Does hyposalinity stress new fish?

fishfisher

Member
Hello everybody, I am begining hyposalinity in my 100 gal tank because my new yellow tang has black ich (flukes) on him. My tank is a fish-only one and has been running for about two years. All of my fish are hardy species. My question is this: Does hyposalinity stress fish? I would like to add the final two fish now, during my hypo treatment, so that any parasites brought in on them will be killed without requiring another hypo treatment. Do you think that this would this be a wise move? Thanks.
 

lion_crazz

Active Member
First and foremost, hyposalinity WILL NOT kill black ich. You need to give the fish a series of formalin baths to remove the black ich. Detailed information can be found above in the FAQ thread by Beth.
Secondly, I would not recommend you add any fish while you are doing hyposalinity, mainly for the reason that you would have to acclimate the fish to the hypo tank for 48 hours, just like you do the other fish. Going all the way down to 1.009 is a huge drop, and one that requires a lot of time.
 

fishfisher

Member
Thanks lion_crazz. I will buy some formulin and follow the directions on the bottle.
I have read in several places that hyposalinity will help cure black ich. In Aquarium Fish Magazine, October 2002, P. 50, it says, "However, the safest and easiest way to treat these parasites, [black ich], is by dropping the specific gravity to 1.010 for three weeks as described in the section on ich." I have read this in several other places. Why do people and reputable aquarium magazines publish this information if it is false? Will hyposalinity help kill the black ich parasites that are living in the substrate or free-swimming?
Once the black ich on the tang is killed, how do you kill the parasites living in the aquarium?
Thanks.
 

sepulatian

Moderator
After reading what you stated about hyposalinity for black ich I did a little searching online. What I found on several articles about black ich was that the use of 1.010 water is to be used as a dip after the formalin bath. It did clearly state that although hyposalinity will not kill the black ich protozoa it will keep the free floating ones off of the fish during treatment. It used to be recomended that FW dips be used together with the formalin baths, now however studies have shown that a dip in water at 1.010 provides the same effect and is much less stressfull to the fish. Leave your fish in the qt for at least 4 weeks and leave your DT fishless durring that time so the black ich can run it's lifecycle without a host.
 

fishfisher

Member
Thanks Sepulatian for doing that bit of research. I have read that the black ich parasite will live for several months without a host. I also read that it can survive in a fishless display tank by feeding off waste. So I plan to treat my entire 100 gal tank with hyposalinity for about a month. I plan to give the yellow tang a few formalin baths at the begining to kill the parasites that are attached to it. If what we have read is true, that hyposalinity will keep the parasites from reattaching, the fish should have a chance to recover and resist the parasites. I still do not know how to rid the tank from them completely, but I hope that by following this plan the fish will be able to resist the parasite. Does this plan sound good enough?
 

beth

Administrator
Staff member
Just keep in mind that what is being referred to here is "baths" not treatment in your display tank. Do not add formalin to your display.
Trying to do hypo on a 100 gal tank is a major undertaking so I would not do it unless you have to. Of course, it won't hurt, as long as your tank is FO. Fish will not stress as long as you perform the procedure exactly as detailed in the FAQ Thread at the top of this forum.
 

sepulatian

Moderator
I just looked around some more to see if hyposalinity would be effective in the display, and that is indeed listed as one of the ways to eradicate the worms from your display. Other ways listed are to leave the system fallow for several months. You are correct that the young worms will live off of the detris in the sandbed for months. I cannot list where I got this information because some of it is by other store owners, but they all seem to concur on this. The worms lay in the sand untill they are adults then attatch to fish for around 5 days. They then detatch and fall into the sandbed where 5 days later they reproduce. It is the young worms that lay in the sand bed and live off of detris for months. While hyposalinity will not kill them while they are attatched to the fish, it will make the ones becoming adults and ready to host unable to attatch. Without a host at this stage of their life they will die. It is important to follow the formalin bath procedure though to get rid of the worms that are about to detatch and reproduce. It looks like this is should (nothing is ever definate) remove it from your system. My personal thoughts is that you would stand a much better chance of eradicating the worms if you set up a qt for your fish and left your display fallow for a few months. What are you planning to do with all of your rock and inverts if you do decide to hypo the display?
 

