Freshwater dip - HOW LONG?

[Kingfishhead]

We have ich - started with our Powder Brown Tang (on another thread!) and now has spread to our Flame Hawkfish. Showed up on the tang a couple of days ago. Was gone the next day and now is back on him AND the hawkfish. Just started our first QT tank and it will not be ready for at least a day.
THOUGHT - should we freshwater dip the tang AND / OR the hawkfish now while waiting on the QT tank?
THEN, should both go in the QT tank or just the tang since he has the worst of it?
ALSO, how "LONG" do you freshwater dip a fish. Is it just for a second OR for minutes?

 

[Reefguide]

I wouldnt put them in the QT together unless its pretty decent in size... Dip in Freshwater for about 7 minutes, check to make sure PH is the same in the FW...

 

[Kingfishhead]

Thanks for the advice! Been researching a ton but find this site best for getting ideas on how to research more! Anyway, only a 10 gallon QT. Still pretty new and we were sold the tang as an "easy" fish to care for! Absolutely gorgeous (except for the spots, of course!). Any ideas on how to care for this ICH covered fish and the Flame Hawkfish would be great - including set up of the QT tank. Mainly need to know how long until it will be ready for this fish and should we FW dip both of the fish and put them back in the main tank while waiting for the QT to be ready?
Thanks again!

 

[Anonymous]

We have ich - started with our Powder Brown Tang (on another thread!) and now has spread to our Flame Hawkfish. Showed up on the tang a couple of days ago. Was gone the next day and now is back on him AND the hawkfish. Just started our first QT tank and it will not be ready for at least a day.
THOUGHT - should we freshwater dip the tang AND / OR the hawkfish now while waiting on the QT tank?
THEN, should both go in the QT tank or just the tang since he has the worst of it?
ALSO, how "LONG" do you freshwater dip a fish. Is it just for a second OR for minutes?

Hey..my friend owns a shop that just had a serious outbreak of Ich (whitespot disease)...oh yeh you already know this. Ok .so anyway....I told him that a really good soultion is to just toss the fish in the garbage and don't place any fish in the tank for about 6 weeks. Ok..here is a more better way.....If you do insist on a fresh water dip....just place the infected fish in a pot of boiling water with 10 cloves of garlic and hot sauce for about 1 hour then strain....add some potatoes fried bacon bits..salt to taste and eat. :idea:

 

[madrefkepr]

Time can vary. The best thing to do is Watch Your Fish! When I have done fw dips, I have noticed fish will act very stressed at first, then settle down fairly quickly. I normally don't go past 5 minutes, but I can tell you from experience that some fish can't handle more than 2.


HTH

 

[gbundersea]

I agree with madrefkepr's comment: Watch Your Fish!

I'm a staff diver and member of the Dive Control Board at the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas here in New Orleans. At the Aquarium, freshwater dips are a standard procedure. When I got into saltwater home aquaria, I asked several staff members at the Aquarium, and also at my local fish store, about freshwater dips. All advised that freshwater dips are definitely the way to go, unless, of course, you have gone to the trouble and expense of a dedicated quarantine tank. Lacking that luxury, I dip all my new fish, which are animals we collect ourselves. I use RO/DI water, and depending on the size of the fish, put them into it for 1-3 minutes while carefully watching for signs of stress. If the fish stresses (turns over, gets listless, etc.) I remove it immediately. I've only lost one fish during a dip, which was a tiny baitfish that looked ill already.

I have thankfully had NO parasite problems.

 

[Lurshy]

GBUndersea -

All that is needed is just plain RO/DI for dips? I thought the dip water needed to be adjusted for PH (and temp) . Wouldn't ro/di be about 7.0 ph?

 

[mountainbiker619]

I have always been told to use tap water for dips. RO/DI water has a low PH. Just put some tap water in a bucket, throw in some chlorine remover, circulate and let the water get to room temp or tank temp before you dip the fish.

