Preparing to transfer fish back into DT after Ich treatment

huntersmoon · 10-20-2009, 11:55 PM

Hi again,

My little clownfish has survived the ich treatment and has been spot free for about 5 weeks (we are on week four after finishing the copper treatment and removing the copper). I am beginning to think toward returning her to the DT and want to see if there are any particular steps. The DT has had no fish in it for about 6 weeks now, though it has coral and live rock. Beyond making sure the temp, salinity, and pH match, are there any other water tests I need to do or processes to follow for transferring the fish back in?

Thanks
Shannon

BigAl07 · 10-20-2009, 11:56 PM

Just to be safe I would wait the FULL 8-weeks. It would be a shame to go back at 6 and have to start all over again. 2 more weeks should all but guarantee you're ich free.

huntersmoon · 10-20-2009, 11:58 PM

No problem, thanks for the suggestion. To be clear, it's been six weeks spot free and four weeks post-copper treatment. Should I wait another four weeks?

Thanks
Shannon

BigAl07 · 10-21-2009, 12:01 AM

I would make sure it's 8 weeks MIN from the time of removal from the Display Tank...

huntersmoon · 10-21-2009, 12:10 AM

Thanks, will do.

Shannon

huntersmoon · 11-06-2009, 05:27 PM

Okay I'm ready to put the fish back in the DT. I've tested the DT water and it's all normal (consulted the water quality sticky here as well), and the pH and temps match. Just checking that there's nothing else I need to do with the DT and that I can just put the fish back in. Or do I need to acclimate the fish slowly?

Thanks
Shannon

huntersmoon · 11-06-2009, 06:10 PM

I'm planning on acclimating it as I normally would but not pouring the bag of water into the DT tank - pouring it into a bowl over a fishnet instead.

leebca · 11-07-2009, 07:04 PM

Check out this new post: Curing Fish of Marine Ich

If the number and/or size of the fish is large, put them in slowly (see above link for details). If you just have one or two very small fishes, they can go in together.

Have you been feeding the display tank since it's been fishless? If so, the two fishes can go in together if they are small. If not, go slower.

You should be able to equilibrate the two waters. Make pH, temp, and sp. gr. the same in the two tanks by adjusting one, or the other, or both. After a day of running the two in harmony, then begin the transfer with a shortened acclimation procedure noted in this post: It was Acclimation, I know. . . without performing the fresh water dip.

Good luck!

huntersmoon · 11-08-2009, 04:18 AM

Thanks - the DT was empty of fish as this clown is our only fish at the moment. It has live rock and has been running for 5 years. I matched the temp & salinity of the two tanks. The pH matched already, and there was no ammonia, nitrate, copper, etc. I measured the calcium as well, which was normal.

I followed the acclimation process your link described, although I did it before I saw the reply.

Fish is eating, although it still seems agitated. Maybe that's just from being in a different environment again. I can't think of anything I've left out.

Thanks for all of your help everyone,
Shannon

10-20-2009, 11:55 PM	#1 (permalink)
huntersmoon Tunicate Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 17 View Gallery Karma Komment	Preparing to transfer fish back into DT after Ich treatment Hi again, My little clownfish has survived the ich treatment and has been spot free for about 5 weeks (we are on week four after finishing the copper treatment and removing the copper). I am beginning to think toward returning her to the DT and want to see if there are any particular steps. The DT has had no fish in it for about 6 weeks now, though it has coral and live rock. Beyond making sure the temp, salinity, and pH match, are there any other water tests I need to do or processes to follow for transferring the fish back in? Thanks Shannon

10-20-2009, 11:56 PM	#2 (permalink)
BigAl07 Do I look as lost as I am Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Waynesville, North Carolina Posts: 21,549 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Preparing to transfer fish back into DT after Ich treatment Just to be safe I would wait the FULL 8-weeks. It would be a shame to go back at 6 and have to start all over again. 2 more weeks should all but guarantee you're ich free. __________________ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~ *Live Rock Rubble will do the SAME thing as Bio-Balls and is NOT a suitable replacement for BIO-BALLS in a Reef System! It's ALL gotta go!!* Nitrate (NO3) reduction is directly proportional to percentage of Water Change. Allen's home-made formula...currentNO3-((%WC.01)currentNO3)=finalNO3 (thanks Luukosian) This means if you change 50% of your total water volume (That's EVERYTHING) you'll get a net reduction of (NO3) somewhere around 50%. Ask me about how to increase your REEF budget without going without FOOD!!* Big Al's 10g Julie's (BigAl's Gal) 6g NanoCube Gone but not forgotten BigAl's Slow 90g Tank Chronicle Allens OFFICE 12g Nano-Reef

