very frustrated with my new 2 true percs

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joker577

Well-known member
Joined
May 16, 2007
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Hey guys I decided to go with tank raised clownfish...picked up 2 yesterday and right before i went to bed i noticed they had very small white spots like a pencil poked a bunch of little marks on them white. Moved them into the quarantine just as the one was starting to sit on the anemone GRRRR so frustrated!!!! Used Lifeguard tablets yesterday night and this morning and they seemed to good, more active and such. So I made a mistake and added them back to the regular tank and within a minute had spots on them again...so I moved them back downstairs and did a 6 minute freshwater dip and put them back in the QT tank. Picked up a cleaner shrimp so maybe it'll help em back in the regular tank. Should I just wait until their slime coat returns? if that is the problem
They're so cute too I was watching them in the QT tank and they were shivering at each other. But in the main tank they stay near the bottom and swim very slow. my parameters are
pH 8.3
salinity 1.024-1.0245
nitrites 0
nitrates 0
ammonia 0
calcium 400 ppm
 
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The use of the "Lifeguard Tablets" was already mentioned to you not to be the best of ideas. It was also mentioned that a GOOD QT period, was at a minimum of 6 weeks, not over night.

Not sure what more you want people to talk with you about here, when they do tell you things, and you either aren't listening, or don't care to do the research they help give you.
 
Which is why I did the FW dip also...look i'm new at this and maybe I got a little excited which is why I rushed into putting them back in the tank but no need to be rude i'm 100% sure you were a noob at the hobby once before also.
 
And I got tank raised instead of wild so I figured i wouldn't have to treat for the same diseases.
 
Before you can determine what to do, you need a good and as-accurate diagnosis as possible. Do you suspect Marine Ich (Cryptocaryon irritans)? :evil:

If you do, then you've managed to do several incorrect steps to handle this parasite. I suggest you read this post on the facts and myths of Marine Ich: http://www.reefland.com/forum/marin...e-treatment/20321-marine-ich-myths-facts.html. If you read it and learn from it, you'll realize the places and things you did which didn't rid the fish nor the aquarium/system of the parasite. Most important is to be patient and do things slowly. :D

At this point you want to put the fish into a hospital/Q tank. Remove the cleaner shrimp -- it will do no good for the fish if it is Marine Ich (again, read the above reference) and it will die during the fish treatment. Begin treatment for Marine Ich if that is your diagnosis.

There are only 3 successful and documented treatments for Marine Ich. The tablets you have isn't one of them.
 
I did the hyposalinity FW dip yesterday...and yes I do believe it's ick because there began to be alot of white specs all over their bodies
 
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Some pictures woulld be great. I thought mine had Ich but they had Brook instead. Either way you came to the right place. Good luck!
 
I can't really because the lighting is too low in the room/QT tank to really see any spots, but when I put them back in the tank yesterday it's like the spots sprung back to life...so I brought them back downstairs admitting defeat. I must say I felt horrible watching the fish during the 6 min freshwater dip. They jumped out into my hand I felt so bad.
 
If it is marine ich, a FW dip is not the same as hypo-salinity treatment. Additionally perhaps the ich is in your display and that is why it keeps coming visibly back. I would recommend standard hypo-salinity treatment and leaving the display fallow for 6 weeks or more to clear up the probable infestation. Lee can help you through the hypo or read up on it here:

http://www.reefland.com/forum/marin...e-treatment/20321-marine-ich-myths-facts.html
 
They seem to be doing fine in the QT so im waiting for them to build up their slime coat again which could be the problem(??) and the only fish in there now is the damsel and he is doing fine.
 
The FW dip does not cure the fish of Marine Ich. If you read that reference on myths and facts, it will make this clear and tell you why. That was one of the mis-information you were using in your original efforts.

Don't wait. Marine Ich can kill. Proceed to lower the salinity and perform a hyposalinity treatment. Their slime coating will recover during this treatment, thus this is not a reason for waiting. All you can be is wrong in the diagnosis and that will become evident in a few days. But there is no reason not to lower the salinity. You need to use a refractometer to do this properly.
 
I must say I felt horrible watching the fish during the 6 min freshwater dip. They jumped out into my hand I felt so bad.
There should not have been this reaction if the FW dip water was properly prepared and the procedure properly performed. I usually FW dip fish for 30 minutes without any adverse reaction like you experienced. A panicky fish might be a bit twisted, but the use of Methylene Blue in the FW dip water takes care of that within 60 seconds. In the future, I would recommend you follow this FW dip advice:
http://www.reefland.com/forum/marin...tment/18887-freshwater-dip-marine-fishes.html

Good luck! :)
 
Well they jumped out when I tried to get them out of the bowl with the net (only way i could) and for the most part they just sat there and would all of a sudden spring back to life
 
"temp was about the same " Did you measure it?

PH shock was your dip problem. Went from your tank with PH of 8.3 into the FW with a probable PH of 7.0 give or take. Be that as it may, if they have marine ich, a FW dip will not cure it, only briefly alleviate the symptoms
 
Please remember that if you purchase Tank Raised/Captive Bred specimens, you still need to QT because many places will put those fish in the same system as their wild-caught fishes.

Therefore, your tank raised/captive bred fish have been exposed to diseases/parasites...

Best,
Ilham
 
Im just out of $$ right now and I need something that I can do at home thats safe
 
Please spend some time and effort to study that link posted on how to successfully perform hypo-salinity. There is little or no $$ cost involved , only the cost of salt.

It does require your time and care. It works, all the time. There are no shortcuts; no easy solutions to marine aquarium disease problems.
 

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