[dori9941]

ID and treatment article
what is a fresh water dip. it talks about it in the great artical above. thanks for that Ace and rlcline

[rlcline76]

A freshwater dip, is exactly how it sounds...sans salt. You should use RO/DI and allow your fish (depending on the type of fish, some cannot handle a dip) to have a 5-15 minutes bath...as long as the fish does not stress out.

You have a fish which needs a bath?

[Ganrin]

Make sure you match temperature and ph of the freshwater to your tank water. I once had a major disaster with a freshwater dip and ph shock. Dechlorinate the freshwater too, just to be safe. The freshwater dip process uses osmotic(sp?) shock to knock external parasites off of the fish, small bugs cant handle the change in salinity as long as the fish can.

[prototypep2p]

I would not use just ro/di water it to low of ph for marine fish it will shock them out. You dont want a dead fish!

[dori9941]

I just read about it. my fish r fine. its better to know how before u have to do it. thanks
very neat to know this alternitive to meds

[rlcline76]

Marine Ich/Cryptocaryon irritans - A Discussion of this Parasite and the Treatment Options Available, Part II by Steven Pro - Reefkeeping.com

This article discusses it...and yes, there are buffers for pH.

I generally do not freshwater dip...I have dipped for things like flukes. When it comes to ich, really, it just makes that fish look better on the surface, maybe get a few less larvae in your tank overall, but that is about it. Definitely not a cure...more like benedryl to take away the itchiness of a rash.
For things like black ich on tangs, this is the way to go.

[jimw369]

Originally Posted by rlcline76

Marine Ich/Cryptocaryon irritans - A Discussion of this Parasite and the Treatment Options Available, Part II by Steven Pro - Reefkeeping.com

This article discusses it...and yes, there are buffers for pH.

I generally do not freshwater dip...I have dipped for things like flukes. When it comes to ich, really, it just makes that fish look better on the surface, maybe get a few less larvae in your tank overall, but that is about it. Definitely not a cure...more like benedryl to take away the itchiness of a rash.
For things like black ich on tangs, this is the way to go.

No freshwater dips. As Becky says it seldom has any lasting affects. In most cases it is a lot of work to get a fish out of a tank especially a reef tank. When chasing one fish around the tank moving corals and LR you are also stressing out the other critters as well. Put the fish in QT and treat accordingly untill issues are gone. The only "short term" fix Ive ever had was to physically remove fungus from the fins with a q-tip soaked in iodine. Even then they went back into QT, were treated with Maracyn for a few days to be sure.

I would like to suggest adding Metronidazole to your food everday. I am very surprised I hear no mention of using this at RB. Feeding Metronidazole is considered a little unconventional but it works and thats what matters.

[pogodzib]

I use a 5 minute FW dip on all incoming fish before putting them in my q-tank. I've never had any fish not make it through a 5 minute dip and it does get diseases such as black ich off fish. I think a 5 minute FW dip would be much less stressful than being diseased and swimming around in water with chemical additives.

[rlcline76]

I would like to say that dragonettes do not do well with freshwater dips, but you can dip just about everything else.

[dori9941]

ty, srry a haven;'t been on. i have the flu. ty for all advice. the fish was ocean cough: It;'s a scar. any discolor freaks me out an i see what i know i can fix

[pogodzib]

Originally Posted by rlcline76

I would like to say that dragonettes do not do well with freshwater dips, but you can dip just about everything else.

I stand corrected. I FW dip all fish except for dragonettes or other "bottom dwelling" fish. Most of those types of fish are disease resistant and don't spread diseases as easily.

[rlcline76]

I've had one with ich before.

But I know you QT everything.

[jimw369]

Originally Posted by rlcline76

Marine Ich/Cryptocaryon irritans - A Discussion of this Parasite and the Treatment Options Available, Part II by Steven Pro - Reefkeeping.com

This article discusses it...and yes, there are buffers for pH.

I generally do not freshwater dip...I have dipped for things like flukes. When it comes to ich, really, it just makes that fish look better on the surface, maybe get a few less larvae in your tank overall, but that is about it. Definitely not a cure...more like benedryl to take away the itchiness of a rash.
For things like black ich on tangs, this is the way to go.

Just a little something Ive found on my travels...I do have some questions about the QT used.

black ick update

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

OK all my fish went into quarantine yesturday morning. Yeah they didnt like it but They had to go. All acept my diamond goby who is actually the healthiest fish in my tank and the hardest to catch. I will keep an eye on him and see if his condition changes.
Its ok he is the only fish that had no signs of ick what so ever.
I used my brothers 29 gallon freshwater tank as a hospital.
Used one of his old centerpieces so that fishys can hide
and cut up alot of PVC pipe for added hidding.