 

[Anemone]

Folks, FW dips are incredibly stressful - both the capture of the fish as well as the actual dip itself. Remember, stress reduces the fish's immune response. It is a good way to remove certain parasites, but the benefit (less parasites) needs to be weighed against the cost (more stress, and possibly more susceptibility to disease).

Everything that can be done to minimize stress to the fish, should be done: equalize the pH, equalize the temperature. You can't put an absolute time on the FW dip - some fish will die in the amount of time that won't harm a diferent fish.

IMO, correcting the underlying problem (that caused the stress that lead to the ich outbreak) is more important than treating the symptom (the disease).

And BangBang, take those meds man....

Kevin

 

[gbundersea]

I was told that regular distilled water or RO/DI can be used. I can only speak from my own experience, but both have worked well for me. When doing dips, I've naturally allowed the temperature to match that of the tank. Yes, the pH is different, but it has not harmed my fish, perhaps given the limited time of exposure. (I watch them very closely.) Maybe the pH difference also helps "encourage" the parasites to drop off...

Keep in mind that I am doing FW dips on fish newly caught from the wild, in order to remove any existing parasites and keep them out of the tank. I am NOT dipping as a treatment for existing disease! I do agree with Anemone in that this is a stressful event for the fish, and that there is no "magic" amount of time. Each fish must indeed be watched closely. As Anemone says, in case of ich, it is more important to determine and remove the underlying causes, instead of using this as a default remedy. Given the fact that the original poster has the luxury of a quarantine tank, I'd skip the stress of a FW dip, and treat appropriately in quarantine.

Just my humble opinion...

 

[das75]

Getting my FWD info from http://wetwebmedia.com/ , Bob Fenner and crew.

Use ro/di or dechlorinatedwater, temp and Ph matched (can use baking soda), also can add meth blue. Dip for 5 minutes min, anything less stresses the fish for nothing, as less than 5 minutes not effective.

Also IMO quaratine both fish as if you leave one in the main tank, it's just acting as a ich host waiting for the others return.

 

[Anonymous]

I am a proponent of Mr. Fenner's recommendations.

I have always done f/w dips prior to entry into a q/t sys. I have used dechlor'd tap (ours is unusually well-buffered to a nice 8.0-8.2), at same temp or often a degree or three warmer. (Esp. when receiving in specimens that may have been allowed to chill in transit.) I, too, have experienced few problems.

The local public aquarium also uses f/w dips (almost religiously), though the staff vet argues against their efficacy. He's all about hard science. But, in any event, the aquarists in charge of each section seem to all agree on this point, and forgoe it only in the cases of exceedingly stressed specimens or those known to not tolerate f/w dips at all (couldn't name one for you offhand).

I am glad that several here are advocating that you must, above all else, watch your fish when dipping. Some animals may need to have a cover put over (I'll recommend a towel or some such other soft barrier) in case they try to jump.

 

[Kingfishhead]

Thanks again for all of the advice! We have taken the tang out. Tried the FW dip but he literally laid on his side (after looking pretty healthy in the tank) for a whole minute and a half so we took him out. Doing seemingly fine in the QT tank. He is only our third fish for the 110 tank and we now have discovered the importance of QT before introduction! This is what introduced the parasite since he was a new fish.

Our flame hawkfish is also doing fine. He started to have a couple of white spots but they are completely gone now so will watch him in main tank for a while.

Anything else to be looking for or done to the main tank? Advice still appreciated for anxious learners!
P.S. Can you put copper in a QT tank when the fish will be reintroduced into the reef tank (in other words, will he carry any unwanted residue back to the corals,etc?).

 

[Anonymous]

Personally, I like to keep them in q/t for a bit after they've gone through the copper treatment. That way, if they're still not quite right you don't have to stress all involved with another (eek!) NETTING. 8O

You need to do a few water changes anyway during this time, because you do not want to pickle the fish in it for too long, so use your test kit while changing to new water, hopefully you'll get only trace readings at most. Then, re-acclimate the fish to the tank's water (again, I personally like the drip method), and by the time it's converted completely to the display sys's water (and as long as you don't cross-contaminate with nets, etc.) you shouldn't have to worry about the copper.

