On the verge of disaster.... another "should've had a qt" thread

JCareyETexas · 10/31/2011, 01:50 PM

So a few weeks ago I bought a beautiful CBB that was eating at the LFS and added him to my DT. He lasted a week without eating and then past. Following his passing my kole tang looked like he'd been salted to the max, stopped eating, and passed as well. A week later my clownfish appeared to have a slime coating and stringy gunk hanging off his body, did a freshwater dip which seemed to alleviate his symptoms but late last night he was gulping air at the top of the tank and expired some time during the night. My other clownfish is not acting too well, he's hanging out at the bottom not acting too lethargic but not acting well by any means. He was eating as of yesterday afternoon but no response to food this morning.
I have a foxface with a couple specks on him and is still eating well and a bicolor angel with zero visible spots and eating well.
NEWCOMERS: HEED MY ADVICE: GET A QT.... I DIDN'T THINK I'D NEED ONE BUT FOUND OUT I DO.
I'm assuming the clowns demise was brooklynella or velvet, brooklynella would be strange since the clowns were tank bred (I guess).
The foxface and angel seem to be fairing well but I'd still like to get them out and treat them.
I've got corals in the tank so I'm guessing it needs to run fallow.
Does QT have to be an actual tank or would a rubbermaid tub or the like suffice?

shifty51008 · 10/31/2011, 02:09 PM

very sorry to hear of the problems, but to answer the question, yes plastic tubs and totes will work just fine. the only downside to them is that you can't really see the fish from the sides to see how they are doing.

MrTuskfish · 10/31/2011, 02:20 PM

Tank-Bred clowns aren't immune to brook, they're just very unlikely to carry it. Once they are in a system with brook, they are the 1st targets of this nasty parasite. Why not try Craigs list for a QT? A tub will work; but seeing and inspecting the fish is part of the QT process. I certainly would get all the fish out, you'll need to do some research and decide if its brook or velvet; treatment is different. Let your DT go fishless for 8+ weeks, or it can come back. QT all new fish an never face this nightmare again. Good luck.

JCareyETexas · 10/31/2011, 02:29 PM

Velvet and Brooklynella sound a lot alike.... distinguishing symptoms?

TylerHaworth · 10/31/2011, 02:35 PM

Oops.

MrTuskfish · 11/01/2011, 07:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JCareyETexas

Velvet and Brooklynella sound a lot alike.... distinguishing symptoms?

Fish with velvet have a "velvety" or milky coating (often slightly golden in color) along with spots.IME, its usually easiest to see when looking at the fish head on. Brooklynella involves large portions of the skin sloughing off. Both are very fast acting, contagious and deadly. Google images for both and you should be able to see the difference. Velvet is treated with copper and brook with formalin; so its vital to know the difference.

Hextall · 11/01/2011, 08:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JCareyETexas

Does QT have to be an actual tank or would a rubbermaid tub or the like suffice?

I would think a tank would be easier to observe the fish for signs of disease over a tub.

I bought a 10 gallon used tank with hang on back filter, heater, stand and other stuff (it was a freshwater system, most of it I threw away) for $25 off of craigs list. All I had to do was buy new filters, some pvc elbows, and clean it out and it was ready to go. Just to provide a datapoint...

JCareyETexas · 11/01/2011, 09:07 AM

Would a 10 gallon suffice? It's always been my impression that the qt needed to be "as big as possible" with most preferring ~30-50 gallons.
If this is the case I can pick up a brand new 10 gallon "starter kit" with HOB filter for $30. Plus the size of the 10 gallon would be much more feasible than would be a larger tank.

gerryo · 11/01/2011, 09:18 AM

I think a 10g would be plenty big. It's only for a relatively short time at 8 weeks.

Gerry O.

