Is Fresh Water Dip Necessary for New Fish?

jboi · 06/26/2020, 04:07 PM

Three weeks ago I got a mated pair of Clarkii Clownfish and one purple dottyback. They are new fish to replace all those I loss earlier. All three have been in quarantine tank with no meds. All swimming happy and eating like pigs. I have read up on flukes and freshwater dips. Before I introduce them to main tank is it recommended that I do a FW dip even though they seem healthy? I realize now that I probably should have done that on day one, but I am a newbie.

-Jeff

Sk8r · 06/26/2020, 08:40 PM

I wouldn't. Slime coat is essential for a fish to defend itself against parasites, and without evidence of flukes, (use Google) I wouldn't subject them to something that would distress them.

billdogg · 06/27/2020, 10:54 AM

I always start the QT with a round of Prazipro just in case. I have found it to be very effective with flukes and intestinal worms and I have never had a fish react poorly to it. Cheap, easy, low/no stress for the fish. I then follow with a 4-6 week observation period and treat for other problems only if they appear.

IMHO, a freshwater dip (temp/pH matched) will help with an acute infestation, rarely will it completely cure the affected fish.

hth

jboi · 06/28/2020, 10:24 AM

3 weeks in QT and yesterday I noticed both Clowns flashing against the PVC pipes and the glass bottom of the 10 gallon QT. The dottyback does not seem affected at this time. I added one pouch of General Cure directly into the water. Any other advice/recommendations to take at this time?

Much appreciated!

Thank you!

- Jeff

Sk8r · 06/28/2020, 10:42 PM

Flashing could indicate ich in the gills even if not evident on the body. Never used General Cure, but its two meds are helpful. At a certain point if it is ich, the ich-lings are going to drop off and at that point a tank transfer could help by flushing the old water down the drain and having them in new water. That's TTM (tank transfer method). But it also leaves the med behind. Watch them carefully, with a magnifying glass and good light if you can find same. If you see ich appear, then clear off, that would be encouraging. But a transfer would keep the little swimmers from getting back to the fish. Another thing that might help is a little soak in Selcon for their food. It's a vitamin boost and helps appetite.

Anyone with more current experience chime in here: I've not met this pest in the last 16 years.

jboi · 06/29/2020, 08:53 PM

Sk8tr, thanks for the advice. I did the second round of GC today.

I always feed my fish whether in QT or DT with a soaking of Selcon in Omega One pellets (for Clowns and dottyback in QT), brine shrimp or Formula Two Flakes (for Yellow Tang and blue Damsel in DT). Today the Clowns ate, still a little flashing. Not as bad, but still worrisome. I have been keeping the lights off and only using natural light in my bedroom. Nighttime is pitch black in my room. I peaked a little last night using my iPhone light to see them and they were chillin'.

I read up a lot on Humblefish's posts and given the limited space and outlets in my apartment all I can do for a TTM is a 5 gallon bucket (3 empty buckets), which his post says could work.

My question is if I do that would that be too much in such a small space for two Clownfish and one dottyback for that period of time? I have the equipment to do that, plus I also have a pharmacy of meds since my last disaster ( Furan-2, Metroplex, Kanaplex, General Cure)

Jeff

Sk8r · 07/01/2020, 11:08 AM

Fish are pretty chill in general so long as they feel they can maneuver. Put a piece of junk rock (bleach & Prime it before re-use) or a 2" pipe or pipe elbow in the bucket to provide the comfort of shelter and a Place to be at excepting the round walls (crazy-making for a fish trying to establish a place to be) and their small size should be fine in 5 g. Do not move the rock with them without bleach and Prime treatment. (Prime is a bleach-neutralizer, but be sure you use enough Prime and it has not a whiff of bleach about the rock. Even tapwater can be used for a hose-down of the bleach before using the Prime.)

billdogg · 07/03/2020, 07:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sk8r

the ich-lings

Me likey "ich-lings"

FWIW - TTM is my go-to treatment if I suspect ich in a new arrival. I have used the same 3 5g buckets for TTM several times. It will work just fine.

jboi · 07/03/2020, 09:29 AM

I am afraid I am too late. The evening of July 29 the dottyback died. I did not have enough time to get TTM components and water ready so I opted for copper treatment at 1.0ppm dosage for the two Clowns on the morning of July 1. I was going to give another small dosage of copper this morning. Everything seems OK until this morning and now both fish are dead.

0 ammonia, 20ppm nitrate, 0 nitrite, 80 degree water

I am starting to think my LFS is the blame. I've read the Yelp reviews and now believe it true. All of this guy's fish are sick and/or dying. It happened before back in early March when I did not quarantine a fish and that fish wiped out almost everything except for a Yellow Tang and Damselfish, which I successfully got back to good health.

If these fish were sick on day 1 wouldn't they show symptoms? 3 weeks in quarantine and all this time they looked fine and were eating well. Then suddenly dead.

jboi · 07/03/2020, 10:39 AM

Here is an picture of one of the fish. The spots were not there yesterday

Uncle99 · 07/11/2020, 12:58 PM

I’m am probably to late....sorry
That looks like ick to me.
TTM, Hypo, or copper.