If you didn't go through this process, then as long as you don't put a net that's been in coppered water into the tank there shouldn't be a problem. If you're really worried you can rinse him off...j/k! :lol:

 

[Anonymous]

Well..I thought that I better state that my post was just a joke. It seems there are quite a few people that are takin my posts to seriously. 8O I can't believe this crap. Well anyway...I have had no experience with the dips and hope I never have to. I will toss an annimal in the trash if I think it will risk the stability of my tank. I started doin this with my Fresh Water Tanks and saved a bundle in grief,frustration,and money. My tanks had very few if any problems for years when I started doin this. I tossed out very few fish in the last 25 years. Prior to that I experienced some Tank Crashes. Have Fun!

 

[Kingfishhead]

Bangbang. No offense - got the joke and have enjoyed some of your others. Although some probabaly do cross the line for some people . Oh well - humor is the best medicine, they say, too bad I've never seen a fish laugh :lol: . Anyway, will continue watching the water and fish. Hopefully hawkfish will be o.k. without having to quarantine. Just can't justify taking all fish out until I know they can't fight this ich on their own. Only have a 10 gallon QT anyway and don't think a good size clown, flame hawkfish and the powder brown tang would enjoy that too much!

More questions on the QT though - how important is additional rock for hiding? We have wrapped all sides of the tank with black plastic to keep stress to a minimum. And keeping the top mostly covered too. Nothing else besides fish in the tank but water, salt, and pump - just started the copper too!

Also, is leaving the hawkfish alone in main tank o.k. (as long as no new spots appear)? Have many invertebrates along with 2 cleaner and 1 blood shrimp in there as well.

Thanks again!
P.S. We are 30 somethings for all of the age posters!!! 8)

 

[Anonymous]

Hi Kingfish...I really have not had the troubles you are facing and will not give any advice on something I have not . However if you do a water change using at least a gallon of Chlorine I promise your tank will look real clean within 24 to 48 hours and your Ich problem will be history. Trust me on this! :lol:

 

[Hal1]

- how important is additional rock for hiding?

It's rather important. Fish like to have hiding spaces. It makes them feel more secure, and less stressed.

Well, it doesn't have to be rock, and actually rock isn't recommended. Cut up 2 inch or 3 inch PVC pipe, or use clay/plastic flower pots instead.

Rock isn't recommended because it will absorb medications (copper for example), and some med's may kill the live rock.

 

[beerbaron]

Hey..my friend owns a shop that just had a serious outbreak of Ich (whitespot disease)...oh yeh you already know this. Ok .so anyway....I told him that a really good soultion is to just toss the fish in the garbage and don't place any fish in the tank for about 6 weeks. Ok..here is a more better way.....If you do insist on a fresh water dip....just place the infected fish in a pot of boiling water with 10 cloves of garlic and hot sauce for about 1 hour then strain....add some potatoes fried bacon bits..salt to taste and eat. :idea:

:roll:

Joined: 18 Dec 2002
Posts: 659
Location: Walled Lake Michigan Born on Planet Legton in the Galaxy of Boobs

Joined: 18 Dec 2002
Posts: 659

ahh and every post more useless than the last:roll:

It seems there are quite a few people that are takin my posts too seriously. I can't believe this crap. Well anyway...I have had no experience with the dips and hope I never have to.

I dont believe they are taking them seriously. I believe they are in the same boat as myself and just sick of seeing junk that isnt worth posting. If you "have had no experience with the dips and hope you never have to. ", than dont post under a discussion called Freshwater dip. I dont think Kingfishhead was looking to be humored by these posts, I think he wanted real information.

Kingfishhead, I would also agree on providing some sort of hiding structure. The fish will very much appreciate it.