Hextall · 11/01/2011, 09:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JCareyETexas

Would a 10 gallon suffice? It's always been my impression that the qt needed to be "as big as possible" with most preferring ~30-50 gallons.
If this is the case I can pick up a brand new 10 gallon "starter kit" with HOB filter for $30. Plus the size of the 10 gallon would be much more feasible than would be a larger tank.

I'm no expert (not even intermediate), but from what I can tell... you have two fish you need to QT. I would think a 10 gallon is probably too small for those two fish for 8 weeks unless you are very aggressive with water changes.

I was just throwing the used 10g for $25 as a datapoint on what is out there at what cost. sorry that wasn't clearer.

MrTuskfish · 11/01/2011, 02:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hextall

I'm no expert (not even intermediate), but from what I can tell... you have two fish you need to QT. I would think a 10 gallon is probably too small for those two fish for 8 weeks unless you are very aggressive with water changes.

I was just throwing the used 10g for $25 as a datapoint on what is out there at what cost. sorry that wasn't clearer.

I agree. Try Craigs List, IMO, 10 gal is too small for more than a couple of very small fish. If you don't have a way to quickly cycle the QT, ammonia is going to be a problem.

JCareyETexas · 11/01/2011, 03:30 PM

Based on a google image search I believe the culprit to be marine velvet. As of this morning I could not find the second clownfish and the foxface was acting a little skittish, spending a little more time than usual in his camo coloring. Noticed a couple spots on his fins but nothing else. The bi color angel appears to be doing fantastic. Both fish ate well this morning. It almost sounds as if it is too late to do anything at all in terms of having to let the new tank cycle and what not. I guess I should just cross my fingers and hope that my last two guys make it through while I obtain a qt tank and let it cycle. I'm guessing those aqueon starter kits would contain about everything I'd need? After getting that tank going I can qt both inhabitants if they are still with me, treat, then reintroduce after 8 weeks or so.
In the mean time I'm guessing all corals and inverts are okay in my dt?

MrTuskfish · 11/03/2011, 09:27 AM

The alternative to a cycled HT/QT is do do lots of WCs in the HT. Lots of folks do this. If this is velvet; there is a real chance you'll lose all your fish if they aren't treated; ASAP Velvet acts much faster, and is much deadlier, than ich. Coral and inverts are fine in a fishless DT, but still need feeding and attention,of course.

10/31/2011, 01:50 PM	#1
JCareyETexas Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Tyler, Texas Posts: 294	On the verge of disaster.... another "should've had a qt" thread So a few weeks ago I bought a beautiful CBB that was eating at the LFS and added him to my DT. He lasted a week without eating and then past. Following his passing my kole tang looked like he'd been salted to the max, stopped eating, and passed as well. A week later my clownfish appeared to have a slime coating and stringy gunk hanging off his body, did a freshwater dip which seemed to alleviate his symptoms but late last night he was gulping air at the top of the tank and expired some time during the night. My other clownfish is not acting too well, he's hanging out at the bottom not acting too lethargic but not acting well by any means. He was eating as of yesterday afternoon but no response to food this morning. I have a foxface with a couple specks on him and is still eating well and a bicolor angel with zero visible spots and eating well. NEWCOMERS: HEED MY ADVICE: GET A QT.... I DIDN'T THINK I'D NEED ONE BUT FOUND OUT I DO. I'm assuming the clowns demise was brooklynella or velvet, brooklynella would be strange since the clowns were tank bred (I guess). The foxface and angel seem to be fairing well but I'd still like to get them out and treat them. I've got corals in the tank so I'm guessing it needs to run fallow. Does QT have to be an actual tank or would a rubbermaid tub or the like suffice? __________________ 125 DT/PVC bottom, Trigger Systems Ruby 36 sump LED's here I come!! Current Tank Info: 125 gallon mixed reef

10/31/2011, 02:09 PM	#2
shifty51008 12-5 Chiefs record Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: NW Iowa Posts: 10,134	very sorry to hear of the problems, but to answer the question, yes plastic tubs and totes will work just fine. the only downside to them is that you can't really see the fish from the sides to see how they are doing. __________________ 75 gal. mixed DT, 100 gal. sump, 50 gal. fuge, Clownfish breeder

