Fallow question

Brad Coughlan · Oct 12, 2023

Hey
I have my fish in QT with copper for ich treatment and the main display fallow. Originally, I added some rock from from my display tank into the quarantine tank since I was going to do hyposalinity, but I decided to do copper so I removed the rock (So the rock has been exposed to ich more recently, whilst the main display has not.) The rock has been dry for about 12 days, and I was wondering if it is safe to add back to the main display without restarting the 76 day fallow time. It may seem like a silly question, but I am worried that the ich parasites can lay dormant outside of water and go back into the main display and require me to restart the fallow period.

Thanks

MnFish1 · Oct 12, 2023

BradCoughlan said:
Hey
I have my fish in QT with copper for ich treatment and the main display fallow. Originally, I added some rock from from my display tank into the quarantine tank since I was going to do hyposalinity, but I decided to do copper so I removed the rock (So the rock has been exposed to ich more recently, whilst the main display has not.) The rock has been dry for about 12 days, and I was wondering if it is safe to add back to the main display without restarting the 76 day fallow time. It may seem like a silly question, but I am worried that the ich parasites can lay dormant outside of water and go back into the main display and require me to restart the fallow period.

Thanks

I would say 'never say never' - but the risk would be exponentially small. The only question being - could there be something 'deep' in the rock - and various posters here have suggested that low oxygen areas can harbor CI. You have had a tough time - I would extend it (since you asked) - others will have different opinions. Hope it all goes ok

Brad Coughlan · Oct 12, 2023

MnFish1 said:
I would say 'never say never' - but the risk would be exponentially small. The only question being - could there be something 'deep' in the rock - and various posters here have suggested that low oxygen areas can harbor CI. You have had a tough time - I would extend it (since you asked) - others will have different opinions. Hope it all goes ok

That's what I thought, since the rock is very porous. Could I leave the rock in tap water for a few days?

vetteguy53081 · Oct 12, 2023

BradCoughlan said:
Hey
I have my fish in QT with copper for ich treatment and the main display fallow. Originally, I added some rock from from my display tank into the quarantine tank since I was going to do hyposalinity, but I decided to do copper so I removed the rock (So the rock has been exposed to ich more recently, whilst the main display has not.) The rock has been dry for about 12 days, and I was wondering if it is safe to add back to the main display without restarting the 76 day fallow time. It may seem like a silly question, but I am worried that the ich parasites can lay dormant outside of water and go back into the main display and require me to restart the fallow period.

Thanks

While rock is porous it rarely retains live organisms when dry reducing the risk. You can soak the rock in fresh seawater in a tub or similar container for a couple of weeks in which if any parasites present without a host would die off.

Brad Coughlan · Oct 12, 2023

vetteguy53081 said:
While rock is porous it rarely retains live organisms when dry reducing the risk. You can soak the rock in fresh seawater in a tub or similar container for a couple of weeks in which if any parasites present without a host would die off.

Right sounds good.
Could I just put the rock in tap water for a few days, let it dry and then add back to the display? Since the parasites can't live in tap water, would this be better than doing it in seawater and allow me to add the rock faster?

vetteguy53081 · Oct 12, 2023

BradCoughlan said:
Right sounds good.
Could I just put the rock in tap water for a few days, let it dry and then add back to the display? Since the parasites can't live in tap water, would this be better than doing it in seawater and allow me to add the rock faster?

You can and should work.

Brad Coughlan · Oct 12, 2023

vetteguy53081 said:
You can and should work.

Ok cool, thanks!

Brad Coughlan · Oct 12, 2023

vetteguy53081 said:
You can and should work.

1 quick question whilst this thread is active

If I have my hand in the display tank and then put my hand in the quarantine tank or the other way round, would washing my hands with soap and then rinsing the soap off prevent cross contamination between the 2 and prevent parasites going from the fallow display to the quarantine?

vetteguy53081 · Oct 12, 2023

BradCoughlan said:
1 quick question whilst this thread is active

If I have my hand in the display tank and then put my hand in the quarantine tank or the other way round, would washing my hands with soap and then rinsing the soap off prevent cross contamination between the 2 and prevent parasites going from the fallow display to the quarantine?

It can and should but no guarantee. As I have done this more than once over many years- I would not be too concerned

Brad Coughlan · Oct 12, 2023

vetteguy53081 said:
It can and should but no guarantee. As I have done this more than once over many years- I would not be too concerned

Ok that's good,
Thanks

Jay Hemdal · Oct 12, 2023

BradCoughlan said:
That's what I thought, since the rock is very porous. Could I leave the rock in tap water for a few days?

Yes - soaking in freshwater will render it ich free.
Jay

Brad Coughlan · Oct 13, 2023

Jay Hemdal said:
Yes - soaking in freshwater will render it ich free.
Jay

This also includes any dormant parasites right? Would 3 days of soaking the rock in tap water be enough

Jay Hemdal · Oct 13, 2023

BradCoughlan said:
This also includes any dormant parasites right? Would 3 days of soaking the rock in tap water be enough

Yes - that would kill flukes eggs, any uncysted protozoans as well as ich tomonts.

The only issue is that rocks with lots of crevices can trap seawater. When you rinse them in tap water, some of that seawater mixes with the tap water, possibly leaving it brackish - and that may not kill all parasites. What I do is soak the rock in tap water for 24 hours, then change the water and rinse it again.

Jay

Brad Coughlan · Oct 13, 2023

Jay Hemdal said:
Yes - that would kill flukes eggs, any uncysted protozoans as well as ich tomonts.

The only issue is that rocks with lots of crevices can trap seawater. When you rinse them in tap water, some of that seawater mixes with the tap water, possibly leaving it brackish - and that may not kill all parasites. What I do is soak the rock in tap water for 24 hours, then change the water and rinse it again.

Jay

Ok will do that, it's neccesary that I add the rock back to the display in the next days since my mushroom corals aren't appreaciating their current spot