Sigh... now what?

TheEngineer · Nov 13, 2016

And how about how often I should be feeding the metro soaked food? I've been doing once a day.

Humblefish · Nov 13, 2016

icecool2 said:
And how about how often I should be feeding the metro soaked food? I've been doing once a day.

Feed 2x daily. Feed smaller portions if you need to. You are battling some serious intestinal worms, so pound the little buggers with metro non-stop.

TheEngineer · Nov 13, 2016

Humblefish said:
Feed 2x daily. Feed smaller portions if you need too. You are battling some serious intestinal worms, so pound the little buggers with metro non-stop.

Thanks. Just mixed up some dry food with metro and focus. I'll alternate between the dry and enriched brine.

TheEngineer · Nov 14, 2016

First dose of metroplex is in. I'll redose, per the container, in 2 days. Other fish look OK as of right now.

Brew12 · Nov 14, 2016

icecool2 said:
I just can't win with these fish.

Doesn't sound like you have lost to me. While I sorry you are going through these issues, isn't this exactly why you have them in a QT? You would have lost if you had added them directly into your DT as so many people tend to do.

TheEngineer · Nov 14, 2016

Brew12 said:
Doesn't sound like you have lost to me. While I sorry you are going through these issues, isn't this exactly why you have them in a QT? You would have lost if you had added them directly into your DT as so many people tend to do.

It is why I'm using a QT in the first place. It makes me feel better to that end but man is it frustrating to lose a fish after all of this.

TheEngineer · Nov 16, 2016

Just did a second dose of metroplex in the tank. Been feeding twice a day with focus/metroplex soaked dry food.

melypr1985 · Nov 16, 2016

icecool2 said:
Just did a second dose of metroplex in the tank. Been feeding twice a day with focus/metroplex soaked dry food.

Everyone doing alright?

TheEngineer · Nov 16, 2016

melypr1985 said:
Everyone doing alright?

I think so. I think they're getting unhappy with how long they've been in QT. It's been 6 weeks now. A few have scales that appear out of place but I don't know if that's "battle damage" or something worse.

melypr1985 · Nov 16, 2016

icecool2 said:
I think so. I think they're getting unhappy with how long they've been in QT. It's been 6 weeks now. A few have scales that appear out of place but I don't know if that's "battle damage" or something worse.

Most likely the confines are causing a little bickering. I'm sure they'll be fine once they get back home. Hang tuff hon! You're doing a good job.

TheEngineer · Nov 19, 2016

Third dose went in yesterday. Haven't seen anymore white stringy poops. Yesterday was the end of two weeks of treatment with metro in their food. One week since adding to the tank too. How long should I keep them in QT?

TheEngineer · Nov 19, 2016

They're all dead. I forgot to plug the pump back in after feeding them yesterday. There was no flow in the tank for 12 hours.

TheEngineer · Nov 19, 2016

I feel sick.

TheEngineer · Nov 19, 2016

I've been in this hobby on and off for 25 years. I've never been so utterly negligent. I'm so angry at myself and I feel so terrible for putting those poor fish through that. It took me a year to finally find those fish on top of everything else. Ugh....

Brew12 · Nov 19, 2016

icecool2 said:
They're all dead. I forgot to plug the pump back in after feeding them yesterday. There was no flow in the tank for 12 hours.

Oh man, I am so sorry to hear that!

You've worked so hard on those fish!

TheEngineer · Nov 19, 2016

Brew12 said:
Oh man, I am so sorry to hear that! You've worked so hard on those fish!

Thank you. I appreciate your help and support with them. I really thought I had finally upped my game on husbandry.

Brew12 · Nov 19, 2016

icecool2 said:
Thank you. I appreciate your help and support with them. I really thought I had finally upped my game on husbandry.

I think you have upped your game. You handled this incredibly well. Unfortunately, we are human and make mistakes. Personally, I have found maintaining a DT much easier than a QT. Keeping fish alive and healthy in a QT has been my biggest challenge in this hobby so far. My DT has an Apex, but not my QT. My DT has an established bacteria and larger water mass for better stability. And I'm not adding potentially poisonous chemicals to my DT like I do with my QT.
QT's seem so simple because we strip them down to their basics. I haven't found keeping fish healthy in them simple at all.

melypr1985 · Nov 19, 2016

icecool2 said:
Thank you. I appreciate your help and support with them. I really thought I had finally upped my game on husbandry.

Sweetie You've done such a great job with these fish. You've worked your butt off for them and did everything you could. One little mistake can lead to disaster, but everyone makes mistakes. Try not to beat yourself up. You can't be perfect every time, nobody can.

Brew12 said:
I think you have upped your game. You handled this incredibly well. Unfortunately, we are human and make mistakes. Personally, I have found maintaining a DT much easier than a QT. Keeping fish alive and healthy in a QT has been my biggest challenge in this hobby so far. My DT has an Apex, but not my QT. My DT has an established bacteria and larger water mass for better stability. And I'm not adding potentially poisonous chemicals to my DT like I do with my QT.
QT's seem so simple because we strip them down to their basics. I haven't found keeping fish healthy in them simple at all.

+1 to this! Very well said.