06/26/2020, 04:07 PM	#1
jboi Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2020 Posts: 30	Is Fresh Water Dip Necessary for New Fish? Three weeks ago I got a mated pair of Clarkii Clownfish and one purple dottyback. They are new fish to replace all those I loss earlier. All three have been in quarantine tank with no meds. All swimming happy and eating like pigs. I have read up on flukes and freshwater dips. Before I introduce them to main tank is it recommended that I do a FW dip even though they seem healthy? I realize now that I probably should have done that on day one, but I am a newbie. -Jeff

06/26/2020, 08:40 PM	#2
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	I wouldn't. Slime coat is essential for a fish to defend itself against parasites, and without evidence of flukes, (use Google) I wouldn't subject them to something that would distress them. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

06/27/2020, 10:54 AM	#3
billdogg Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Grove City, Ohio Posts: 10,806	I always start the QT with a round of Prazipro just in case. I have found it to be very effective with flukes and intestinal worms and I have never had a fish react poorly to it. Cheap, easy, low/no stress for the fish. I then follow with a 4-6 week observation period and treat for other problems only if they appear. IMHO, a freshwater dip (temp/pH matched) will help with an acute infestation, rarely will it completely cure the affected fish. hth __________________ I'll try to be nice if you try to be smarter! I can't help that I grow older, but you can't make me grow up! Current Tank Info: 120 mixed reef with 40b sump, RO 150 skimmer, AI Sol Blue x 2, and a 60g Frag Tank with 100g rubbermaid sump. 2 x Kessil A360w lights, BM curve 5 skimmer

06/28/2020, 10:42 PM	#5
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	Flashing could indicate ich in the gills even if not evident on the body. Never used General Cure, but its two meds are helpful. At a certain point if it is ich, the ich-lings are going to drop off and at that point a tank transfer could help by flushing the old water down the drain and having them in new water. That's TTM (tank transfer method). But it also leaves the med behind. Watch them carefully, with a magnifying glass and good light if you can find same. If you see ich appear, then clear off, that would be encouraging. But a transfer would keep the little swimmers from getting back to the fish. Another thing that might help is a little soak in Selcon for their food. It's a vitamin boost and helps appetite. Anyone with more current experience chime in here: I've not met this pest in the last 16 years. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

07/01/2020, 11:08 AM	#7
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	Fish are pretty chill in general so long as they feel they can maneuver. Put a piece of junk rock (bleach & Prime it before re-use) or a 2" pipe or pipe elbow in the bucket to provide the comfort of shelter and a Place to be at excepting the round walls (crazy-making for a fish trying to establish a place to be) and their small size should be fine in 5 g. Do not move the rock with them without bleach and Prime treatment. (Prime is a bleach-neutralizer, but be sure you use enough Prime and it has not a whiff of bleach about the rock. Even tapwater can be used for a hose-down of the bleach before using the Prime.) __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

06/28/2020, 10:24 AM	#4
jboi Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2020 Posts: 30	3 weeks in QT and yesterday I noticed both Clowns flashing against the PVC pipes and the glass bottom of the 10 gallon QT. The dottyback does not seem affected at this time. I added one pouch of General Cure directly into the water. Any other advice/recommendations to take at this time? Much appreciated! Thank you! - Jeff

06/29/2020, 08:53 PM	#6
jboi Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2020 Posts: 30	Sk8tr, thanks for the advice. I did the second round of GC today. I always feed my fish whether in QT or DT with a soaking of Selcon in Omega One pellets (for Clowns and dottyback in QT), brine shrimp or Formula Two Flakes (for Yellow Tang and blue Damsel in DT). Today the Clowns ate, still a little flashing. Not as bad, but still worrisome. I have been keeping the lights off and only using natural light in my bedroom. Nighttime is pitch black in my room. I peaked a little last night using my iPhone light to see them and they were chillin'. I read up a lot on Humblefish's posts and given the limited space and outlets in my apartment all I can do for a TTM is a 5 gallon bucket (3 empty buckets), which his post says could work. My question is if I do that would that be too much in such a small space for two Clownfish and one dottyback for that period of time? I have the equipment to do that, plus I also have a pharmacy of meds since my last disaster ( Furan-2, Metroplex, Kanaplex, General Cure) Jeff

07/03/2020, 09:29 AM	#9
jboi Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2020 Posts: 30	I am afraid I am too late. The evening of July 29 the dottyback died. I did not have enough time to get TTM components and water ready so I opted for copper treatment at 1.0ppm dosage for the two Clowns on the morning of July 1. I was going to give another small dosage of copper this morning. Everything seems OK until this morning and now both fish are dead. 0 ammonia, 20ppm nitrate, 0 nitrite, 80 degree water I am starting to think my LFS is the blame. I've read the Yelp reviews and now believe it true. All of this guy's fish are sick and/or dying. It happened before back in early March when I did not quarantine a fish and that fish wiped out almost everything except for a Yellow Tang and Damselfish, which I successfully got back to good health. If these fish were sick on day 1 wouldn't they show symptoms? 3 weeks in quarantine and all this time they looked fine and were eating well. Then suddenly dead.

07/03/2020, 10:39 AM	#10
jboi Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2020 Posts: 30	Here is an picture of one of the fish. The spots were not there yesterday

07/11/2020, 12:58 PM	#11
Uncle99 Crab Free Zone Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 2,906	I’m am probably to late....sorry That looks like ick to me. TTM, Hypo, or copper.