I think 13 days should be enough to get things stabilized in the QT, and the antibiotics will be done by then. As long as someone is topping off and feeding the fishes I think you should be ok leaving with copper there.
Help with QT/Hospital tank
- Thread starter Shallow Planet
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Shallow Planet
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Okay I plan on starting copper tonight. What about the other fish if I actually catch it? Ideally I would start both in copper, but what if the one has been treated for a few days before I get the other? I assume it would need to go in a different tank and adjust to copper...but I am limited to just the one tank right now while the permanent QT finishes cycling...
Also about uronema. Is there anyway to actually know if I have it?
Assuming I do have uronema and deside to tear tank down and start over, what do I do with inverts and coral? Can uronema stay on them?
Also about uronema. Is there anyway to actually know if I have it?
Assuming I do have uronema and deside to tear tank down and start over, what do I do with inverts and coral? Can uronema stay on them?
You would need to add a (QTd) chromis after the fallow period is over. To see if he becomes infected.
Shallow Planet
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Got the 2nd damsel pulled and off to QT. Wish me luck.
Shallow Planet
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I'm pretty sure it's uronema now. I've been doing Metroplex, Kanaplex, and Furan for 2 days now. 1 dose of Metro and Kana plus raising copper safe levels slowly. One of them has developed a sore on his head now. Should I stay the course or should the antibiotics be mixed in food. And if fed do i still dose water?
For uronema, you need to dose the water AND food soak Metroplex. Because the disease can spread internally.
Use Seachem Focus to bind the medication to food: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/metronidazole.298762/#post-3655831
Shallow Planet
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So I started feeding with the meds and after tonights dosage should be at the appropriate copper levels. The one that developed the bad sore seems to be struggling. Is not currently eating. The other damsel seems to be doing fine. Eating and swimming around.
Shallow Planet
Active Member
So I'm down to just 1 and he looks like he will be dead soon. This is a current photo of him. Was this in fact uronema or maybe a combination of something else? They never got better unfortunately in QT. Just gradually worse each day.
I agree. Uronema is a very difficult disease to treat, even when symptoms are caught early.
Shallow Planet
Active Member
So the question I have now is what do I do now with my display and QT since both are obviously infected.
1. Do I pull all fish and treat them with the same medications in QT? Copper, Furan, Metroplex, and Kanaplex? (None are currently showing signs of anything)
2. What do I do with current corals and inverts? (Assuming I am tearing down and starting all over again)
3. How do I limit this from happening again? I can treat incoming fish, but how do I make sure incoming coral/inverts are not carrying it?
4. Do I need to recycle my QT with all new saltwater? Or would this be a waste since all fish are coming infected anyway?
Thanks in advance!
1. Do I pull all fish and treat them with the same medications in QT? Copper, Furan, Metroplex, and Kanaplex? (None are currently showing signs of anything)
2. What do I do with current corals and inverts? (Assuming I am tearing down and starting all over again)
3. How do I limit this from happening again? I can treat incoming fish, but how do I make sure incoming coral/inverts are not carrying it?
4. Do I need to recycle my QT with all new saltwater? Or would this be a waste since all fish are coming infected anyway?
Thanks in advance!
@Shallow Planet How important is it for you to have damsels in your DT? Is it something you can live without?
Shallow Planet
Active Member
Well that is something I would be torn with. Starcki damsels are one of my favorite fish. I am also concerned though about non damsels/chromis catching it. I had all my anthias start dying from big wounds that I though was fighting. Now I am wondering if this was already in my tank...
Unless you are willing to completely break your DT down, sterilize everything and start over from scratch - then you are stuck with uronema for the life of the tank. Typically, only chromis, damsels, clownfish, and yes sometimes anthias are affected by it. Most other species of fish have natural immunity to uronema.
The QT I would break down and sterilize with bleach. Just to be on the safe side.
Shallow Planet
Active Member
So if I start all over would I have to throw all coral and inverts out? Basically just kill them? Im assuming there is no way to sterilize them.
I would donate them to a LFS (even Petco) - just be honest about why you are doing so. Most LFS retail systems probably have uronema in them anyway, which is why they can never keep chromis damsels alive.
Shallow Planet
Active Member
this is a sad day.
Shallow Planet
Active Member
So if Coral and inverts can not be treated, how will I be able to keep this out of my tank? I dont want to start over and then a shrimp or some random coral is carrying it to my display.
Unfortunately, that's a risk we all have to take since isolating a new coral/invert to a fishless environment will not eliminate uronema. Probably many tanks have latent uronema but it's not realized.
