Quarantined Fish

[bcournoyer5]

Hello,

I have had a Purple Tang in my quarantine tank for about two weeks. He showed no signs of ich while in there. About a week ago, I added a Tomini Tang into the same quarantine tank which I am sure had ich. I’ve been treating copper for about two weeks. Since the Purple Tang showed no signs of ich, would he be fine to go in the main display? Or should I wait another week or so to put both in at the same time just to be safe?

 

[Lowell Lemon]

No you just exposed the purple tang to infection. Make sure you have no problems by giving a longer observation period.

 

[Mr.Hyde]

I would wait, if you think about it “ being safer rather than sorry is a better path to follow” in this case. Copper is very affective in the QT process but, you have to take in consideration every time you add a fish in to your QT you are reintroducing what ever that animal has to the QT, there by starting all of the inhabitants QT cycle over.

 

[HotRocks]

Hello,

I have had a Purple Tang in my quarantine tank for about two weeks. He showed no signs of ich while in there. About a week ago, I added a Tomini Tang into the same quarantine tank which I am sure had ich. I’ve been treating copper for about two weeks. Since the Purple Tang showed no signs of ich, would he be fine to go in the main display? Or should I wait another week or so to put both in at the same time just to be safe?

I would transfer them to a sterile QT after they have been in copper for 14 days since the last fish was added. Then observe them med free for another 14 days in the sterile QT prior to transfer to DT.

Or if you don't have a second sterile QT. 30 days in copper, remove copper and observe for 14 days copper free before transfer to DT.

 

[Rython]

I just read a post from @Humblefish 2 or 3 days ago that indicated that 2 weeks in copper (actually less) is sufficient to clear ich IF you transfer them to a new tank. So technically both fish should be clear of ich now. The safe answer would be to transfer both fish to a new quarantine tank for observation for 2 weeks just to be sure. Another safe answer is to leave them both in copper for another two weeks in their current tank and then use cuprisorb to remove the copper and observe for 2 more weeks. A somewhat risky answer is to transfer them to your DT.

My first question would be, how certain are you that you maintained theraputic copper for two weeks? Did you check with a hanna? Did you use chelated copper, which has a more forgiving range? If the answer is yes to both of those, I would personally be more comfortable with the risk as it relates to ich, but that's a personal decision.

Also, keep in mind, even if you did stay in theraputic range, and therefore should be clear of ich, the observation period is also to make sure they are already in a hospital tank and ready to be treated if, for example, one of them gets a bacterial infection from all those wounds left behind by the parasites. It also gives more time for another disease to manifest that wouldn't have been treated by the copper but might not present obvious symptoms within 2 weeks.

 

[Humblefish]

^^ Agree with above

Anytime you add a new fish to QT, the QT clock starts over. Even if you add a new fish directly into therapeutic copper or Chloroquine, there are worms & infections that copper/Chloroquine does not treat.