beth

Administrator
Staff member
Which is why a course of 5 treatments with formalin bath will pretty much "starve off" the parasite. If the juvenile parasite has no opportunity to attach, then you break the cycle. This should work, without the hypo. And, unless you are using a refractometer or lab-grade glass hydrometer, hypo is not going to be effective anyway.
This parasite is also not as contagious as white ich, Cryptocaryon irritans.
 

sepulatian

Moderator
I agree Beth, I think what he is concerned about is the juveniles that may already be living in the sand bed and how to effectively remove them (or have them die off) from his system if they can live in the sand for months before trying to host.
 

beth

Administrator
Staff member
The lifecycle is about 10 days, not months. So, the formalin bathes, done every other day, for 5 treatments, takes care of it.
 

sepulatian

Moderator
Originally Posted by Beth
The lifecycle is about 10 days, not months. So, the formalin bathes, done every other day, for 5 treatments, takes care of it.
Beth, I certainly don't want to argue with you, but what this poster read and what I read both say the same thing. The worms don't attatch untill they are in the adult stage. They attatch for 5 days then fall off back into the sand bed, 5 days later they rupture and release young worms. Then the worm stays in the sand bed as a juvenile, living off of detris for months, untill it is an adult and ready to host a fish. If I am wrong then I certainly appologize, but we read different articles and they all say the same thing.
 

sepulatian

Moderator
Now reading more I am also seeing articles that say that the juvenile (not the adult) attatches to the host fish and after feeding for 6 days it drops off to reproduce in around 3-4 more days (total of 9-10 days). How can anyone be certain of which is correct? It certainly isn't worth the risk IMO. The display should be treated in some way I think.
 

beth

Administrator
Staff member
Originally Posted by sepulatian
Now reading more I am also seeing articles that say that the juvenile (not the adult) attatches to the host fish and after feeding for 6 days it drops off to reproduce in around 3-4 more days (total of 9-10 days). How can anyone be certain of which is correct? It certainly isn't worth the risk IMO. The display should be treated in some way I think.
I trust what I said, since I have 7 years experience as a moderator in the Disease Forum with countless events of this kind with successful results.
Sepulatian, everything you read on the Internet is not always correct, even if you see it on a reliable site. Most hobbyists, even advanced or professional hobbyists don't know much about fish diseases. Like most things, people tend to specialize in areas that interest them, and fish diseases is not of major interest to most.
As for taking care of fish tanks and treating fish diseases, more is not always better. Meaning that it is not always needed to take the most aggressive route, when a simple treatment, that is effective, will resolve the problem with the least impact on the aquaria.
As for black ich, if the fish can be housed in a QT during the treatment time period, all the better. This way, whatever is in the tank, will die off by the time the treatment is completed. However, the odds are still good even if the fish is not in a QT. I would, however, hate to have to catch fish in a display tank for 5 treatments.
 

fishfisher

Member
Thank you very much for all of your help. I have searched other forums and articles and this page right here seems to best explain the lifecycle and how each type of treatment helps to fight the protazoan.
I guess that I should give my yellow tang the formalin baths and treat my tank with hyposalinity for a month. It's going to be tricky to catch him 5 times. Do you think that I need to give my other fish baths? I hope that I don't. I have only very hardy spiecies (clownfish, huma huma trigger, niger trigger, royal gramma, and yellowtail damselfish.) I have no live rock or inverts in the tank. Thanks a lot,
Josh.
 

beth

Administrator
Staff member
All fish would be the safest route, but you can try just treating affected fish. I would just do this and forgo the hyposalinity on a 100 gal tank. But, its up to you.
 

atrim55

Member
My yellow tang also has black ich currently. I have been trying to feed him healthy foods and do water changes more often and vacuum the sand bed. I have not yet done the formalin baths but soon will and hopefully that will keep him from further getting the worms. I dont see it on any of my other fish at all(foxface,clow,damsels,trigger) Im hoping that after the 10 days of baths he wont get it again but we will see. I dont have a QT yet and dont want to hypo my DT because i do have a starfish.
Goodluck FishFisher
I Appreciate the help also beth and sepulation
 
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