How to Quarantine

[mcarroll]

recommend Scott W. Michael's " Nano Reef Species" and his "Marine Fishes"...it'll tell you the needs of each fish and what works and what to avoid...also the Newbie forum on R2R is a good place to start...good luck...

Love to see good reading recommendations! I don't think I've actually seen the first one you mentioned so it's on my radar now!

I can testify to the quality of the other suggestions!!

 

[Crashjack]

I'm trying to figure out the best quarantine procedures for my situation. When I kept reef tanks years ago (mid 90's through early 2000's), I quarantined using hypo salinity and sometimes relied on my LFS's 2-week quarantine, and I never had a problem. This go-round, I always want to quarantine. However, between my physical handicap, my obsessive compulsiveness, and my wife, TTM might be fine for the fish but would be too stressful on ME. My plan is to use a Sterilite or similar clear container w/lid for the tank, and a sponge filter attached to a power head for filtration. I figure I'll do a couple of doses of Praziquantel or GC as has been posted here and in other threads, but my options past that are copper, hypo salinity, or just observation. I really like the idea of not medicating with copper unless actual disease dictates, and I worry about using copper with some species I plan to keep. I know hypo salinity isn't full-proof, but I don't really believe that any method is full-proof, though I realize other methods might be more effective than hypo salinity.

My three biggest questions are: 1) Can you use Praziquantel while also running hypo salinity? 2) If I just stick with observation, will heating the water to say 82-83 deg F help force the issue to where ich, velvet, etc. become more obvious and easier to detect? 3) What quarantine procedures do you recommend for my situation?

 

[Congaken]

Love to see good reading recommendations! I don't think I've actually seen the first one you mentioned so it's on my radar now!

I can testify to the quality of the other suggestions!!

Go on Amazon...NRH is even on Kindle...

 

[Congaken]

Go on Amazon...NRH is even on Kindle...

...and NUK...

 

[Humblefish]

1) Can you use Praziquantel while also running hypo salinity?

No need to use prazi with hypo, as the latter also eradicates flukes/worms.

2) If I just stick with observation, will heating the water to say 82-83 deg F help force the issue to where ich, velvet, etc. become more obvious and easier to detect?

There is no direct evidence that temperature impacts marine parasites in any way.

3) What quarantine procedures do you recommend for my situation?

Due to the recent prevalence of velvet, it is only a matter of time before you run into a fish which requires copper or CP treatment.

 

[melypr1985]

Due to the recent prevalence of velvet, it is only a matter of time before you run into a fish which requires copper or CP treatment.

I can't express how true this is.

 

[Crashjack]

Due to the recent prevalence of velvet, it is only a matter of time before you run into a fish which requires copper or CP treatment.

I can't express how true this is.

Thanks for the help!

I planned to use Praziquantel or GC to address intestinal worms/parasites because I didn't think hypo would address that.

I know velvet is nasty so a copper treatment is probably necessary. If I only wanted to treat prophylacticly for velvet and then observe for ich, how long would I need to treat with Coppersafe?

 

[melypr1985]

Thanks for the help!

I planned to use Praziquantel or GC to address intestinal worms/parasites because I didn't think hypo would address that.

I know velvet is nasty so a copper treatment is probably necessary. If I only wanted to treat prophylacticly for velvet and then observe for ich, how long would I need to treat with Coppersafe?

You would still want to treat for 30 days regardless of which you are treating for. If you want to expose the fish to less time in the copper, then you can run them through 2 weeks of full therapeutic copper (be absolutely sure the levels stayed at therapeutic levels the entire time) then transfer the fish into a sterile QT for the remaining 2 weeks of close and careful observation.

 

[Crashjack]

You would still want to treat for 30 days regardless of which you are treating for. If you want to expose the fish to less time in the copper, then you can run them through 2 weeks of full therapeutic copper (be absolutely sure the levels stayed at therapeutic levels the entire time) then transfer the fish into a sterile QT for the remaining 2 weeks of close and careful observation.

I was thinking something like 10 days of praziquantel or GC (2 doses), followed by 2 weeks of Coppersafe (maybe a few days to ramp-up followed by 2 weeks at a therapeutic level of 1.5 - 2.0 ppm), with the last several days being observation only after a water change and adding carbon to remove copper with a minimum of 30 days total in quarantine. Does this make sense?

 

[melypr1985]

I was thinking something like 10 days of praziquantel or GC (2 doses), followed by 2 weeks of Coppersafe (maybe a few days to ramp-up followed by 2 weeks at a therapeutic level of 1.5 - 2.0 ppm), with the last several days being observation only after a water change and adding carbon to remove copper with a minimum of 30 days total in quarantine. Does this make sense?

It does make sense, but if that's the plan then you really need to transfer the fish into a sterile QT after the two weeks of copper. If it were me, I'd do the two weeks of copper first, then the transfer into a sterile QT for the prazi or GC and observation.

 

[Crashjack]

It does make sense, but if that's the plan then you really need to transfer the fish into a sterile QT after the two weeks of copper. If it were me, I'd do the two weeks of copper first, then the transfer into a sterile QT for the prazi or GC and observation.