I used APPRO QUICK CURE witch contains formalin and malachite green. (only saltwater ICK treatment my LFS had)
Every thing looking great. MY powder blue was looking great when I left for work.
Well when I returned He was BELLY UP

Well lesson learned from my experience and I hope people dont make the same mistake

1. Do not fresh water dip a Powder Blue Tang. (mine went blind for 24hr
2. Dont hesitate to use quarantine. Dont ask if its a good idea just do it. Dont hope it will get better just do it.
3. QUARANTINE BEFORE INTRODUCING INTO MAIN TANK
4. Wait till you are at the experience level to handle delicate fish.

I am trying to still lower the salinity in my display but was unprepared as to the amount of freshwater needed lower it.
so far over the last 2 days i have replaced 12 gallons of saltwater with freshwater and my salinity has barely droped.

Ok thanks again to everyone who helped me try and save my fishy
I might try it again in another year or so. I loved my PBT

[rlcline76]

ich or black ich? There is a difference. Black ich is mostly seen in yellow tangs. I have read about malachite green, sounds like potent stuff. Is this your fish or someone else's, Jim? Sometimes we lose fish because they are too sick to save. Sometimes we lose fish because the treatment is too much.

[rlcline76]

ParasiticDisease

[pogodzib]

Originally Posted by jimw369

1. Do not fresh water dip a Powder Blue Tang. (mine went blind for 24hr
2. Dont hesitate to use quarantine. Dont ask if its a good idea just do it. Dont hope it will get better just do it.
3. QUARANTINE BEFORE INTRODUCING INTO MAIN TANK
4. Wait till you are at the experience level to handle delicate fish.

I am trying to still lower the salinity in my display but was unprepared as to the amount of freshwater needed lower it.
so far over the last 2 days i have replaced 12 gallons of saltwater with freshwater and my salinity has barely droped.

Responses to your list. #1 - PBT can handle FW dips, but they can act strange for a day if stressed out. #2,3,&4 - Definitely agree (although for someone like you Jim, your experience level is rising quickly with all of your time spent researching and asking questions)

Lower your salinity in your display tank to what? If your trying to lower the salinity to fight ich in your display tank, there is a good chance that your corals and critters can't handle any levels that will harm the ich.

Originally Posted by rlcline76

ich or black ich? There is a difference. Black ich is mostly seen in yellow tangs. I have read about malachite green, sounds like potent stuff. Is this your fish or someone else's, Jim? Sometimes we lose fish because they are too sick to save. Sometimes we lose fish because the treatment is too much.

Ditto. Ditto. Ditto.

[rlcline76]

I found the original link to this when I was doing a little reading on FW dips and tangs. I only found what Brian has provided...nothing outside of this post on blindness. Unfortunately, this person is not here to question. The follow-up posts were only condolences, no possible explanations. Hmmmm

[rlcline76]

OK, I guess I would ask...how did this hobbyist assess that the tang was blind? I found a write up by Bartelme about how the eyes can appear cloudy because of a secondary infection from ich...we have no way of telling how sick this tang was.

Saltwater Fish Diseases - Marine Aquarium Disease Identification Guide

[jimw369]

Originally Posted by rlcline76

ich or black ich? There is a difference. Black ich is mostly seen in yellow tangs. I have read about malachite green, sounds like potent stuff. Is this your fish or someone else's, Jim? Sometimes we lose fish because they are too sick to save. Sometimes we lose fish because the treatment is too much.

As the thread was posted: black ick update

Not my fish. I do not have ich in my tank. This was a post from another site I thought might provoke some deeper thought towards QT and medication.

Once again, with all the reading I have done. Brian seems to be right when he told me some 6-7 mos ago..."There are only two ways to get rid of ich, copper and Hyposalinity"

I chose hyposalinity as my first line of defense and have never had to use anything else since. Its hard work QT everything and lowering SG little at a time. IN order for Hypo to work it requires a fallow DT. As in my case it took 3 QT running at once. It requires chosing fish that get along with each other, not overstocking and in my rationale chosing fish that can survive hypo in the first place.

I supplement with Metronidazole in animals food mixed with Focus a bonding agent that binds the meds to the food so it doesnt wash off when SPOT fed to the fish. (YEAH, more work)

NOTHING should go into your DT without an aggresive regime to rid any unwanted pests or deseases. Not even a frag plug. If these procedures are not followed these threads will continue forever and probably will.

[dori9941]

its not ick he loves his power head too