QT Best practices

arvind · Jun 5, 2016

Today is the 37th day in QT. I guess I have to begin the copper removal process. It is due for a weekly water change today. So I am thinking, I will do a 50% water change and then add carbon bag to the filter. Is it a good idea?

According to the velvet treatment regimen, I am supposed to observe the fish for next two weeks. What should I look for? Is there anything specific?

Humblefish · Jun 5, 2016

arvind said:
Today is the 37th day in QT. I guess I have to begin the copper removal process. It is due for a weekly water change today. So I am thinking, I will do a 50% water change and then add carbon bag to the filter. Is it a good idea?

Yes

arvind said:
According to the velvet treatment regimen, I am supposed to observe the fish for next two weeks. What should I look for? Is there anything specific?

All you can do is observe for the symptoms listed here: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/velvet-amyloodinium-ocellatum.217570/

Look for key behavioral symptoms, as these will often prelude visible physical ones when it comes to velvet.

arvind · Jun 17, 2016

I see the fins are torn. Any ideas on how this would happen?

arvind · Jun 17, 2016

jeremy.gosnell · Jun 17, 2016

Their fins are likely torn from a mixture of stress, and parasite damage. For every parasite you saw on the fish, there were likely many more that you didn't notice. Ragged fins, post or during parasitic infection isn't uncommon. I would recommend treating the fish now with Stress Guard. It coats the fish, and works like a liquid bandage, while also helping to ward off potential parasite re-infection. I would give them at least 14 days under that. Are the fish being kept in hyposalinity? Hypo is ineffective at killing velvet, but it aids in osmoregulation and eases stress. It also protects against common follow-up parasitic infections. If you were to switch to hypo and velvet re-appears, you can pair it with formalin, which is effective against velvet. Another treatment for the tattered fins is the often forgotten, but still effective Stress Coat marine. All of these treatments (except hypo) would require holding off on carbon use.

Humblefish · Jun 17, 2016

Looks like a secondary bacterial infection to me. I would treat with a broad spectrum antibiotic (exs. Kanaplex, Furan-2) for 10 days. Or an herbal remedy (ex. Melafix) might be sufficient if the fish's natural immune system is strong enough to overcome this.

arvind · Jun 18, 2016

Humblefish said:
Looks like a secondary bacterial infection to me. I would treat with a broad spectrum antibiotic (exs. Kanaplex, Furan-2) for 10 days. Or an herbal remedy (ex. Melafix) might be sufficient if the fish's natural immune system is strong enough to overcome this.

I had Kanaplex and added a dosage. I will continue to monitor. The purple tank who is in the same tank as him is also showing signs. See this video:

About two weeks ago I started removing copper using GFO. Did two 50% WC one week apart. Can this be an advserse effect of carbon? or is it possible that the copper treatment was not long enough? I must note that the fish is not displaying any behavioural symptoms listed in your Velvet treatment guide. Have a good appetite and moving around freely as normal.

Humblefish · Jun 18, 2016

@arvind 37 days in copper should have been sufficient to treat ich/velvet, assuming therapeutic levels were maintained at all times. Have you treated with Prazipro (to deworm) yet?

Looking at your fish, I think you need to get more aggressive with the antibiotic treatment. I recommend combining Furan-2 & Metroplex with the Kanaplex you are currently using.

arvind · Jun 18, 2016

Humblefish said:
@arvind 37 days in copper should have been sufficient to treat ich/velvet, assuming therapeutic levels were maintained at all times. Have you treated with Prazipro (to deworm) yet?

Looking at your fish, I think you need to get more aggressive with the antibiotic treatment. I recommend combining Furan-2 & Metroplex with the Kanaplex you are currently using.

No, I did not treat this tank with Prazipro. Should I do it along with the other three medications you suggested?

Humblefish · Jun 19, 2016

arvind said:
No, I did not treat this tank with Prazipro. Should I do it along with the other three medications you suggested?

The problem is I don't like mixing Prazipro with other meds. If I were in your shoes; I would dose Prazipro, and then in 24 hrs do a WC/run carbon to pull it out. First round of Prazipro accomplished and you can resume antibiotic treatment after that.

However, in about a week you will need to dose Prazipro again.

An alternative would be to use API General Cure in lieu of Prazipro, which can be combined with other meds.

arvind · Jun 19, 2016

Ok thanks. Since I already started with other medications I'll skip Furan 2. Let me see if I can get API Gen Cure.

arvind · Jun 19, 2016

Oops I meant skipping Prazipro

arvind · Jun 20, 2016

According to Furan 2 instructions one powder packet can be used to treat 10 gallons and I have to use four doses in order to be effective. For four doses it is going to be four packets. With the included 10 packets, at most I can treat 25 gallons of water. But the package claims it can treat up to 100 gallons of water. Am I understanding this simple math right?

Another question: It suggests I remove the filter. I already removed the carbon. Should I remove the biological filter also?

Humblefish · Jun 20, 2016

@arvind Bio filter is fine, it won't remove the medication.

You use 1 packet per 10 gallons of water; there are 10 packets in the box so that treats 100 gallons of water in total. I'm not following: "With the included 10 packets, at most I can treat 25 gallons of water."

arvind · Jun 20, 2016

Humblefish said:
@arvind

You use 1 packet per 10 gallons of water; there are 10 packets in the box so that treats 100 gallons of water in total. I'm not following: "With the included 10 packets, at most I can treat 25 gallons of water."

But i have to use four doses, four days in a row. Which means 25 gallons tank can be treated completely using this one box. Right?

Humblefish · Jun 20, 2016

arvind said:
But i have to use four doses, four days in a row. Which means 25 gallons tank can be treated completely using this one box. Right?

Let's break this down. How big is your QT?

arvind · Jun 20, 2016

It is 28 gallons.

Maritimer · Jun 20, 2016

The "100 gallons" on the box is a bit of hype. You can perform _one_ treatment, but you'll need three more boxes to _complete_ treatment of a 100 gallon system . . .

Hope that helped - we now return you to the master-healer, Humblefish...

~Bruce

arvind · Jun 20, 2016

thanks. was having a case of Mondays and wanted to make sure i read it right.

Humblefish · Jun 20, 2016

arvind said:
It is 28 gallons.

OK let's call it 25 gallons of water so you don't overdose the medication. Each box of Furan-2 contains 10 packets, each packet treats 10 gallons. You will probably need to pour one of the packets into a measuring spoon to figure out how much "half a packet" is.

So, you need 2 1/2 packets to treat 25 gallons of water. But since antibiotics don't remain active in the water long, in 24 hrs you need to dose 2 1/2 packets again to maintain the concentration. 24 hrs later do a 25% WC (not really necessary but just to play it safe), and dose another 2 1/2 packets... and 24 hrs after that another 2 1/2 packets. You have just completed one course of antibiotics and gone thru one box of Furan-2. But you treated 25 gallons of water, four times. Its the same as when you go to the doctor, get a Rx for antibiotics, and have to take a pill every day to keep the medication active in your body.

This is why I buy all of my medications in bulk.