Exactly the kind of information I was looking for. Thanks! Now, I've also decided to make this my "plan B", making talking to my uncle (a vet) about writing a prescription for CP my "plan A". I remember seeing in one of these threads that there was a guy, a pharmacist I guess, who would fill the prescriptions and ship. Anybody know if that is still the case? Also, as this is a new tank, I plan to do back-to-back-to-back quarantines. If I get the CP, can I use the same setup back-to-back or do I need to sterilize everything before the next quarantine? The tank is easy as I plan to get 2 Sterilite containers anyway. The number 1 problem is the sponge filter and number 2 is the pump (these problems also apply to switching to a sterile tank after 2 weeks of copper treatment). My understanding is that after sterilizing, you need to allow 3 days to dry to allow evaporation of bleach or whatever you are sanitizing with. I can't kill the bacteria in my filter right before I add fish to my QT or eliminate my filter in the middle of quarantine. Is there a way to do without having 2 of everything and rotating 2 sponge filters through my sump all the time?

 

[melypr1985]

Exactly the kind of information I was looking for. Thanks! Now, I've also decided to make this my "plan B", making talking to my uncle (a vet) about writing a prescription for CP my "plan A". I remember seeing in one of these threads that there was a guy, a pharmacist I guess, who would fill the prescriptions and ship. Anybody know if that is still the case? Also, as this is a new tank, I plan to do back-to-back-to-back quarantines. If I get the CP, can I use the same setup back-to-back or do I need to sterilize everything before the next quarantine? The tank is easy as I plan to get 2 Sterilite containers anyway. The number 1 problem is the sponge filter and number 2 is the pump (these problems also apply to switching to a sterile tank after 2 weeks of copper treatment). My understanding is that after sterilizing, you need to allow 3 days to dry to allow evaporation of bleach or whatever you are sanitizing with. I can't kill the bacteria in my filter right before I add fish to my QT or eliminate my filter in the middle of quarantine. Is there a way to do without having 2 of everything and rotating 2 sponge filters through my sump all the time?

Diamondbackdrugs.com is where you can get your CP scrip filled.

I would suggest having several (not just two) filter sponges always in your sump for just these situations. Using the sponge filter will be a bit more expensive in the long run since you have to keep replacing the sponges, but it's doable. Don't reuse a sponge without sterilizing it thoroughly and letting it dry for a least a week before using it again. You will definitely want to sterilize the QT in between batches to be safe.

 

[morgank]

Anyhow, let me know if you have had experience with these specific two: melanarus and yellow coris.

I have a young melanarus in cupramine at .5 right now, it's been in there about two weeks and is doing fine, eating twice daily and sleeping in a small pipe. YMMV of course. I obtained it from bluezoo.

It's worth noting too that Bluezoo fish come in water at 1.019 salinity, I've been slowly raising that as well.

 

[Crashjack]

Diamondbackdrugs.com is where you can get your CP scrip filled.

I would suggest having several (not just two) filter sponges always in your sump for just these situations. Using the sponge filter will be a bit more expensive in the long run since you have to keep replacing the sponges, but it's doable. Don't reuse a sponge without sterilizing it thoroughly and letting it dry for a least a week before using it again. You will definitely want to sterilize the QT in between batches to be safe.

Thanks! I'll check out Diamond Back and talk to my uncle tomorrow. The sponge filters are $8 a piece. I get the ones for up to 40 gallons just so I know I have a lot of surface area for bacteria. However these filters are sort of big, which is why I didn't want many in my sump. With 2 totes and multiple sponge filters, the only things left to sterilize immediately are the pump, heater, and PVC elbows for hiding. Is there any way to sterilize these things quickly?

 

[melypr1985]

Is there any way to sterilize these things quickly?

 

[Brew12]

This is faster, but it comes with it's own issues.

 

[Crashjack]

Thanks for the video!

This is faster, but it comes with it's own issues.

I was thinking more like

 

[Crashjack]

I got the CP worked out with my uncle and Diamondback. Last questions (maybe)... I read where you can use GC simultaneously with CP. When copper is used, can GC be used simultaneously with copper?

Also, GC instructions are for a water change and running carbon after treatment. Obviously, carbon would remove the other medication as well. Is there any harm in not running the carbon (e.g. allowing the GC to remain during the entire treatment with the other medication)?

 

[melypr1985]

I got the CP worked out with my uncle and Diamondback. Last questions (maybe)... I read where you can use GC simultaneously with CP. When copper is used, can GC be used simultaneously with copper?

Also, GC instructions are for a water change and running carbon after treatment. Obviously, carbon would remove the other medication as well. Is there any harm in not running the carbon (e.g. allowing the GC to remain during the entire treatment with the other medication)?

Yes, General Cure can be used with both CP and copper. When GC is done, you would simply do a water change after and replace the copper or CP in the new water before adding it to the QT again.

 

[Humblefish]

Yes, General Cure can be used with both CP and copper. When GC is done, you would simply do a water change after and replace the copper or CP in the new water before adding it to the QT again.

+1 The only tweak you wanna make with GC is instead of repeating dosage after 48 hours (as per the directions); do the second dose 5-7 days after the first.