O.S.T or Hyposalinity treatment for ICK

[tava716]

Hello gang!

I am preparing to pull my White and Black Butterflyfish out of my main tank and put in a Q-tank and drop the salinity to 1.010 to treat ICK. I noticed 2 other fish also have the white spots. Can I drop my salinity in my main tank to 1.010? I have 4 fish, but I am concerned about the low salinity and the inverts. I have
1 serpant star
1 bristle star
1 peppermint shrimp
1 porcline crab
1 long spine black sea urchine

Will they survive the low salinity?
Right now Salinity is 1.020-1.021
PH 8.2
Ammonia, nitrate, nitrite all at 0.0
Phosphates are at 0.1

Thanks for the advice guys!

James

 

[Krish]

Hey Tava (at night) a.k.a James (by day)!(LOL) I pesonally would treat the whole tank as you never know if the others caught it too and aren't showing yet. I'm not sure how the inverts would respond to it though (you might have to get some input from someone more experienced) but I wouldn't think they are as delicate as corals are. Good luck

 

[wrightme43]

Ok with inverts hypo salinity needs to be done in a seperate cycled tank. If you return the fish to the main tank while trophants are still alive it will be a waste of time. Wait at least 3 weeks 30 days is better. That is called the fallow tank method. You have removed the host for ick from your main tank. They all starve to death. You have killed the ick in your quar. tank. YOU will win this way. Any other method is chancey and usually ineffective. Garlic is neat, all the stuff people charge a 1000% profit for that almost but not quite works is neat. The only way to be sure is 30 days with out fish in your main tank and fish that have been quar. with out ick for at least 2 weeks prefferable 3 weeks with out seeing a spot or flashing or any sign of ick.

 

[wrightme43]

ps. hyposalinity will kill your inverts just like it kills the ick

 

[steve-s]

It's actually best to leave the treated fish in the hyposaline environment for 4 weeks after the last trophont is seen on the fish. Hypo interferes with the tomont stage of the parasite preventing reproduction. That said, your main tanks fallow time will be closer to 6-7 weeks which is much safer IME. Just be sure the main display is fed while there are no fish in the tank to keep up the bacterial colonies. Otherwise when you are ready to return the fish the tank will not have a strong enough biofilter to cope with the dramatic increase in waste/ammonia production.

Alternately, if you are not able to set up a sizable QT for the fish, you can remove the inverts and rock. This isn't the best or first option you should choose but something to consider if you have no other choice. Just be sure the rock is not returned until the salinity is back up and there is no sign of further infestation/infection (again 6-7 weeks). Also ensure the bacteria is fed there as well.

Cheers
Steve

 

[tava716]

You all are great! Thanks for the advise. This is why I love coming here and recommending it to my friends!
what should the hyposalinity be? I have heard 1.017 and alos heard #s as low as 1.010.

Thanks a bunch!

James

 

[Krish]

Not sure James. I guess you gotta wait for the pros again. Hope you get things sorted out. It seem like you will though. Mike and Steve are really good at offering good sound advice and I'm also learning a lot here too.

 

[steve-s]

1.017 SG will not affect C. irritans, the salinity needs to be 14-16 ppt using a refractometer. I prefer to recommend 14 ppt to compensate for daily evaporation and ensure the salinity does not rise above 16 ppt as a result.

Cheers
Steve

 

[tava716]

Thanks a lot Steve. I appreciate your knowledge.

Krish, Hang in there buddy....we will someday be as wise. (LOL).

James

 

[NaH2O]

Great advice. James - here is an article on the hyposalinity treatment. It is important, as Steve-s mentioned, to use a refractometer when bringing your salinity to this level. Treatment of Choice - Part 2....scroll down to hyposalinity.