Advice Needed: Can Corals be Fresh-water Dipped to eliminate cryptocoryns?

[SeaHorseReefer]

My 46 bowfront was developing beautifully. My H. reidi were pairing up and getting fat and twice as big as when I had first bought them. My colt coral practically exploded under the metal halide. The mandarin, gobies and 2 tangs (tenent and desjardin) were all plump and a pair of citrus gobies spawned :inlove: in the tank too.

Then I got greedy. And I even knew better. But I had to have the powder brown tang I saw. From the moment I introduced him into my tank I knew I made a mistake, but I couldn't get him out. There was war. Holy hell. Four days later I saw the ick on the tenent tang. Two days later my mandarin died. Then the powder brown died. :bablefish The progression was swift and complete. Strangely enough, the only 2 fish to survive this were the sailfin and a scooter blenny.

Oh, I left something out. I got the H. reidi out early and gave them 10-minute fresh water dips, and they're all doing fine.

What does this mean? (rhetorically)

1. I'd like to move some of the corals from my 46 to my other tanks. Could they carry ick with them?

2. I'd also like to move some of my live rock around. Is it safe to use the live rock from my 46 in other aquariums?

3. Can corals be dipped in freshwater as a means of destroying parasites?

4. Is there a (commercially available) way to measure levels of cryptocoryns in aquarium water? If so, where do I get it?

If you can answer any of these questions, or have any relevant information, I'd appreciate it.

Thanks,

Bob

 

[Pseudo]

NO... Dipping coral and fish into freshwater can cause osmotic shock. Now the punch line... We all have done it at least once. Monti caps and crap into fresh water but the coral almost always comes out worse than before you dipped it.(my opinion which is Usually right) Some people swear by freshwater dips. But look at their tank before you take the plunge

1.Yes. Ich drops off of fish in the form of cycts which reattach later onto passing fish.

2.Yes. Same as above.
If you want to get rid of ich in fish quarantine them in a low salinity tank for a while (I just shoot mine) this should do better than a fresh water dip.

3. Read above

4.Not that I am aware of.


Kasei

 

[Aqua Pro Builder]

Fresh water deep for Salt Water organism: osmotic shock

1)Use it only if you know how to administrate it right. Low salinity water deep is just a lighter version of the same shocking technique.
2)Fresh water dip will shock the fish, the ick and coral as well. Fish and larger animals can survive this but ick, anemones, coral, worms, clams will not-they do not process the mechanism to counter the shock. Literally, their cell will soak too much water in and explode.

If you have time, the better way is to let the ick finish its cycle of life. Seperate all the fish and ANY possible host from the tank where the coral and rock would be going else where. Let the tanks sit for 3 to 4 weeks(I would take 4 weeks). If you raise the temperature a bit, the process will be quicker and the likehood of any cyst left dormant is minimized. The cysts will turn into free swimming form but cannot find any host then they die of hunger quickly. What to do with the fish that are seperated-they will still carry ick on their body. If your hospital tank are of good quality, treat your fish with either medicine or your fresh water dip or pseudo's low salinity quarantine. The trickiest part is to maintain good living environment for the fish during the quarantine period.

 

[jhale]

using hyposalinity to treat ick is a good method that I prefer over copper treatments, which are extremely toxic to the fish.

to do the hypo treatment properly you must use a refractometer, without one you will never get an accurate enough reading to make the treatment worthwhile.

while treating for hypo your tank should remain without fish for 6-8 weeks.
this will ensure any ick will have no chance of living.

check out this link for more info, do your research carefully before starting any treatments!

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-08/sp/index.php

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-10/sp/feature/index.php

http://www.petsforum.com/personal/trevor-jones/marineich.html

one other observation a 46 gallon tank is way to small for a tang, don't be greedy next time, lol.

 

[Deanos]

one other observation a 46 gallon tank is way to small for a tang, don't be greedy next time, lol.

:biglaugh: He had 3 :fish::fish::fish:

 

[jhale]

He had 3

whoa, your right, :skull:

okay to restate, a 46 gallon tank is too small for one or more tangs.

 

[inkblue]

...i couLd have swoRn i read mandarins weRe unaBle to get iCh coz of tHe coaTing on tHeir sKin... :scratchch :Hydrogen: aM i wRong ? :dog:

 

[griMReefer]

...i couLd have swoRn i read mandarins weRe unaBle to get iCh coz of tHe coaTing on tHeir sKin... :scratchch :Hydrogen: aM i wRong ? :dog:

me too i read that somewhere, their slime coat keeps it from attaching or something.

anyway about tangs, 46 gal too small for 1 tang??

what then is min size or gal tank for 1 tang? i regret i guess i've been desensitized seeing way too many nanos and tanks in the 29gal - 55 gal range with at least 1 tang. i'm setting up a 45 gal fowlr and do intend to search out the smallest but healthiest tang knowing it will grow out encouraging me (and my gf!) to move it up to a larger tank which i'm not at liberty to set up in the first place yet. :division:

 

[Deanos]

Mandarins are highly resistant to Ich. That means a mandarin that is not in the best of health will be susceptible.

Mandarins

 

[Aqua Pro Builder]

using hyposalinity to treat ick is a good method that I prefer over copper treatments, which are extremely toxic to the fish.

Agreed! Copper treatments is a lot more dangerous than hyposalinity.

 

[jhale]

me too i read that somewhere, their slime coat keeps it from attaching or something.

anyway about tangs, 46 gal too small for 1 tang??

what then is min size or gal tank for 1 tang? i regret i guess i've been desensitized seeing way too many nanos and tanks in the 29gal - 55 gal range with at least 1 tang. i'm setting up a 45 gal fowlr and do intend to search out the smallest but healthiest tang knowing it will grow out encouraging me (and my gf!) to move it up to a larger tank which i'm not at liberty to set up in the first place yet. :division:

just because you see something being kept in a small tank does not make it right. tangs get big, and they like to swim, a lot. so you best have a home they can go too as they grow. I would not keep a tang in anything less than a 90. I have some in my 120, and I still think that is small for them.

a wise man once said do not plan on a upgrade when choosing your fish, keep it simple and put fish in the tank that will not outgrow it.