Concurrent hyposaline QT and ich treatment?

[doctor_random]

I just got 3 new Blue Reef Chromis today that I am planning on doing a hyposaline QT for 3 weeks. At the same time this AM I noticed another Blue Reef Chromis (in my DT) developing probable ich.

What do you think about the idea of putting the three new chromis and the possibly diseased chromis all together in the QT for a spin in the hyposaline?

Thanks.

 

[KathyC]

If you have the space, I'd suggest keeping the 3 new fish in a different QT tank. No need to put them through the stress of hypo unnecessarily, unless space is a major issue for you.

If you think your current Chromis might have ich, I would guess that you have other fish in the tank along with him? They would all need to be treated and the tank left fallow for 6-8 weeks.

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

I agree, Never add new fish to an established system without quarantining them for safety. Also if you have fish in the display that have ich you may want to remove them to a hospital tank and treat them for ich. I know it sounds like alot of work and it is but never ever ever treat your display. Always use a HT and a QT for all sick fish and new arrivals.

 

[D1J8Z]

Is your tank a reef tank ?
Inverts?
Corals?

 

[finksmart]

That's what I'm doing now. I"m in my 2nd week of treating ich with hypo in HT leaving my DT fallow. Just gotta do lots of water change in the HT. During this period with no fish in the DT it allowed me to upgrade my skimmer.

 

[doctor_random]

If you have the space, I'd suggest keeping the 3 new fish in a different QT tank. No need to put them through the stress of hypo unnecessarily, unless space is a major issue for you.

If you think your current Chromis might have ich, I would guess that you have other fish in the tank along with him? They would all need to be treated and the tank left fallow for 6-8 weeks.

With about 50% of a marine fish's metabolism devoted to keeping it's intracellular osmolarity less than the surrounding 33ppm, I had always thought that hyposaline was a lower stress holiday for sick/stressed fish. See:

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2007/6/fish

 

[doctor_random]

All of the above. Separate QT & hospital tanks available (to the chagrin of my wife and family...)

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

While it may be a little less stressful on the fish, the rate of the drop from the fish's current salinity to the desired salinity of the hypo treatment should be done extremely slow and by the time that is done the ich may have already taken over. They also say to raise the temp in your fallow display tank to help the eggs of the ich hatch quicker and with nothing for them to feed on because the tank has no fish in it they starve and die. The kicker to that theory is that the inverts in your tank cannot be in the HT with the copper treatment going on and the temp change if too quick in the display then the inverts could die. So the whole thing is one big circle.

 

[KathyC]

IMO - the best advice on how to Hypo a fish.
If the link doesn't open right up, give it an extra few seconds.
http://atj.net.au/marineaquaria/hyposalinity.html