Lost a fish in quarantine

Eman79 · 06/18/2012, 02:17 PM

Lost a 6 line wrasse in my quarantine tank last week.

I'm not sure as to the cause of death. The fish was in the QT for 5 days, and had been taking food.

My question is since I don't know what caused the fish to die, how should I clean/sanitize the QT prior to using it again? If it was disease/parasite related vs. environmental, I don't want to kill the next fish either. Is a simple wipe down and allowing everything to dry for a few weeks sufficient?

I had been keeping the filter media in my DT sump to grow bio for a few weeks prior to his arrival. Can this filter be reused, or should I toss it?

Thanks.

Tin_Whistler · 06/18/2012, 02:21 PM

Have you tested the water at all?

The first thing I think of when fish dies in QT without visible parasites is ammonia poisoning. Were you doing water changes? how much were you feeding/was it eating?

It also could possibly be the fish was collected with cyanide, and died because of that.

Sk8r · 06/18/2012, 03:14 PM

Well, at least you're not wondering this about your DT.
SOrry to hear.
Cyanide is possible.
But if it was ich, wipe the tank down with Clorox, soak all equipment, then rinse out and run pump with Prime/water. Refill for new fish. Test daily for ammonia, change filter floss daily, and be SURE aeration is sufficient: marine fish take more oxygen. If you have a small qt, run an airstone in addition to your regular pump, but put it behind a screen of lighting grid eggcrate. Don't let the fish get into the bubbles.
Watch your temperature.
And don't run lights on a qt except when doing a (magnifying glass) daily or twice daily exam.

Eman79 · 07/02/2012, 06:32 PM

Thank you.

I will add some extra aeration to the QT. I was considering that as a possibility, a few days before he died he seemed stressed and adding a Baggie of ice cubes seemed to have an immediate effect. (the tank was still well within limits, but warmer than I like and the only parameter that seemed remotely out of spec). Quite possible that the O2 sat was a bit low, as the temp is a bit more difficult to control in the 10g tank in the summer.

medic155 · 07/02/2012, 08:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sk8r

Well, at least you're not wondering this about your DT.
SOrry to hear.
Cyanide is possible.
But if it was ich, wipe the tank down with Clorox, soak all equipment, then rinse out and run pump with Prime/water. Refill for new fish. Test daily for ammonia, change filter floss daily, and be SURE aeration is sufficient: marine fish take more oxygen. If you have a small qt, run an airstone in addition to your regular pump, but put it behind a screen of lighting grid eggcrate. Don't let the fish get into the bubbles.
Watch your temperature.
And don't run lights on a qt except when doing a (magnifying glass) daily or twice daily exam.

Just out of curiosity, why do you not want the fish in the bubbles, other then it potentially throwing them out of the tank?

06/18/2012, 02:17 PM	#1
Eman79 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Denver, CO Posts: 87	Lost a fish in quarantine Lost a 6 line wrasse in my quarantine tank last week. I'm not sure as to the cause of death. The fish was in the QT for 5 days, and had been taking food. My question is since I don't know what caused the fish to die, how should I clean/sanitize the QT prior to using it again? If it was disease/parasite related vs. environmental, I don't want to kill the next fish either. Is a simple wipe down and allowing everything to dry for a few weeks sufficient? I had been keeping the filter media in my DT sump to grow bio for a few weeks prior to his arrival. Can this filter be reused, or should I toss it? Thanks.

06/18/2012, 02:21 PM	#2
Tin_Whistler Mayor of Podunk Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Madison, WI Posts: 263	Have you tested the water at all? The first thing I think of when fish dies in QT without visible parasites is ammonia poisoning. Were you doing water changes? how much were you feeding/was it eating? It also could possibly be the fish was collected with cyanide, and died because of that. __________________ So long and thanks for all the lulz. Current Tank Info: In Progress

06/18/2012, 03:14 PM	#3
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	Well, at least you're not wondering this about your DT. SOrry to hear. Cyanide is possible. But if it was ich, wipe the tank down with Clorox, soak all equipment, then rinse out and run pump with Prime/water. Refill for new fish. Test daily for ammonia, change filter floss daily, and be SURE aeration is sufficient: marine fish take more oxygen. If you have a small qt, run an airstone in addition to your regular pump, but put it behind a screen of lighting grid eggcrate. Don't let the fish get into the bubbles. Watch your temperature. And don't run lights on a qt except when doing a (magnifying glass) daily or twice daily exam. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

07/02/2012, 06:32 PM	#4
Eman79 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Denver, CO Posts: 87	Thank you. I will add some extra aeration to the QT. I was considering that as a possibility, a few days before he died he seemed stressed and adding a Baggie of ice cubes seemed to have an immediate effect. (the tank was still well within limits, but warmer than I like and the only parameter that seemed remotely out of spec). Quite possible that the O2 sat was a bit low, as the temp is a bit more difficult to control in the 10g tank in the summer.