Treating "new" DT with Copper or Treat in QT

[Hyphnx]

After purchasing fish from a reputable online store that guarantees quarantined fish, my tank recently had an outbreak of Ich. I'm wondering if it will be easier to just pull the corals out of the DT, which it isn't much. Everything is still on plugs or keep trying to trap the fish and move them to the QT? I've been trying to trap the fish for over a day using various methods and sizes of fish traps but none are working with me which is why I came up with the idea of treating the Display Tank after moving the corals and inverts out and just treating the DT and then do a 14 day observation while I do water changes and run Cuprisorb and Carbon.

 

[bushdoc]

Surely you have some kind of rock or other media, they will absorb copper, so you will have problems introducing corals and invertebrates back to DT, unless you'll make it FOWLR tank.

 

[redfishbluefish]

QT! You don't want to treat a DT for a couple reasons. The rock/sand can absord copper and then slowly release it over time "poisoning" any inverts. And the other reason is that it's difficult if not impossible maintaining proper copper levels with the absorption/interaction of the copper with rock and sand. You want a QT with inert items in it that won't effect copper levels....things like PVC pipe for the fish to hind and sleep.

 

[Hyphnx]

QT! You don't want to treat a DT for a couple reasons. The rock/sand can absord copper and then slowly release it over time "poisoning" any inverts. And the other reason is that it's difficult if not impossible maintaining proper copper levels with the absorption/interaction of the copper with rock and sand. You want a QT with inert items in it that won't effect copper levels....things like PVC pipe for the fish to hind and sleep.

Is there another method that I can do for catching the fish? I was going to drain the tank and catch them at this rate. I have tried the small, medium and large IceCap fish traps with bait. I was also thinking of getting egg crate and then move the rocks so where I can block the fish on one side and then try and catch that way.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Leave corals in tank and remove fish for treatment in a separate quarantine setting and treat with coppersafe for a full 30 days at treatment level 2.25-2.5 for a full 30 days monitoring levels with Hanna copper test kit and also monitor ammonia levels with a reliable test kit

 

[Hyphnx]

Leave corals in tank and remove fish for treatment in a separate quarantine setting and treat with coppersafe for a full 30 days at treatment level 2.25-2.5 for a full 30 days monitoring levels with Hanna copper test kit and also monitor ammonia levels with a reliable test kit

Getting the fish out is the part I am having issues with now :/

 

[redfishbluefish]

I've had great success with a DIY bottle trap.....I talk about it HERE. With any trap, it does take patience and time. I mentally make it a game when trying to trap fish.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Getting the fish out is the part I am having issues with now :/

What fish is it?

 

[Hyphnx]

What fish is it?

Naso Tang, Sailfin, Yellow Coris, Six Line, Hawk and a Diamond Goby

 

[vetteguy53081]

Naso Tang, Sailfin, Yellow Coris, Six Line, Hawk and a Diamond Goby

Bottle trap will not work- you will need fish trap
Call local LFS to see if they have a loaner unit otherwise you may have to resort to rock removal and netting

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Why not move the corals out and run your DT with hyposalinity? If you catch it soon enough, you can control ich very well that way, and not have to worry about copper contamination:

Hyposalinity

Hyposalinity Jay Hemdal 2021 This term refers to a long-term bath treatment for marine fishes in which the salt content of the water is lowered and held below the point that certain parasites can survive. The salt level reached, and the time of the treatment are the two variables...

www.reef2reef.com

Jay

 

[Hyphnx]

Why not move the corals out and run your DT with hyposalinity? If you catch it soon enough, you can control ich very well that way, and not have to worry about copper contamination:

Hyposalinity

Hyposalinity Jay Hemdal 2021 This term refers to a long-term bath treatment for marine fishes in which the salt content of the water is lowered and held below the point that certain parasites can survive. The salt level reached, and the time of the treatment are the two variables...

www.reef2reef.com

Jay

I was going to hopefully treat for velvet, too. Just get the tank disease free so I can stock back up.

Bottle trap will not work- you will need fish trap
Call local LFS to see if they have a loaner unit otherwise you may have to resort to rock removal and netting

I have all three sizes of the IceCap Traps. I think rock removal and netting is the next step which isn't a bad thing. Other than everyone compliments me on the rock work but at least I have 80 days to get more rock and do more with it.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I was going to hopefully treat for velvet, too. Just get the tank disease free so I can stock back up.

I have all three sizes of the IceCap Traps. I think rock removal and netting is the next step which isn't a bad thing. Other than everyone compliments me on the rock work but at least I have 80 days to get more rock and do more with it.

Copper will also address velvet
Great to hear on traps

 

[Hyphnx]

Why not move the corals out and run your DT with hyposalinity? If you catch it soon enough, you can control ich very well that way, and not have to worry about copper contamination:

Hyposalinity

Hyposalinity Jay Hemdal 2021 This term refers to a long-term bath treatment for marine fishes in which the salt content of the water is lowered and held below the point that certain parasites can survive. The salt level reached, and the time of the treatment are the two variables...

www.reef2reef.com

Jay

Copper will also address velvet
Great to hear on traps

My wife and I were able to get all the fish out and into a QT. I cranked the tank temperature up to 82 and going to way about 90 days before adding the fish back in.

 

[vetteguy53081]

My wife and I were able to get all the fish out and into a QT. I cranked the tank temperature up to 82 and going to way about 90 days before adding the fish back in.

Assure with higher temps you have added an air stone to increase oxygen often decreased by higher temps.

 

[Hyphnx]

Assure with higher temps you have added an air stone to increase oxygen often decreased by higher temps.

I meant to say I cranked the temp up in the DT but there is an airstone in the QT which is also sitting right at 80-82

 

[vetteguy53081]

I meant to say I cranked the temp up in the DT but there is an airstone in the QT which is also sitting right at 80-82

Ok, great. At 82, it will shorten the cycle of parasite life cycle - You really want them dead LOL

 

[Hyphnx]

Ok, great. At 82, it will shorten the cycle of parasite life cycle - You really want them dead LOL

I'm still wanting to go 90 days fallow....

I lost a White Tail, Gem Tang, Powder Blue, both clowns and a foxface... All were "quarantined" from the place I got them from.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

My wife and I were able to get all the fish out and into a QT. I cranked the tank temperature up to 82 and going to way about 90 days before adding the fish back in.

You will not need to leave the tank fallow for 90 days at 82 degrees - the minimum at that temperature would be 45 days, but 60 days is safer. 90 is much longer than you need to do.

Jay

 

[Hyphnx]

You will not need to leave the tank fallow for 90 days at 82 degrees - the minimum at that temperature would be 45 days, but 60 days is safer. 90 is much longer than you need to do.

Jay

Yes sir! 60 days it is. Is it safe to leave the fish in the QT with copper for 60 days?