Reusing QT water when introducing fish

[Willbiker]

Hi all

My DT had ICH so I removed the fish for 80 days while I treated the 3 fish with Cupramine. They have now been returned back to the DT so its time now to start slowly introducing new fish.

I slowly increased the cupramine dose in my QT tank, left for 2 weeks and then reduced the dose with water changes and I plan to repeat this multiple times over the next 4 months introducing 2-3 fish at a time . My question is - Do I need to empty the tank in between QT sessions? Surely the cupramine treatment will kill any nasties in the water or incoming from the new and previous fish? Can I reuse the water?

Thanks

 

[MrsBugmaster]

You need to transfer fish to a new sterile qt after two weeks or leave fish in one tank with copper for 30 days. Due to ich life cycle, If you just leave them in the same tank and reduce copper you are your fish can be reinfected.

 

[Willbiker]

Really? I removed the fish from the DT into QT, treated with Copper for 2-3 weeks and then reduced the copper back down. Then the fish remained in the QT for a number of weeks untill the DT had completed its 80 day dormant state. Are you saying that the cupramine doesnt completely kill the parasite and that it can come back in QT tank?

 

[MrsBugmaster]

Copper only kills in one stage of the life cylce.

Read this article from Humblefish: The rest of this article can be found here:
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/ich-cryptocaryon-irritans.191226/

Trophont: The “feeding stage” of the parasite that attaches itself to the fish, commonly associated with salt or sugar-like “sprinkles” on the body or fins. These sprinkles are not the actual parasite, as all stages of ich are invisible to the naked eye. Each white dot is actually caused by excess mucous which forms around the area where a trophont latches onto the fish. This is the fish’s immune response to the parasite. With ich, the trophont burrows in under the epithelium (outer skin layer), is oval shaped, and ranges in size from 48 x 27 to 452 x 360 micrometers. A fish carrying trophonts doesn’t always have visible symptoms, as the gills are easier to penetrate, and those trophonts will be out of sight. Trophonts in the gills cause excess fluid to build up, making it more difficult for the fish to breathe.

* Protomont: The stage where the parasite drops off the fish, before becoming a tomont. Protomonts crawl around looking for surfaces to encyst upon.

* Tomont: The “encysted stage” which adheres to rocks, shells, substrate – and even possibly corals/inverts. Tomonts produce “daughter” tomites, which are then released into the water column as theronts.

* Theront: The “free swimming” stage which seeks out fish to infect/feed upon. Theronts are the only stage eradicated by chemical treatments (e.g. copper) and hyposalinity. It is also possible to cross contaminate with theronts by sharing water between tanks or via aerosol transmission. Once a theront finds a fish host and attaches, it becomes a trophont and the life cycle begins anew. (This can continue almost indefinitely until the theront life stage gets interrupted by copper, hyposalinity, etc.)

 

[Willbiker]

But I removed the fish from the DT and place into a QT tank with new water so any paracite which came in with the fish must be attached to the fish which is the stage which the Cupramine kills.??

 

[MrsBugmaster]

It does not kill the stage where ich is attached to the fish only the free swimming stage. Please read the full article.

 

[MrsBugmaster]

This is also a good post to read
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/my-current-qt-process.483371/

 

[Willbiker]

Thanks for the links! I am praying that my 80 days of an empty tank has not been wasted. The fish are now in the DT in and look very healthy, no signs of anything wrong so i will just go with it and hope.

The method in the link you sent requires 2 QT tanks...I only have 1 available to me. I will read up on some other single tank methods.

 

[MrsBugmaster]

If using one tank method then you need to keep fish in therapeutic copper lever for 30 days. Good Luck.

 

[Willbiker]

Ok thank you. After the 30 days are up, i've returned the copper levels down and the fish are moved to the DT, Can I start the procedure again with the same water and new fish?

 

[MrsBugmaster]

Some people do. Over a few months the bio-film will build up too much on everything and make the meds not as effective. So you can for maybe 3 or 4 months if they are back to back. I personally break qt down and bleach to sterilize the tank and start fresh with each batch. I use Bio-Spira to control ammonia

 

[Willbiker]

ok good to know. I will empty the tank, clean it out and then will go for a few months of fish introductions with it making sure I expose to copper for 30 days. each time.

Thanks a lot