QT while travelling

[sbash]

I found a Powder Blue Tang in a small town pet store. It has been in the system for 6 months, and they have not added any fish during that time. It looks pretty healthy. So I put it on hold until I go by there again in two weeks.

However, he is going to start dosing copper this week, as he is bringing new fish in this month (may or may not be before I take the tang away).

The problem I am facing is that I will be home for two weeks, then on the road again for two weeks. Then hopefully I will not need to travel again until after new years.

I have copper on hand, as well as CP. However, I forgot to throw my foam into my sump, so I will have to use some rubble in the HOB (not a big deal, I have too much to lift myself, so if I have to throw some away, I will not be torn up about it).

I am planning on using an ammonia badge and a webcam to monitor things. I can also setup a remote water changer to handle it remotely, and worse case send someone over to help.

We have two scenarios when I pick the fish up:

1. There is copper in the water, but no new fish (i.e. it is still disease free).

2. There is copper in the water, and there are now new fish in the same system, thus a potential to infect the fish.

What is the best way to handle these two situations once I get the fish home. I also have lots of time to purchase anything I need to.

Thanks!

 

[coweyes298]

My suggestion is to dose copper (ramp up slowly) once you have the PBT in your own QT no matter what scenarios you listed. I have a schedule which I can only be with my fish 2 or 3 days of a week, but I managed to have copper treated my 7 fishes for 30 days with 2 rounds of prazirpo, plus 30+ days observation after copper. I ramp copper in a course of 7 days to reach therapeutic level. All fish are doing great in DT right now. And I am treating my other batch of new fish now. A web cam and an autofeeder will help a lot in this case. A friend who knows fish will help a lot if emergency happened.

 

[justinm]

If you know he is disease free, I would set up an observation tank and see how he is when you return and adjust accordingly to the new scenario.

If he is exposed to the new fish, I personally would use the CP. It's a one and done dose. There is no need to worry about copper levels fluctuating. If a water change is needed, maybe you could have a pre measured amount ready for someone to come by and add to the water change water.

In my experience, copper has always jumped around for the first few days. On top of that, daily testing is needed to ensure it doesn't drop below therapeutic levels.

 

[jeff williams]

+1 with Justinm

 

[sbash]

My suggestion is to dose copper (ramp up slowly)

Thanks! So ramp up slowly, not match the current copper (in the bag)?

A web cam and an autofeeder will help a lot in this case. A friend who knows fish will help a lot if emergency happened.

For sure, Webcan, autofeeder and I have computerized relays on small dosing pumps I can easily hook up if I need to do water changes. If only I had a way to remotely monitor the copper levels, I could dose remotely too... lol, what a world we live in...

If you know he is disease free, I would set up an observation tank and see how he is when you return and adjust accordingly to the new scenario.

Thanks! True, I will have two weeks of solid observation before I hit the road again. Hopefully they do not add fish at the store and this will be the scenario...

If he is exposed to the new fish, I personally would use the CP. It's a one and done dose. There is no need to worry about copper levels fluctuating. If a water change is needed, maybe you could have a pre measured amount ready for someone to come by and add to the water change water.

In my experience, copper has always jumped around for the first few days. On top of that, daily testing is needed to ensure it doesn't drop below therapeutic levels.

This is what I have read, which is why I ordered the CP. I am also under the impression it will not destroy live rock? It would be nice if I could safely throw a rock covered in hair algae in the QT... you know... for snacking (the fish, not me)...

 

[justinm]

The only problem with throwing live rock in a qt and treating with medicine is it may absorb some of the meds. With copper you can keep testing to make sure you're therapeutic, with CP there is no test kit.

As for killing the bacteria in the live rock, it is minimal. I don't know exactly how much will die off when using CP. I read on Seachem's website that cupramine will kill off roughly 20% of nitrifying bacteria.

A little rubble in the HOB filter would be no problem. I would worry about a couple nice sized pieces though because of medicine being absorbed.

 

[sbash]

I would worry about a couple nice sized pieces though because of medicine being absorbed.

Being absorbed, thus losing efficacy of the medicine, or losing the rock to the QT system?

 

[coweyes298]

Being absorbed, thus losing efficacy of the medicine, or losing the rock to the QT system?

With huge live rock, it will absorb medication. Thus the level will be unstable and hard to maintain therapeutic level.

 

[justinm]

With huge live rock, it will absorb medication. Thus the level will be unstable and hard to maintain therapeutic level.

+1

 

[coweyes298]

Thanks! So ramp up slowly, not match the current copper (in the bag)?


For sure, Webcan, autofeeder and I have computerized relays on small dosing pumps I can easily hook up if I need to do water changes. If only I had a way to remotely monitor the copper levels, I could dose remotely too... lol, what a world we live in...



Thanks! True, I will have two weeks of solid observation before I hit the road again. Hopefully they do not add fish at the store and this will be the scenario...



This is what I have read, which is why I ordered the CP. I am also under the impression it will not destroy live rock? It would be nice if I could safely throw a rock covered in hair algae in the QT... you know... for snacking (the fish, not me)...

I would start new when I have the PBT. You will restart the clock anyway once you put him in your QT. So you may not need to match the copper level in the bag. Give PBT several days to settle in and eat in QT. Then start to ramp up the copper. I would reach therapeutic level before you hit the road and have several days as buffer to observe PBT's acting in full level copper QT. If you can do CP then it is even better. It is once and done.

 

[Humblefish]

^^ I'm with @coweyes298. Take no chances!!! Who knows what goes on inside that LFS on a daily basis; wet hands, feeding apparatus, equipment going from one tank to another, etc.

 

[sbash]

With huge live rock, it will absorb medication. Thus the level will be unstable and hard to maintain therapeutic level.

+1

^^ I'm with @coweyes298. Take no chances!!! Who knows what goes on inside that LFS on a daily basis; wet hands, feeding apparatus, equipment going from one tank to another, etc.

Great, thanks guys! After much reading, it looks like CP is also a strong algaecide, so it is moot, the rock would be a sustainable casual food source... No worries, I will still throw in some loose GHA before I leave...

So, here is the plan:

Put the PBT in the QT, set up with an HOB full of rubble (ammonia badge, pipe-caves, autofeeder, etc).
Monitor the PBT for a couple days, make sure he is eating and happy. I have nori, GHA, flakes and a couple different types of algae pellets...
After 48-72 hours, start the CP treatment
Wait, watch and observe from there
Once back in the middle of November, I will run carbon for 24 hours, then do a water change

If all goes well, the PBT would be in my tank by the beginning of December.

How does that sound?

I just have had the worst experiences getting sick tangs and losing them within a couples weeks; so I want to have a solid plan down to maximize the chances of this little guy's survival!

 

[Humblefish]

How long has your QT been setup? Might wanna read this before using CP: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/qt-and-biofilm.292878/

 

[sbash]

How long has your QT been setup? Might wanna read this before using CP: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/qt-and-biofilm.292878/

Interesting read...

The QT as it stands right now is just 25 gallons of salt water from my last water change in a 30 gallon tank... I have not had the QT set up for many months, 6-10, not sure, lol... Either way, this tank was dry two weeks ago... So I think that is enough mitigation to proceed with the plan...

Thanks for that heads up though. My last QT tank, I kept online all the time, possibly for up to 18 months... I took it down last spring. However, I worked with @Glasswalker on our QT issues, ultimately leading to his flowchart, due to the woes we had buying new fish. Anyway, this is a fresh tank...