10-20-2009, 11:58 PM	#3 (permalink)
huntersmoon Tunicate Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 17 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Preparing to transfer fish back into DT after Ich treatment No problem, thanks for the suggestion. To be clear, it's been six weeks spot free and four weeks post-copper treatment. Should I wait another four weeks? Thanks Shannon

10-21-2009, 12:01 AM	#4 (permalink)
BigAl07 Do I look as lost as I am Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Waynesville, North Carolina Posts: 21,549 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Preparing to transfer fish back into DT after Ich treatment I would make sure it's 8 weeks MIN from the time of removal from the Display Tank... __________________ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~ *Live Rock Rubble will do the SAME thing as Bio-Balls and is NOT a suitable replacement for BIO-BALLS in a Reef System! It's ALL gotta go!!* Nitrate (NO3) reduction is directly proportional to percentage of Water Change. Allen's home-made formula...currentNO3-((%WC.01)currentNO3)=finalNO3 (thanks Luukosian) This means if you change 50% of your total water volume (That's EVERYTHING) you'll get a net reduction of (NO3) somewhere around 50%. Ask me about how to increase your REEF budget without going without FOOD!!* Big Al's 10g Julie's (BigAl's Gal) 6g NanoCube Gone but not forgotten BigAl's Slow 90g Tank Chronicle Allens OFFICE 12g Nano-Reef

10-21-2009, 12:10 AM	#5 (permalink)
huntersmoon Tunicate Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 17 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Preparing to transfer fish back into DT after Ich treatment Thanks, will do. Shannon

11-06-2009, 05:27 PM	#6 (permalink)
huntersmoon Tunicate Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 17 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Preparing to transfer fish back into DT after Ich treatment Okay I'm ready to put the fish back in the DT. I've tested the DT water and it's all normal (consulted the water quality sticky here as well), and the pH and temps match. Just checking that there's nothing else I need to do with the DT and that I can just put the fish back in. Or do I need to acclimate the fish slowly? Thanks Shannon

11-06-2009, 06:10 PM	#7 (permalink)
huntersmoon Tunicate Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 17 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Preparing to transfer fish back into DT after Ich treatment I'm planning on acclimating it as I normally would but not pouring the bag of water into the DT tank - pouring it into a bowl over a fishnet instead.

11-07-2009, 07:04 PM	#8 (permalink)
leebca Achilles Tang Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: So CA Posts: 882 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Preparing to transfer fish back into DT after Ich treatment Check out this new post: Curing Fish of Marine Ich If the number and/or size of the fish is large, put them in slowly (see above link for details). If you just have one or two very small fishes, they can go in together. Have you been feeding the display tank since it's been fishless? If so, the two fishes can go in together if they are small. If not, go slower. You should be able to equilibrate the two waters. Make pH, temp, and sp. gr. the same in the two tanks by adjusting one, or the other, or both. After a day of running the two in harmony, then begin the transfer with a shortened acclimation procedure noted in this post: It was Acclimation, I know. . . without performing the fresh water dip. Good luck! __________________ LEE

11-08-2009, 04:18 AM	#9 (permalink)
huntersmoon Tunicate Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 17 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Preparing to transfer fish back into DT after Ich treatment Thanks - the DT was empty of fish as this clown is our only fish at the moment. It has live rock and has been running for 5 years. I matched the temp & salinity of the two tanks. The pH matched already, and there was no ammonia, nitrate, copper, etc. I measured the calcium as well, which was normal. I followed the acclimation process your link described, although I did it before I saw the reply. Fish is eating, although it still seems agitated. Maybe that's just from being in a different environment again. I can't think of anything I've left out. Thanks for all of your help everyone, Shannon

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