10/31/2011, 02:20 PM	#3
MrTuskfish Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: The Wild Blue Yonder Posts: 8,887	Tank-Bred clowns aren't immune to brook, they're just very unlikely to carry it. Once they are in a system with brook, they are the 1st targets of this nasty parasite. Why not try Craigs list for a QT? A tub will work; but seeing and inspecting the fish is part of the QT process. I certainly would get all the fish out, you'll need to do some research and decide if its brook or velvet; treatment is different. Let your DT go fishless for 8+ weeks, or it can come back. QT all new fish an never face this nightmare again. Good luck. __________________ If God didn't want us to eat animals, he wouldn't have made them out of meat. Steve Current Tank Info: 180, 2-240 FOWLRs, 240 reef

10/31/2011, 02:29 PM	#4
JCareyETexas Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Tyler, Texas Posts: 294	Velvet and Brooklynella sound a lot alike.... distinguishing symptoms? __________________ 125 DT/PVC bottom, Trigger Systems Ruby 36 sump LED's here I come!! Current Tank Info: 125 gallon mixed reef

11/01/2011, 09:07 AM	#8
JCareyETexas Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Tyler, Texas Posts: 294	Would a 10 gallon suffice? It's always been my impression that the qt needed to be "as big as possible" with most preferring ~30-50 gallons. If this is the case I can pick up a brand new 10 gallon "starter kit" with HOB filter for $30. Plus the size of the 10 gallon would be much more feasible than would be a larger tank. __________________ 125 DT/PVC bottom, Trigger Systems Ruby 36 sump LED's here I come!! Current Tank Info: 125 gallon mixed reef

10/31/2011, 02:35 PM	#5
TylerHaworth Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Barboursville, WV Posts: 628	Oops.

11/01/2011, 09:18 AM	#9
gerryo Just a Leprechaun Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Smiths Falls, Ontario, Canada Posts: 37	I think a 10g would be plenty big. It's only for a relatively short time at 8 weeks. Gerry O. __________________ gerryo Reef Central Corner Club Corner Tankaholic You know you're in trouble when your fat pants are too tight. Current Tank Info: 54g been running for a while. T5HO lighting with LED Actinics on the way

11/01/2011, 03:30 PM	#12
JCareyETexas Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Tyler, Texas Posts: 294	Based on a google image search I believe the culprit to be marine velvet. As of this morning I could not find the second clownfish and the foxface was acting a little skittish, spending a little more time than usual in his camo coloring. Noticed a couple spots on his fins but nothing else. The bi color angel appears to be doing fantastic. Both fish ate well this morning. It almost sounds as if it is too late to do anything at all in terms of having to let the new tank cycle and what not. I guess I should just cross my fingers and hope that my last two guys make it through while I obtain a qt tank and let it cycle. I'm guessing those aqueon starter kits would contain about everything I'd need? After getting that tank going I can qt both inhabitants if they are still with me, treat, then reintroduce after 8 weeks or so. In the mean time I'm guessing all corals and inverts are okay in my dt? __________________ 125 DT/PVC bottom, Trigger Systems Ruby 36 sump LED's here I come!! Current Tank Info: 125 gallon mixed reef

11/03/2011, 09:27 AM	#13
MrTuskfish Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: The Wild Blue Yonder Posts: 8,887	The alternative to a cycled HT/QT is do do lots of WCs in the HT. Lots of folks do this. If this is velvet; there is a real chance you'll lose all your fish if they aren't treated; ASAP Velvet acts much faster, and is much deadlier, than ich. Coral and inverts are fine in a fishless DT, but still need feeding and attention,of course. __________________ If God didn't want us to eat animals, he wouldn't have made them out of meat. Steve Current Tank Info: 180, 2-240 FOWLRs, 240 reef

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