Ken's 215G Build

[kenchilada]

Awwww!!!! What a handsome fellow!!! I’ve always had great experiences with Divers Den. Congratulations!!!!

I’m really happy with the fish I got from them. The whitetail is doing great and has way too much fun swimming through the PVC pipes in the QT tank. I think he’s gonna miss those.

 

[kenchilada]

Have both quarantine tanks full now. Will start raising copper tomorrow.

Noticed the copperband has some red at the base of his dorsal. Probably bacterial infection. I need to find out what to do for him. I have some kanaplex but no furan-2. He looks healthy otherwise and is hunting, so I might try putting a clam in tomorrow morning for him to pick on.

 

[kenchilada]

Oh and that orange shoulder is awesome! Great personality already. My kids named him Mando.

 

[kenchilada]

Copperband is tough to feed as usual. I have a fresh clam in there for him and so far he looks at it but no bites. So far he’s most interested in nori. He picks at it all day.

 

[CMMorgan]

Today I caulked the interior and got it ready for final paint.

Also cut all the parts for the doors. Th e doors will be tricky because they are inset and everything needs to be accurate to 1/32”. The gap around the doors is 3/32”. I cut all parts 1/16” larger so I can trim and sand to fit the openings.

I plan to attach the skin tomorrow, so today I did final adjustments on the plywood top to make sure it is dead flat. I used a laser level to find high spots and used a special sander to grind it down flat.

Laser flat!

It will look much different this time tomorrow! I will be staining it this week for sure.

My inner cabinet geek is just dying right now!!! ;Happy

 

[Steph72]

Copperband is tough to feed as usual. I have a fresh clam in there for him and so far he looks at it but no bites. So far he’s most interested in nori. He picks at it all day.

Poor little guy...they are pretty timid around more lively eaters so it will be an adjustment for him. If he picks at nori you may have good luck with Masstick...it stinks but it’s really nutritious food and doesn’t mess up the tank.

 

[Steph72]

Btw I love the orange shoulder and sailfin!!!! Great choices in fish!

 

[kenchilada]

Poor little guy...they are pretty timid around more lively eaters so it will be an adjustment for him. If he picks at nori you may have good luck with Masstick...it stinks but it’s really nutritious food and doesn’t mess up the tank.

I was just reading about that. I’ve never used it, sounds promising. LFS closed tomorrow. I’ll have to make a two hour trip if I want it tomorrow but I might do it. I guess I can try mixing clam and mysis in our something?

He did pick at the clam today but can’t tell how much he actually ate. I might try a frozen clam stuffed with a mix of clam, mysis, brine and garlic in the morning first.

Btw I love the orange shoulder and sailfin!!!! Great choices in fish!

I know right? Orange shoulders are so underrated.

 

[kenchilada]

Orange shoulder died in QT. I'm not sure why. He was breathing heavily last night. Plenty of aeration, surface movement, open top. I guess flukes or velvet? Was on day two of raising copper.

I've never in 20 years quarantined a fish before so I'm thinking maybe its not for me. Fish was fine when I bought him and I feel like I killed him somehow. The kids are upset.

 

[JGT]

Was the tank medicated? Feel like most of the stories I read on R2R regarding QT is the same story-fish dying in QT. Wondering if a wait and see approach in QT- rather than medicating may be a better way to go.

 

[Gablami]

Orange shoulder died in QT. I'm not sure why. He was breathing heavily last night. Plenty of aeration, surface movement, open top. I guess flukes or velvet? Was on day two of raising copper.

I've never in 20 years quarantined a fish before so I'm thinking maybe its not for me. Fish was fine when I bought him and I feel like I killed him somehow. The kids are upset.

What level of copper were you at, and what copper are you using?

If this is your intro into copper and QT, it won't be your last fish death. Copper is harder on fish than TTM. I still think that it is important to QT at least, and I treat all my fish, but don't get too attached to any fish prior to them being introduced to the main system (particularly the cbb you have in treatment now). I don't let my kids see what's in the treatment tank.

