Going throug Hypo

cristhiam · #1 05/20/2006, 07:14 AM

I'm a bit confused here. I have 4 fish going throug hypo, 2 ocellaris clowns, ORA black clown and a little cowfish in a 20G they been there since Thursday 11 and lowering salinity slowly, on Thursday the 18 finally I got my refractometer and lower the salinity to 1.009, I'm doing almost everyday water changes and making sure the salinity matches the exactly 1.009, I'm glad I have a ph monitor. The fish are doing great, eating and active. Today saturday the cowfish has a few spots??? maybe it's because it's only been at 1.009 since Thursday and not enough time yet. I don't see any on the other fish. Is it save to lower the salinity more or whats going on? my refractomer is brand new and it matches the LFS salinity with their refractometer. Please help.

leebca · #2 05/20/2006, 12:10 PM

I think you might be missing some information on the life cycle of Marine Ich (Cryptocaryon irritans).

The only part of the life cycle of this parasite that humans can see with the naked eye is after the parasite has gorged itself on the fish and is 'pregnant' and getting ready to detach itself from the fish.

The free swimming theronts burrow into the fish, but they are invisible to the eye at this point in time and remain invisible until they engorge themselves. This can take up to two or even three weeks. So the cow showing signs of Marine Ich after a time is not unusual. It was infected long before you actually saw the evidence of those spots.

Some information about the parasite:
http://www.petsforum.com/personal/tr...marineich.html

Sounds like you're doing what's right. Monitor water quality; check pH frequently and try to hold it steady; and feed the best foods as recommended here:
http://archive.reefcentral.com/forum...hreadid=785228

No need to lower the salinity further. Keep it steady and be patient.

cristhiam · #3 05/20/2006, 12:41 PM

Thanks. I think I'm in the right track. I just have to wait. Man keeping good water quality is a pain on a 20G water changes everday for the most part trying to keep the ph at 8. I think it will be impossible without a PH monitor to do this.

leebca · #4 05/20/2006, 12:55 PM

I think you're right (about the pH monitor). It's a challenge.

Did you/do you have any biological filter going for you?

Some sound advice on quarantine tanks (similar to a hospital tank) can be found here:
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-1...ature/index.ht

cristhiam · #5 05/20/2006, 01:00 PM

yes I use a penguin hang on 330 on the 125G just for water movement so I put two filters and then use it on the QT and I put a piece of LR in there too and couple of PVC pipes. man a lot of dead worms from the LR came out yesterday. I guess the hypo is starting to work killing inverts. No traces of amonia. that's a good thing.

leebca · #6 05/20/2006, 01:10 PM

That LR will contribute to your (poor) water quality issues. It isn't advisable to put LR in a hyposalinity treatment tank. Too many organisms will die in and on the rock causing pollution.

I'd remove it to improve your water quality.

cristhiam · #7 05/20/2006, 01:24 PM

Do you think I have enough bacteria in the filter only? it's a small rock about 5 x 3. Maybe it's all dead in by now, not sure.

leebca · #8 05/20/2006, 01:45 PM

I'd give it a try. Just set the rock in some saltwater while you monitor the situation.

In general, bacteria don't immediately respond well to a lower salinity, so how many are actually processing wastes may be a moot point with the water changes you're doing. If the bacteria are active, you might reduce the number of water changes you're doing.

But if you think everything is already dead in/on the LR, then I would agree to just leave it be.

cristhiam · #9 05/20/2006, 01:48 PM

It should because it's been a week since I started lowering the salinity and on thursday that's when I went to 1.009.

poppin_fresh · #10 05/20/2006, 06:06 PM

I have found the only things you have to worry about in hypo is PH and ammonia. From the reading I have done, slight amounts of Nitrite and Nitrate are not known to harm saltwater fish. I'm not saying to let the water quality totally tank (pun intended), but dont kill your LR for the sake of hypo.

As far as PH, I wish I'd bought a meter. I went through a whole Salifert kit in five weeks of hypo! A probe would have been a whole lot easier too.

cristhiam · #11 05/20/2006, 10:12 PM

I haven't seen any amonia spikes and I do a water change every time ph drops to about 7.8 and buffer it a little with limewater. I hope stabilizes a bit because it's a pain

but the fish are doing great I have not seen any stress and they eat like pigs, specialy the cowfish that only eats brine and frozen formula 2. I vacum every time after feeding. I've noticed that after feeding PH starts droping fast.

leebca · #12 05/21/2006, 07:57 AM

You have pH instability. Alkalinity is tied into pH.

A pH change of as little as 0.05 is harmful to fishes. This is creating a stress you can't see and which will reduce the length of life of your fishes.

If you go the Reef Chemistry Forum here on RC you can find articles and many helpful sticky posts (at the top of the Forum) which will help you with controlling pH swings.

cristhiam · #13 05/22/2006, 11:40 AM

Update. So far everything is going great keeping salinity stable at 1.008 - 1.009. PH seems to start to stabilize too at 7.9. it's only at night that when I feed it starts to drop. By using limewater before feeding seems to help. right after feeding I do a water change. about 4.5 Gallons a day. I still see some spots on the cowfish the other fish I don't see any. They where at one point except the ORA clown, never got any spots at all. Thanks everyone for all your input. The display tank is fishless now for almost 3 weeks so far.