I adopted a sick fish and need help getting him healthy

[Peppie]

There shouldnt be any sand in your hospital tank

 

[swifter]

I appreciate the advice Peppie, I wouldn't normally have any in a QT tank either but this was an emergency situation and I had to use the tank we were cycling to make a small reef tank in. so pulling out the sand was impractical in this case. I caught the little guy pecking at the ground this morning so I think he has been sneaking food off the ground when I am not in the room. that would explain why he is moving around more and overall starting to interact with us more. It still feels like a long shot but I think he has a fighting chance now.

 

[blk822822]

Good to hear it's doing better.

The sand in your tank is probly no good now. I beleive it can absorbe the medications you treated the fish with, I've even hear some chemicals and meds can stay in a tank after it's been cleaned, making the tank no good for corals and inverts and only good for a QT.

 

[swifter]

wow... good to know. is there any way to test for these medications after they are used? or do you just gamble and try coral out to see if it lives?

 

[blk822822]

I think copper used to be the worst for getting into the silicone and causing tanks to be bad after treatment. Maybe someone else will chime in on this that knows alittle more about it.

I just did some searching to see if I can find it and only found articles about ruining your live rock and sand with meds. Or discoloring the silicone. So your tank is probly OK......It may have been an old theory I heard.

 

[swifter]

I was wary of copper in medication for that reason. the medication I used didn't have copper listed on it in any way. is there some way to check if that particular brand uses Copper?

 

[swifter]

Morning update, Blueberry (as we have affectionately began to call him) seems to be moving around more and overall seems a bit more healthy. he still isn't eating in front of me but by the way he is acting I think he is eating when we are out of the room. Seems like he either is scared or excited when we come to the room and he goes to a corner in the tank and just stares out of the top of the tank. but today he gets his second treatment of the anti-biotic so hopefully everything gets back to normal for him and I can get him into our main tank until the big one gets all set up.

 

[swifter]

another update, Blueberry is hanging in there and seems to be moving around much better in the tank. going to do a water change tomorrow morning (25-30%) and then if all stays like this for a while, I'll put him into our display tank and then clean the QT tank and possibly begin prep for converting it into a mini reef.

thanks for all the advice and opinions in this thread, I think it has gone a long way in helping us to get Blueberry back to normal.

 

[lsufiregal]

Yay! So glad to hear it!

 

[Peppie]

Blueberry should stay in your QT/Hos. tank for approx six weeks.
When you are done with the QT/Hos. tank discard the sand!

I know you know this page is here.
Marine Fish Discussion with Lee Birch

You should read it!

 

[swifter]

thanks for the heads up I will read that article tonight.