guys go back in the DT

crash29ca · Sep 21, 2018

Thanks guys. Just wanted to give you guys an update. The 2 clowns unfortunately did not make it. The 2 chromies however are showing no signs of the disease. Unfortunately I can’t seem to catch them from the main tank. Really want to get them out of there to start my fish free time period and treat them. Tried a home made fish trap but it didn’t work. They won’t go near it even if it is the only food in the tank.

Dondante · Jan 4, 2019

What was your outcome, Crash?

crash29ca · Jan 7, 2019

Unfortunately the fish did not make it. I am currently going throu a 76 fishless stage before I start with fish again. For the most part I am really going to focus on building my reef for the next while and getting really healthy corals growing. After my 76 free day period I will revisit fish with a proper quarantine before they go in my tank.

Frtdrmrose7 · Jan 7, 2019

crash29ca said:
Unfortunately the fish did not make it. I am currently going throu a 76 fishless stage before I start with fish again. For the most part I am really going to focus on building my reef for the next while and getting really healthy corals growing. After my 76 free day period I will revisit fish with a proper quarantine before they go in my tank.

Be careful adding new coral to your fallow tank without a QT period. Ive seen people restart the clock on a fallow tank by adding corals, frag plugs, inverts with shells (anything ich can encyst on). I know its rare but it happens and nothing worse than getting to 77 days adding new fish and you get ich all over, etc.

crash29ca · Jan 7, 2019

Frtdrmrose7 said:
Be careful adding new coral to your fallow tank without a QT period. Ive seen people restart the clock on a fallow tank by adding corals, frag plugs, inverts with shells (anything ich can encyst on). I know its rare but it happens and nothing worse than getting to 77 days adding new fish and you get ich all over, etc.

Thanks for the advice