QT Ammonia Problem

[sunny]

Last Saturday I had to set up an emergency QT Tank because the new fish that I added to my main display infected all the inhabitants with Ick. At that point, three fish had died in the main display(only 1 month in tank), two Henneocus and a porky puffer. I wanted to try to save the remainder of my fish, blue hippo tang (2 1/2 years old), small spotted puffer (1 1/2 years old) and a cromus (2 years old). So, I set up a 10 gallon QT Tank, treated it with Stress Zyme to boast the biological filter and let it cyle for only a day as the fish in the main display were looking pretty poor. I added coppersafe to the QT Tank and moved all the sick fish to the QT tank. (I could not treat the display tank because of my inverts and live rock) Within two days, my fish were on the road to recovery. The Ick came off the blue hippo tang and my spotted puffers eyes began to clear. Today my fish seem to be Ick free! I have been testing my QT tank water levels and the Ammonia is really high. At the begining of the week it was 4 so we did a 5 gallon water change and I put more of the Stress Zyme in. I tested it again today and it is at 8. My fish look ok, don't seem to be in any distress and they are eating. Should I be concerned? Should I do another water change? Should I add any other chemicals?

 

[beth]

Just for future reference, it is better to set up a larger QT when you have an emergency. A 10 gal is not going to cut it for all those fish even if it was cycled.
How are you treating the ich?
You can keeping doing daily water changes with aged water and use ammonia-lock.

 

[sunny]

How much of a water "daily" water change should I do. I am using coppersafe to treat the ick.
For the future, can we put 1 or 2 small fish in the 10 gal QT to "check them out" to see if they are healthy before we place them in our display tank?

 

[oozy]

you should QT new fish for 3-4 weeks.
their is really no substitute.
you should have your QT tank cycled and always running. if this is not possible you can take some filter media "squezings", and water from your main tank to help cycle.
stress zyme will not cycle your tank.
i agree, a 10g isnt big enough.
goodluck!
-oozy-

 

[beth]

Well, if you are using coppersafe, that is basically a major contributor the ammonia problem. You can not do water changes while treating with copper. Perhaps you should start doing hyposalinity instead, just as effective and much safer.
Do you have LR in your display tank?
Please read the post on ich in the FAQ Thread in this forum.

 

[sunny]

I have live rock and inverts in the display tank. Thank is why I did not go the hyposalinity route.
Should I still get the ammonia lock?bb

 

[beth]

Yes, get it. How are the fish doing? Perhaps switch to hypo now. Do you have a refractometer.

 

[sunny]

No I do not have a refractometer, what is it? Why do you think I should switch from the coppersafe to the hypo?
My fish are doing great. They look back to normal. No more bumps!

 

[chull13]

Did your read the post on Ich at the beginning of this forum? Both treatments work but I have heard of fish having problems after being treated with copper. (Internal problems) Ich can't survive hypo and it is a little more healthy for the fish. You need a refractometer to perform hypo. Salinity needs to be 1.009 for 3 weeks. Hydrometers aren't acurate enough. Plus you need to leave your display fishless for about a month to be sure that the ich dies in the display. If you feel confident that copper treatment is working and your fish seem to be ok then you may be alright. I have heard people swear by copper treatment when ich outbreaks. Your choice!!