 

[kenchilada]

Was the tank medicated? Feel like most of the stories I read on R2R regarding QT is the same story-fish dying in QT. Wondering if a wait and see approach in QT- rather than medicating may be a better way to go.

The fish went into 1ppm copper on Saturday and it’s currently at 1.5ppm. Zero ammonia. He was acting healthy and eating, then Sunday night I noticed he was breathing heavier.

I thought it was flukes and it was suggested I add a dose of prazi with the copper.

 

[kenchilada]

What level of copper were you at, and what copper are you using?

If this is your intro into copper and QT, it won't be your last fish death. Copper is harder on fish than TTM. I still think that it is important to QT at least, and I treat all my fish, but don't get too attached to any fish prior to them being introduced to the main system (particularly the cbb you have in treatment now). I don't let my kids see what's in the treatment tank.

Yeah I just keep thinking... what if that was a $300 fish? If I hadn’t QTd I think he would be alive now. I see the big name guys saying it’s fine and they don’t lose fish and we should all QT, BUT I did this by the book and lost a fish in the very first batch. I was incredibly careful. So, I have to figure out what I did wrong so it doesn’t happen again, or rethink quarantine.

 

[rds85]

Yeah I just keep thinking... what if that was a $300 fish? If I hadn’t QTd I think he would be alive now. I see the big name guys saying it’s fine and they don’t lose fish and we should all QT, BUT I did this by the book and lost a fish in the very first batch. I was incredibly careful. So, I have to figure out what I did wrong so it doesn’t happen again, or rethink quarantine.

Are you using Copper Power or Cupramine?

Also if you want to be more cautious and see fish/copper sensitivity raise to 1 pmm of 4 days and make a decision. Ensure fish is eating well before treatment.

Losing fish in QT does really suck because of that situation you are currently in and feel guilty.

 

[JGT]

Looping in @Jay Hemdal . Perhaps he can offer some guidance.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Looping in @Jay Hemdal . Perhaps he can offer some guidance.

Tough to say coming in late like this, but I'm pretty confident that copper didn't kill that fish. Rapid breathing isn't a primary sign of copper toxicity, and if I understand correctly the tank wasn't even at full dose. I routinely put tangs like this straight into full copper and have never had an issue. What I have seen here is people ramping up copper too slowly, and then Amyloodinium (velvet) or some other nasty gets started. As you mentioned, it could also have been gill flukes, but those usually show up about a month to six weeks after the fish have been exported.

Jay

 

[MooreTankMoreProblems]

I’m thinking of ordering a GEO calcium reactor while they’re on sale. Any suggestions for which model?

Wait until next year, hes coming out with new models with a DC pump!

 

[kenchilada]

Wait until next year, hes coming out with new models with a DC pump!

Ordered one while they were on sale. Why would you want a DC pump for recirculation? Just curious.

 

[kenchilada]

Tough to say coming in late like this, but I'm pretty confident that copper didn't kill that fish. Rapid breathing isn't a primary sign of copper toxicity, and if I understand correctly the tank wasn't even at full dose. I routinely put tangs like this straight into full copper and have never had an issue. What I have seen here is people ramping up copper too slowly, and then Amyloodinium (velvet) or some other nasty gets started. As you mentioned, it could also have been gill flukes, but those usually show up about a month to six weeks after the fish have been exported.

Jay

That’s possible, I raised copper very slowly thinking that was better somehow.
I’ll remember that in the future! The other two fish in the tank seem fine though.

 

[kenchilada]

Now I have an ich outbreak in tank 2. This tank has the whitetail and a blue tang. The blue has about 8 spots and I see maybe one small spot on the whitetail.

Copper power is at 2ppm and both fish are breathing, eating, acting normally. I’m not super worried yet. Will assess further when I get back from work.