Purple
Hi All,
as reported 6 weeks ago, I have the dreaded White Spot in the tank. I have read all sorts of reviews, reports and theories, and asked all sorts of questions - bottom line, it is there, and the only way to deal with it is either to get all the fish out of the tank, and treat them with copper for at least 3 weeks, then into a clean water Q for another 4 weeks. What I was taught was 3 weeks in Quarantine will ensure you are introducing white spot free fish into your DT.
NOT SO. Today it is recognized that the WS parasite has a dormant period in its life cycle, so can remain undetected in your sandbed or rocks, for up to 7 weeks.
With a tank my size, it will already be a monumental effort just to catch all the fish, and a dare say take the better part of 2 weeks. That means whatever way i look at it, I will have a fish-less tank for at least 3 months.
Option 2 is to accept the WS is there, and make sure to keep the fish well fed, with additives/suppliments such as Fish Tonic, Garlic etc and minimize stress. That means also to limit the new fish additions, and space them well. Any new fish to stay in the System Q tank for at least 3 weeks. I have 3 real Q tanks - isolated from the main system. The 4th is a System Q tank, so it is plumbed into the main tank sump.
My rationel is they will get exposed to the WS in the DT, so keep them in the System Q tank, with the same water, where they will get exposed to WS, and at last in the Q tank, I can monitor them, make sure they eat well, dont have to compete for feed in the DT, and settle in. I am hoping it is like infecting them, so they build up a bit moe of a resistance, as in Smallpox etc.
I did this for the 3 Despar Anthiens I had just bought when I found out i had WS, and the Fairy Wrasse. All broke out in the little white spots within 3 or 4 days. I fed them frequently and well, and they never really got "down" as in poor body language, moping in a corner, hiding...etc. After 3 weeks, they had minimal white spots and all ate well, so i took the risk and introduced them into the DT.
I am afraid to say it, but at least so far, after more than 3 weeks, they have settled in well, eat well and have no spots...
This is not to say it wont break out at some point.
NowI know I will probably be blasted for this, but one fish on my bucket list is a Purple Tang. I have held off getting one, due to the WS and the fact I had not seen one that is very healthy, cheeky and with attitude, for when he is introduced into the DT and will have the inevitable stand-off with the Yellow Tang.
Well, I saw one, bit my tongue, and even walked out, but a kilometer down the road I turned around and went back to get him.
Say Hi to PT !! Eating like a pig after 3 days in the system Q tank. By this weekend, I expect he will get the first white spots, so lets just hold thumbs, and baby him through it.
I will keep you posted on progress.
Jac
P.S. note the small pink Goni behind him, on the rock. Was doing fine for 3 weeks. On Tuesday I noticed the edges going 'brown". took him downstairs and gave it a wash, and the brown was just jelly-like with dead polyps. !! Hve it a 15 minute dip in Revive, rinsed in fresh salt water and kept him in the stsem Qtank. Yesterday the remaining polyps, about half of the original, were opening nicely, so I thought i may have saved it.
By this morning, the jelly had progressed to the point there is just a 10mm strip of live polyps left. I cleaned it off again, and have dipped it, but fear the worst.
Any idea what is is..it was placed next to a Favia, so dont think it would be tenticles >????
as reported 6 weeks ago, I have the dreaded White Spot in the tank. I have read all sorts of reviews, reports and theories, and asked all sorts of questions - bottom line, it is there, and the only way to deal with it is either to get all the fish out of the tank, and treat them with copper for at least 3 weeks, then into a clean water Q for another 4 weeks. What I was taught was 3 weeks in Quarantine will ensure you are introducing white spot free fish into your DT.
NOT SO. Today it is recognized that the WS parasite has a dormant period in its life cycle, so can remain undetected in your sandbed or rocks, for up to 7 weeks.
With a tank my size, it will already be a monumental effort just to catch all the fish, and a dare say take the better part of 2 weeks. That means whatever way i look at it, I will have a fish-less tank for at least 3 months.
Option 2 is to accept the WS is there, and make sure to keep the fish well fed, with additives/suppliments such as Fish Tonic, Garlic etc and minimize stress. That means also to limit the new fish additions, and space them well. Any new fish to stay in the System Q tank for at least 3 weeks. I have 3 real Q tanks - isolated from the main system. The 4th is a System Q tank, so it is plumbed into the main tank sump.
My rationel is they will get exposed to the WS in the DT, so keep them in the System Q tank, with the same water, where they will get exposed to WS, and at last in the Q tank, I can monitor them, make sure they eat well, dont have to compete for feed in the DT, and settle in. I am hoping it is like infecting them, so they build up a bit moe of a resistance, as in Smallpox etc.
I did this for the 3 Despar Anthiens I had just bought when I found out i had WS, and the Fairy Wrasse. All broke out in the little white spots within 3 or 4 days. I fed them frequently and well, and they never really got "down" as in poor body language, moping in a corner, hiding...etc. After 3 weeks, they had minimal white spots and all ate well, so i took the risk and introduced them into the DT.
I am afraid to say it, but at least so far, after more than 3 weeks, they have settled in well, eat well and have no spots...
This is not to say it wont break out at some point.NowI know I will probably be blasted for this, but one fish on my bucket list is a Purple Tang. I have held off getting one, due to the WS and the fact I had not seen one that is very healthy, cheeky and with attitude, for when he is introduced into the DT and will have the inevitable stand-off with the Yellow Tang.
Well, I saw one, bit my tongue, and even walked out, but a kilometer down the road I turned around and went back to get him.
Say Hi to PT !! Eating like a pig after 3 days in the system Q tank. By this weekend, I expect he will get the first white spots, so lets just hold thumbs, and baby him through it.
I will keep you posted on progress.
Jac
P.S. note the small pink Goni behind him, on the rock. Was doing fine for 3 weeks. On Tuesday I noticed the edges going 'brown". took him downstairs and gave it a wash, and the brown was just jelly-like with dead polyps. !! Hve it a 15 minute dip in Revive, rinsed in fresh salt water and kept him in the stsem Qtank. Yesterday the remaining polyps, about half of the original, were opening nicely, so I thought i may have saved it.
By this morning, the jelly had progressed to the point there is just a 10mm strip of live polyps left. I cleaned it off again, and have dipped it, but fear the worst.
Any idea what is is..it was placed next to a Favia, so dont think it would be tenticles >????
