Trouble with TTM of parasite eradication

ThePlummer · May 9, 2020

IDK why I've recently been having some really poor luck with TTM quarantine of new livestock lately, but I'm running about a 50% fish loss. I'm not doing anything different than before.

I use white 5 gallon buckets, new water, separate heaters, air stones etc. I do 4 36Hr. transfers and 3 72 hour transfers.

Most of the fish death comes from not being able to get the fish to eat while in quarantine. Never had that problem before either. I've tried everything. from flakes, to pellets, to frozen foods of all kinds, to even medicated food, and no luck.

Just yesterday a firefish was in a bucket all by himself and doing great, that evening.... almost dead, and didn't make it through the night.

Now a coral beauty that was picking at food a bit, so I thought he'd make it, just found him laying on his side with only one more day in QT...

Water parameters are good, using ammolock etc. no reason that I can see for this... Never had this trouble before, usually a near 100% success rate.

Any suggestions?

Big G · May 9, 2020

Have you noticed any rapid breathing?

Might want to try live food: brine shrimp or black/white worms.

ThePlummer · May 9, 2020

Well, I think I've figured out why all the fish loss. I'm training my friend to keep marine fish. In fact, I've given her all my fish gear and helped her put it together, so she does all the 'work' so she gets used to doing it herself.

Turns out, she's been soaking the airstones in bleach when she sterilizes the buckets and equipment. I've got a dozen or so airstones, and always just put them out in order and let them dry on their own, so they don't get used for a couple of weeks. But with her soaking them in bleach, I suspect the water dries up and the bleach stays locked in the stones, then gets released into the water column when the cycle comes back around to use them.

I've since remedied this issue, and we will try again.... Hopefully this is a hard lesson learned, and I'm a bit embarrassed to talk about this here, but figure my mistake could help others not to repeat it also.