Is flow necessary in Quarantine tank?

Bossman · Oct 23, 2022

I have a Shepards Angel that recently developed a fat cloudy eye, and fin degradation. It isn't eating and also not swimming as usual. All other fish in the display tank appear to be in good health. I've put the Angel in a small 3 gallon tank (all I have) with a bubbler and heater. The water in the small tank was taken from the display. I added fresh saltwater mix to the display tank to make up for what I removed. I have also added some rock I keep in the sumps for biological filtration. I have on hand Seachem Kanaplex and Paraguard. I've added Kanaplex to the water.

As soon as I put him in the tank, he's gulping at the surface. This was before adding Kanaplex. The display had good flow, but the small tank with bubbler has little. The bubbler is moving the water around some. Do I need flow in the small tank?

TheReefDiary · Oct 23, 2022

Bossman said:
I have a Shepards Angel that recently developed a fat cloudy eye, and fin degradation. It isn't eating and also not swimming as usual. All other fish in the display tank appear to be in good health. I've put the Angel in a small 3 gallon tank (all I have) with a bubbler and heater. The water in the small tank was taken from the display. I added fresh saltwater mix to the display tank to make up for what I removed. I have also added some rock I keep in the sumps for biological filtration. I have on hand Seachem Kanaplex and Paraguard. I've added Kanaplex to the water.

As soon as I put him in the tank, he's gulping at the surface. This was before adding Kanaplex. The display had good flow, but the small tank with bubbler has little. The bubbler is moving the water around some. Do I need flow in the small tank?

Flow isn't a requirement. Flow is just so the animals have a more natural environment and so they build muscle. I've had fish quarantined for over a month with no flow in the tank. As long as you have good surface agitation or a good airstone you should be fine.

vetteguy53081 · Oct 23, 2022

Bossman said:
I have a Shepards Angel that recently developed a fat cloudy eye, and fin degradation. It isn't eating and also not swimming as usual. All other fish in the display tank appear to be in good health. I've put the Angel in a small 3 gallon tank (all I have) with a bubbler and heater. The water in the small tank was taken from the display. I added fresh saltwater mix to the display tank to make up for what I removed. I have also added some rock I keep in the sumps for biological filtration. I have on hand Seachem Kanaplex and Paraguard. I've added Kanaplex to the water.

As soon as I put him in the tank, he's gulping at the surface. This was before adding Kanaplex. The display had good flow, but the small tank with bubbler has little. The bubbler is moving the water around some. Do I need flow in the small tank?

Many antibiotics do reduce both appetite and oxygen , reason recommended is an air stone for added oxygen.
Did you assure temperature and ph was a match even though you used ytank water?
Paraguard is quite ineffective for protozoan treatment and while kanaplex will help as this is bacterial in nature, Neoplex is what you will want But Kanaplex will address the eye. Best is Maracyn which is ethromyacin.
Pics under white lighting would be helpful with assessment

Bossman · Oct 23, 2022

Thank you very much for the quick replies! I will pick up some Maracyn tomorrow.

MnFish1 · Oct 23, 2022

Bossman said:
I have a Shepards Angel that recently developed a fat cloudy eye, and fin degradation. It isn't eating and also not swimming as usual. All other fish in the display tank appear to be in good health. I've put the Angel in a small 3 gallon tank (all I have) with a bubbler and heater. The water in the small tank was taken from the display. I added fresh saltwater mix to the display tank to make up for what I removed. I have also added some rock I keep in the sumps for biological filtration. I have on hand Seachem Kanaplex and Paraguard. I've added Kanaplex to the water.

As soon as I put him in the tank, he's gulping at the surface. This was before adding Kanaplex. The display had good flow, but the small tank with bubbler has little. The bubbler is moving the water around some. Do I need flow in the small tank?

The symptoms you're describing suggest oxygen depletion - or he is just getting used to the new tank. Since you used your own DT water - it's hard to understand how ammonia, etc would have developed. I might ask - is it possible that there was a cleanser, etc - in the new tank (or the bubbler/heater) - that might be causing distress.

FWIW - Kanaplex (kanamycin) and Neoplex (Neomycin) are very closely related - and you should do fine with either. They are both amino glycoside antibiotics - with presumably similar toxicity profiles. I favor kanaplex. These medications do need to be carefully dosed due to potential neurologic injury

MnFish1 · Oct 23, 2022

Addendum - without some kind of toxin in the water (since you hadn't added the antibiotic yet) - I cannot see (except extreme stress) why all the sudden your fish would be gulping at the surface. Can you give any more information. Additionally - the issues with adding antibiotics to a new tank - are not going to be immediate (unless they were misdosed) - kanamycin can cause neurotoxicity at high doses. Please keep us updated

rwreef · Oct 23, 2022

Flow, no, oxygen, yes

I use cycled sponge filters in my QT setups with an air pump. Other than that it is a heater and ATO (I am lazy) but it also keeps salinity stable.

Bossman · Oct 23, 2022

I have used the little tank to acclimate new fish quite a few times. I never wash it, but just rinse with RO after use so I don't think it would have any contaminants. The small bucket I use to move the water is also a well used just to move tank and ato water. Rinsed only. I did all of this pretty quick. The fish was not swimming too fast in the display tank and was easy to catch. I've had him for about a couple of years or so.

The fish immediately started to swim at the surface, but doesn't seem to have gotten any worse. . I didn't add the kanaplex for a bit after putting the fish in the tank. Rock came from the same tank. I think it may just be stress and also, he's not in great health.

MnFish1 · Oct 23, 2022

Bossman said:
I have used the little tank to acclimate new fish quite a few times. I never wash it, but just rinse with RO after use so I don't think it would have any contaminants. The small bucket I use to move the water is also a well used just to move tank and ato water. Rinsed only. I did all of this pretty quick. The fish was not swimming too fast in the display tank and was easy to catch. I've had him for about a couple of years or so.

The fish immediately started to swim at the surface, but doesn't seem to have gotten any worse. . I didn't add the kanaplex for a bit after putting the fish in the tank. Rock came from the same tank. I think it may just be stress and also, he's not in great health.

Great - I would say - in that case. the most likely issue is stress.

. Keep an eye open