Reef Discussion

[Sean81]

Hi, Im after advice.

I have a very small Blue Tang (1 inch-ish) in quarantine at the moment, he has been there for 2.5 weeks and as I am confident in where I got him from, I'm only monitoring him for disease(no treatment). He has shown no indication of illness the whole time. Now what I am asking is I think I am causing him more stress being in the quarantine tank instead of main tank because he hides all day and only comes out for food then retreats to his favourite hide hole. His colour is a bit faded but other than that his seems healthy. When can I safely move to display tank so hopefully he can relax and swim around a bit?

 

[IJG3145]

That's the dilemma with QT, sometime fish that might have survived in the display, stress and die in QT. It's always a good idea to research this about your choices before buying. Of course that's great in theory but then we visit the LFS knowing that we're probably going to impulse buy because you never know what the LFS has in stock.

Now your question specifically. It depends on why you quarantined that fish and if your serious about quarantine or just going through the motions. Here's my thoughts based on what the fish is as opposed to why.

• Buying from a trusted source is a good start but don't expect them to be responsible for it. They may not 'know' anything is wrong. It's a very juvenile Blue Tang. Blue & purple tangs are absolute magnets for marine ich. Some research is investigating whether these are a preferred species or type for the parasite.
• So assuming that you are quarantining for ich among other possible problems, you are looking at 6 weeks QT. The average life cycle of the parasite is roughly 4 weeks plus you don't know where in the cycle it might be.
  
• Blue tangs hide in a new environment or when they are spooked. In nature they like to jam themselves sideways into rock crevices, often causing minor injury. They can do that in your tank too which is part of the reason why I only use round pvc pipes or rolled up scourers as shelter in QT/HT tanks (with all sharp edges sanded away). If you put it in your tank too early it may well hurt itself there. It could do that anyway so just be aware of it.

Honestly, you've gone this far, keep up the QT, just make sure there are good oxygen levels in there either through the falling water on self contained tanks or by introducing air via an air pump. As long as he's eating you're probably ok.

I no longer keep tangs as I can't provide enough free swimming room for anything other than babies like yours, I also got sick of getting a new ich infection with almost every new tang bought. But here's the procedure I used to use quite successfully:

• All tangs quarantined for 42 days minimum. During the last 14 days I medicated tank with Melafix.
• From QT fish were transferred to DT (fish only - no water) and placed in an isolation box for 7 days, making sure there was some pvc pipe for it to hide in at night. Pipe was removed during the days so all the fish could get used to each other.
• After 7 days I would sink the isolation box gently to the bottom and let the new fish come out at it's leisure. The box stayed at the bottom of the tank for three days as a retreat but not so long that it became territory.

Just my preference but I NEVER introduce a new fish within 3 days either side of a significant water change, significant being over 10%.

 

[Buddy]

Check out the Tank Transfer Method. If you do it properly, your fish will be Ich free after 12 days.
Monitor the fish for other signs of disease for a couple of weeks after the 12 days.

 

[IJG3145]

Check out the Tank Transfer Method. If you do it properly, your fish will be Ich free after 12 days.
Monitor the fish for other signs of disease for a couple of weeks after the 12 days.

How is that?

 

[Buddy]

How is what?

 

[IJG3145]

How is what?

How does the tank transfer method get around the four stages of marine ich?

 

[Buddy]

Look it up on reefcentral, it exploits the life cycle by removing the fish before the stage where the parasite is released from the substrate.

 

[MagicJ]

This is probably the main thread - http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1996525

Do a search on 'Tank Transfer Method' and you will find lots of hits.

Someone has even setup a (not very good) website covering the subject - http://www.tanktransfermethod.com/node/1

In summary, the idea behind the tank transfer method is that by repeatedly removing the fish from the tank where the disease is reproducing, and placing it in a new tank free of the disease, then the cysts can be destroyed and never have a chance to reinfect the fish.

 

[Susan Bates]

That's the dilemma with QT, sometime fish that might have survived in the display, stress and die in QT. It's always a good idea to research this about your choices before buying. Of course that's great in theory but then we visit the LFS knowing that we're probably going to impulse buy because you never know what the LFS has in stock.

Now your question specifically. It depends on why you quarantined that fish and if your serious about quarantine or just going through the motions. Here's my thoughts based on what the fish is as opposed to why.

• Buying from a trusted source is a good start but don't expect them to be responsible for it. They may not 'know' anything is wrong. It's a very juvenile Blue Tang. Blue & purple tangs are absolute magnets for marine ich. Some research is investigating whether these are a preferred species or type for the parasite.
• So assuming that you are quarantining for ich among other possible problems, you are looking at 6 weeks QT. The average life cycle of the parasite is roughly 4 weeks plus you don't know where in the cycle it might be.
  
• Blue tangs hide in a new environment or when they are spooked. In nature they like to jam themselves sideways into rock crevices, often causing minor injury. They can do that in your tank too which is part of the reason why I only use round pvc pipes or rolled up scourers as shelter in QT/HT tanks (with all sharp edges sanded away). If you put it in your tank too early it may well hurt itself there. It could do that anyway so just be aware of it.

Honestly, you've gone this far, keep up the QT, just make sure there are good oxygen levels in there either through the falling water on self contained tanks or by introducing air via an air pump. As long as he's eating you're probably ok.

I no longer keep tangs as I can't provide enough free swimming room for anything other than babies like yours, I also got sick of getting a new ich infection with almost every new tang bought. But here's the procedure I used to use quite successfully:

• All tangs quarantined for 42 days minimum. During the last 14 days I medicated tank with Melafix.
• From QT fish were transferred to DT (fish only - no water) and placed in an isolation box for 7 days, making sure there was some pvc pipe for it to hide in at night. Pipe was removed during the days so all the fish could get used to each other.
• After 7 days I would sink the isolation box gently to the bottom and let the new fish come out at it's leisure. The box stayed at the bottom of the tank for three days as a retreat but not so long that it became territory.

Just my preference but I NEVER introduce a new fish within 3 days either side of a significant water change, significant being over 10%.

I fought ick on and off for a year with a blue tang, i found stress caused an out break, touch wood he is ick free now, feeding garlic and used prime for slime coat

 

[IJG3145]

I fought ick on and off for a year with a blue tang, i found stress caused an out break, touch wood he is ick free now, feeding garlic and used prime for slime coat

Unfortunately you'll probably find that he is symptom free rather than free of the parasite. But hopefully you're correct. Stress is considered a major factor in bringing symptoms on but it can't cause it, it's a parasite, not a disease.