My 6 week fallow period ended yesterday.

[laezur]

Yesterday, it had been exactly 6 weeks since I removed all fish from my main tank due to suspected brooklynella and losing one fish. The second clownfish never showed any symptoms, I bought another clownfish during that time and they’ve both been in quarantine for 6 weeks, together for 5 weeks running copper


The display has been empty for 6 weeks.

I have a few questions.

1) Should the main tank be safe to put my clownfish in now?
2) How can I transfer these clowns without risk of any contamination from copper or any harmful chemicals reaching my main tank and killing my corals and inverts
3) How should I acclimate them to the main tank since my QT runs seperate and the parameters will not be the same

thank you!

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Yesterday, it had been exactly 6 weeks since I removed all fish from my main tank due to suspected brooklynella and losing one fish. The second clownfish never showed any symptoms, I bought another clownfish during that time and they’ve both been in quarantine for 6 weeks, together for 5 weeks running copper


The display has been empty for 6 weeks.

I have a few questions.

1) Should the main tank be safe to put my clownfish in now?
2) How can I transfer these clowns without risk of any contamination from copper or any harmful chemicals reaching my main tank and killing my corals and inverts
3) How should I acclimate them to the main tank since my QT runs seperate and the parameters will not be the same

thank you!

Hi, my thoughts embedded below:

1) Should the main tank be safe to put my clownfish in now?
- Most likely, yes, but I can't really say for certain, since copper doesn't really work for Brooklynella. However, any Brooklynella in your main tank will have died out by now. The issue is that the clowns *could* still be harboring that protozoan.

2) How can I transfer these clowns without risk of any contamination from copper or any harmful chemicals reaching my main tank and killing my corals and inverts
- If you don't move any substantial amount of water over (see below) there is no issue with that. The small amount of water adhering to the fish is of no real consequence.

3) How should I acclimate them to the main tank since my QT runs seperate and the parameters will not be the same
- It is best to first slowly adjust the parameters of the quarantine tank (salinity and temperature) to match the display and then just move the fish right over, no real acclimation is needed then.

Jay

 

[laezur]

Hi, my thoughts embedded below:

1) Should the main tank be safe to put my clownfish in now?
- Most likely, yes, but I can't really say for certain, since copper doesn't really work for Brooklynella. However, any Brooklynella in your main tank will have died out by now. The issue is that the clowns *could* still be harboring that protozoan.

2) How can I transfer these clowns without risk of any contamination from copper or any harmful chemicals reaching my main tank and killing my corals and inverts
- If you don't move any substantial amount of water over (see below) there is no issue with that. The small amount of water adhering to the fish is of no real consequence.

3) How should I acclimate them to the main tank since my QT runs seperate and the parameters will not be the same
- It is best to first slowly adjust the parameters of the quarantine tank (salinity and temperature) to match the display and then just move the fish right over, no real acclimation is needed then.

Jay

Great stuff thank you, I will get to work on adjusting WT parameters.

I have used my fish net in the QT tank, should I pull the fish out with a fresh plastic container or something or is that also inconsequential?

 

[MnFish1]

Yesterday, it had been exactly 6 weeks since I removed all fish from my main tank due to suspected brooklynella and losing one fish. The second clownfish never showed any symptoms, I bought another clownfish during that time and they’ve both been in quarantine for 6 weeks, together for 5 weeks running copper


The display has been empty for 6 weeks.

I have a few questions.

1) Should the main tank be safe to put my clownfish in now?
2) How can I transfer these clowns without risk of any contamination from copper or any harmful chemicals reaching my main tank and killing my corals and inverts
3) How should I acclimate them to the main tank since my QT runs seperate and the parameters will not be the same

thank you!

1, Yes,
2, Put them in a net - your hand - another container - and take out the vast majority of water
3. You should match the parameters the same way you would for any fish. I would take water out of your QT - add an equivalent amount from your display - perhaps 25 percent / day x 4

 

[bnord]

And congrats On both your patience and your perseverance, and obvious care for your critters

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Great stuff thank you, I will get to work on adjusting WT parameters.

I have used my fish net in the QT tank, should I pull the fish out with a fresh plastic container or something or is that also inconsequential?

I'm not sure I understand your question about the net - you don't want to use tank tools between quarantine and display tanks, except that once you go to move the fish over, it is no longer considered a quarantine, so using the net is fine.

Jay

 

[MnFish1]

I'm not sure I understand your question about the net - you don't want to use tank tools between quarantine and display tanks, except that once you go to move the fish over, it is no longer considered a quarantine, so using the net is fine.

Jay

I believe he meant 'once the treatment phase was over' - how does he remove the fish - with as little copper as possible?

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

I believe he meant 'once the treatment phase was over' - how does he remove the fish - with as little copper as possible?

The amount of copper on the fish's body and the net is inconsequential. If they want to be really careful, all they need to do is dip up a small container of tank water (like a tupperware) and then, while moving the fish over to the DT, just give it a quick rinse in the water in the container, move the fish to the DT and discard the water.

Jay

 

[laezur]

The amount of copper on the fish's body and the net is inconsequential. If they want to be really careful, all they need to do is dip up a small container of tank water (like a tupperware) and then, while moving the fish over to the DT, just give it a quick rinse in the water in the container, move the fish to the DT and discard the water.

Jay

They’re in the DT now for just over 24 hours, moved into the anemone and living happily. All worked out and paid off.

Thanks!

 

[bnord]

They’re in the DT now for just over 24 hours, moved into the anemone and living happily. All worked out and paid off.

Thanks!

congrats! were they in that anemone prior to treatment?

 

[laezur]

congrats! were they in that anemone prior to treatment?

They were not! Took to it immediately.

It’s taking them a while to bond though, the two clowns, the smaller one has many nips on his fins where she has been having a go at him. I see them do the submission “dance” with each other a lot, and they swim together, but she’s still a mean old clownfish to him sometimes. Poor boy, his fins should regrow: