Purple Firefish

[Heavymman]

Oh, I disagree. @Heavymman do yourself a favor and check out the Cat's build thread for a lesson on innovation and just cool corals. Awesome.
Rakies 45g SPS Garden

Will do... what do I do with the poor clowns treatment wise?

 

[Big G]

I'd stay the course. The vast majority of fish are just fine with the Prazipro or GC dosage. Your clowns will probably be just fine. You just never know what the individual fish's treatment during shipping, collection and the LFS has been exposed to during its long journey from the ocean. The sad fact is you will lose a few fish despite your best efforts. And it looks like your QT is a best effort. Experimentation, change and constant learning are at the heart of saltwater fish keeping.

 

[Heavymman]

I'd stay the course. The vast majority of fish are just fine with the Prazipro or GC dosage. Your clowns will probably be just fine. You just never know what the individual fish's treatment during shipping, collection and the LFS has been exposed to during its long journey from the ocean. The sad fact is you will lose a few fish despite your best efforts. And it looks like your QT is a best effort. Experimentation, change and constant learning are at the heart of saltwater fish keeping.

Unfotunetly, the firefish did not make it. I noticed more white spots when I pulled it from the tank. I’m nervous about the clowns now, should I wait until Sat to do a large water change and start dosing copper? Or do it now and do Prazi down the road? So disappointed...

 

[GoldeneyeRet]

I would start the copper/antibiotics asap. Prazi can wait as flukes aren't as serious as velvet or bacterial infection.

Sorry about the firefish. Hard for the kids but hopefully you can turn it into a good life lesson.

Fingers crossed for the clowns.

 

[Big G]

A freshwater dip will remove some of the parasites giving your fish some relief on their gills making breathing easier. Follow with a bath in an acriflavine bath. Ruby Reef Rally is the most easy to obtain and works great. It has both antibiotic and antiseptic qualities that helps the fish fight off bacterial infection from the many insertion points of the parasites. Need to get the copper, recommend Copper Power, not Coppersafe brand, up to therapeutic level asap.

 

[Heavymman]

I would start the copper/antibiotics asap. Prazi can wait as flukes aren't as serious as velvet or bacterial infection.

Sorry about the firefish. Hard for the kids but hopefully you can turn it into a good life lesson.

Fingers crossed for the clowns.

Sounds like the smart thing to do. Maybe do a freshwater dip first too

 

[Heavymman]

A freshwater dip will remove some of the parasites giving your fish some relief on their gills making breathing easier. Follow with a bath in an acriflavine bath. Ruby Reef Rally is the most easy to obtain and works great. It has both antibiotic and antiseptic qualities that helps the fish fight off bacterial infection from the many insertion points of the parasites. Need to get the copper, recommend Copper Power, not Coppersafe brand, up to therapeutic level asap.

I have cupramine, no good?

 

[Heavymman]

A freshwater dip will remove some of the parasites giving your fish some relief on their gills making breathing easier. Follow with a bath in an acriflavine bath. Ruby Reef Rally is the most easy to obtain and works great. It has both antibiotic and antiseptic qualities that helps the fish fight off bacterial infection from the many insertion points of the parasites. Need to get the copper, recommend Copper Power, not Coppersafe brand, up to therapeutic level asap.

I am just going to get the powder, I would have to get the tank up to .5 , right?

 

[Big G]

I am just going to get the powder, I would have to get the tank up to .5 , right?

You said you have cupramine. Do you have the Seachem copper test kit? But yes, the therapeutic level for Seachem's Cupramine is .5
Remember when dosing, that your tank is a bit smaller than it was labeled. A 20 gallon is usually 18-19 actual gallons. So you may find that you are at the therapeutic level a bit quicker due to the smaller actual volume.
How are the clowns looking? The kinda good news is that in a tank being attacked by velvet, clowns are often the last fish standing/swimming. Their heavy mucous coating seems to help them fend off the parasites a bit more than other fish.

 

[Big G]

So the next thing to consider is the antibiotic to use with the copper. Do you have any antibiotics like any of these on hand: kanaplex, Furan2, Sulfaplex, Neoplex, NFG (nitrofuracine green)?

 

[Heavymman]

So the next thing to consider is the antibiotic to use with the copper. Do you have any antibiotics like any of these on hand: kanaplex, Furan2, Sulfaplex, Neoplex, NFG (nitrofuracine green)?

Ok so yes, tank is at .5 for cupramine, LFS did not have Powder. Did 5 min fresh water rinse and in bath now. They will also be treated with Furan2

 

[Big G]

Sounds like you are on top of it. Just remember when dosing the Furan2 that when you do the water changes that the same exact level of copper must be returned to the tank with each water change to maintain the therapeutic level.
Somewhere down the road consider getting a Hanna High Level Copper Checker. It's so much easier to read a digital screen than the color matching test kits. The "how blue is blue" thing makes me crazy.

 

[Heavymman]

Sounds like you are on top of it. Just remember when dosing the Furan2 that when you do the water changes that the same exact level of copper must be returned to the tank with each water change to maintain the therapeutic level.
Somewhere down the road consider getting a Hanna High Level Copper Checker. It's so much easier to read a digital screen than the color matching test kits. The "how blue is blue" thing makes me crazy.

Sounds like a plan... I’m more nervous that I took the biological sponge out for the furan2... anyways, thank for your help, I will keep you posted.

 

[HotRocks]

Also to add. The Hanna checker reading is not skewed in any way by Furan-2 changing the water color to the yellowish/greenish tint. I have performed several tests prior to dosing Furan-2 during copper and after yeilding matching results.

 

[Heavymman]

Also to add. The Hanna checker reading is not skewed in any way by Furan-2 changing the water color to the yellowish/greenish tint. I have performed several tests prior to dosing Furan-2 during copper and after yeilding matching results.

Good advice, thanks. I measured before Furan-2, looked a good blue lol .5 with seachem’s test. Now when I do a 25% water change I will add ~.5ml of cupramine. I will get the Hanna just in time for me to be done with Furan-2 and use it to make sure I’m add right level for next 30 days.

 

[Heavymman]

I thought everyone might appreciate this too. So my wife went back to the LFS for the chems I needed early today. She asked if they would replace the firefish that died and the guy said yes as long as she brings a sample of my water.... now I keep my salinity at 1.026, always had, never had any issues. I use a Milwaukee refractometer that I calibrate prior to each use. Also, I use RODI water at 0 ppm in the TDS.

So the guy whips out his hydrometer and says the LFS keeps his at 1.019 and my salinity is too high (1.026). Now I know why they keep salinity low at these places but to each there own. Then he tells my wife that I should use RO water lol.

My wife than looks at the tank where 3 days ago she said there was about 30 firefish. There was only 3 there and the guy said that he sold a lot of them lol. It adds so much hurt to injury when you can’t trust your LFS. I guess I should follow rule #1 when QTing your fish, buy from a reputable/honest place.

 

[Big G]

I guess I should follow rule #1 when QTing your fish, buy from a reputable/honest place.

Actually, a lot of us like to say that the only QT you can trust is your own.

 

[Heavymman]

@Big G @Rakie @HotRocks , one last question if you all don’t mind.... should I leave the sponge out of my HOB for the entire copper treatment? Also, do I need to be nervous about ammonia spikes every 48 hrs with the furan-2 treatment? Lastly, while treating copper, can I use Microbacter-7 at any point just in case? You all and those I have not mentioned have been extremely knowledgeable and helpful, I truly appreciate.

 

[HotRocks]

@Big G @Rakie @HotRocks , one last question if you all don’t mind.... should I leave the sponge out of my HOB for the entire copper treatment? Also, do I need to be nervous about ammonia spikes every 48 hrs with the furan-2 treatment? Lastly, while treating copper, can I use Microbacter-7 at any point just in case? You all and those I have not mentioned have been extremely knowledgeable and helpful, I truly appreciate.

Why are you removing the sponge? You will need something in the HOB to house biofilter. You may need to dose some bacteria in a bottle with the Furan-2. It won't usually hurt the biofilter on an established tank. But if it's a newly setup tank it could be an issue.

 

[Heavymman]

Why are you removing the sponge? You will need something in the HOB to house biofilter. You may need to dose some bacteria in a bottle with the Furan-2. It won't usually hurt the biofilter on an established tank. But if it's a newly setup tank it could be an issue.

The Furan-2 says to remove it