Lyretail Anthias (Indian Ocena) in QT

[USMC 4 LIFE]

I'd figured I would document the QT of these anthias just in case anyone else decides to want some type of reference (good or bad lol) to go off of. It would also save me time in explaining what I've done so far, if I need help. So let's begin

QT is a 10 gallon tank that I filled with display tank water. DT is disease free as all my fish go through QT. A simple power head, heater and PVC are all that's in it. Ambient sunlight is used as well. 5 Lyretail Anthias (4 small females / 1 medium transitioned male) are being QT'd.

Day 1:
Ammonia 0, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 2-3, PH 8.3
No medication in QT. Priority for now is to allow 1 week for the fish to get accustomed to their new home and get them eating. If an illness rises that needs to be tended to then I will intervene. Fish are being picky eaters. Feeding three times a day. All but one female eat brine, all but two females eat mysis. Smallest female shows interest in food but doesn't eat. Plenty of food is fed so they all have a chance to eat. Food is put in front of powerhead to attract the fishes attention and hopefully stimulates an appetite. Garlic guard will be used for tomorrow's feeding of brine. While feeding brine alone is not very healthy, the priority is getting them to eat first and slowly getting them to eat mysis and other healthy foods. If the smallest shows no interests in brine soaked in garlic, then I'll run to my LFS where they always have live brine shrimp. No significant aggression is displayed so far.

 

[melypr1985]

I've had good luck with smaller foods like cyclops when trying to feed picky anthias.

 

[Humblefish]

^^ Also live foods (brine, blackworms, anything with movement). And for some reason, I've had good luck getting new anthias to eat Sustainable Aquatics pellets. Little trick @seth&angelle taught me.

 

[USMC 4 LIFE]

Day 3:
Dosed Metroplex (1 scoop) to the 10g QT after noticing what appeared to be red and white sores on two of the small Anthias. I think they could be a baterial infection so I used metro.

Also added an Ammonia badge but I'm getting conflicting readings from this and an API ammonia test. Badge says it's safe (<.02) and API says it's .25. Can the metro be throwing my API reading off?

Live brine shrimp got everyone eating. Still picky but they're eating. I'm feeding them twice a day (11am and 5pm).

I also lowered the temp to 75 and salinity to 1.019 as I read somewhere that these two at lower readings will stimulate an appetite. Someone correct me if I read this wrong.

 

[Humblefish]

Can the metro be throwing my API reading off?

It will throw off the test kit, but not the badge.

 

[USMC 4 LIFE]

Ahhh. Good to know. Thanks!

Are there any meds that can give a false positive reading on the badge?

 

[Humblefish]

Are there any meds that can give a false positive reading on the badge?

The badge seems to still work in the presence of all meds.

 

[USMC 4 LIFE]

Day 5:

Well unfortunately the small female anthia that developed white blemishes died over night. She was looking pretty bad yesterday. All other fish look well and are eating. Looks like the bacterial infection got to her before the medicine could suppress it.

I transferred everyone over to a blue container with about 6 gallons of water(dosed metro as well). The QT was looking pretty dirty even though I would syphon poop and food out nightly. Cleaned that with hot water then rinsed with RODI. They'll be going back in there tomorrow morning with fresh water.

So far their poop is brown so I suspect no internal parasites or illnesses. I've closely monitored each one every day to see if I can spot any white spots, heavy breathing or abnormal markings. None so far.

Tips and pointers always welcomed

 

[Humblefish]

@USMC 4 LIFE Do you have some Kanaplex or Furan-2 you could use with the Metroplex? To help ward off the infection from spreading to the others.

 

[USMC 4 LIFE]

I have kanaplex. Should I use that along with Metro tomorrow after transferring them back to the 10g QT?

 

[Humblefish]

I have kanaplex. Should I use that along with Metro tomorrow after transferring them back to the 10g QT?

Yes

 

[USMC 4 LIFE]

Long over due update

Anthias are doing well. They went through a treatment of metro, kanaplex for 14 days.

On the 14th day they were transferred to a 29g QT where I began doing hypo. Airstone was added to further oxygenate the water. I have another two weeks left. Once hypo is done I will SLOWLY raise the salinity 0.003 each day until 1.025 is reached. Then I can start one quick round of prazi then observe for a week.