Safest way to add Powder Blue to my DT without QT?

new180g

new180g

Member
I start a new job on Nov. 5th, so luckily I have free time during the days to take care of all this until then. It is pretty easy to see how much has evaporated in the QT by just looking at how close the water level is to the black frame part on top. I'll just pour fresh RODI as necessary. Since it is so close to 1.010, I will just change out one pitcher's worth tomorrow. Then I will have a bit of room for evaporation.
I can't imagine doing all this with a hydrometer!
 
ccampbell57

ccampbell57

Active Member
180 - your PBT is a beaut!!! His coloration looks great and is on his way to recovery. Remember, dont rush things. These fish are especially picky and can change in a second when they are sick. On the flip side, when they are healthy they are like tanks. Key to making this guy last is the following:
-Varied Diet (flake, veggies, frozen)
-Garlic
-Good water
-Hiding places
-TLC
Enjoy your fishy...these guys have tons of attitude!!!
 
new180g

new180g

Member
Thanks!

I hope I give a varied diet as it is between the Emerald Entree (it is frozen cubes with artemia franciscana (what's this?), mysis, krill, plankton, spinach, romaine and red leaf lettuce, spirulina algae, and various vitamins). I particularly like it because it's not mushy/messy like Formula foods...I hated using those. I also always add pellets mixed in with the dissolved cubes. Now I will also be adding garlic!
Good water I can do.
There's pretty sufficient hiding places in the QT, he really likes to swim so he does figure 8's all the time...good thing the QT is a bowfront! I have so much LR in the DT, there will be tons of hiding places once he's in there.
And I'm a pro at TLC...I would say too much maybe? Naaahhhh! I know you all understand how much fish can be loved.

My current concern is that he better be nice to my juvenile Red Sea Sailfin. The Sailfin used to get along fine with my late Mimic Tang, so I'm not worried about her being welcoming. I'm just worried the PBT will bully the Sailfin. We'll just have to see.

I'll post a pic of the PBT soon...!
 
ccampbell57

ccampbell57

Active Member
Dont be concerned with the Salfin. The PBT will show his dominance once you place him in the tank (chase the salfin around and tail wag) but this is normal and should be expected. Just make sure that they are both eating and there is no slashing on the bodies from their barbed tails.
I want pictures!!!!!
 
new180g

new180g

Member
Pictures, you say?!
The pictures attached were taken yesterday. Looking good! I was thinking of submitting one of these for the photo contest...what do you think?
BTW, I got the following readings from my QT this morning:
SG: 1.009 (on the low side...is more like 1.0085, but I'll test again after some evaporation)
pH: 8.2 (Yay! Was low yesterday)
Alk: 3.2 meq/L or 9dKH (Yay again!)
Ammonia: 0.5 mg/L (I'm adding Amquel daily and will do a water change in the next couple of days)
Nitrates: 5 mg/L
Temp: 78
I love how he looks like he's smiling in this one!



 
ledzep fan

ledzep fan

Active Member
Looks great! It was no problem to find the link. Ya, I love LedZeppelin, i know how to play most of their songs too, but thats a little off topic. I love your PB though. Are you feeding it nori? You should totaly submit a photo
 
sepulatian

sepulatian

Moderator
I am so glad that he is adapting well!!! How long has he been in hypo now? Have you seen any spots at all since?
 
new180g

new180g

Member
The QT has been at 1.009 since Sunday. It was at 1.0095 as of Friday evening. I hope the delay in getting it to 1.009 didn't mess anything up. (It will kill the parasites anyway, right?...I hope so).
So technically he's been in hypo 2 days (yesterday and today). I didn't really see any spots after last Thursday until pretty much today. Today I saw lots of little spots/bumps. Is that because the parasites are exploding/dying? Are they under the skin and emerge when they die?
 
sepulatian

sepulatian

Moderator
No, they are panicking and trying to burrow into your fish. If your fish is eating well then add a little fresh garlic to his meals tommorow to help get them off. Garlic is great to use anyway. You are now at, or are about to be at, the largest ich attack. After this they will all start to die off. Keep the fish doing well and fighting at this point. Once this bunch drops off, as long as the SG stays at 1.009, then you will be fine. Keep the SG at a constant 1.009 for 3 weeks after the last sign of ich is gone. This is the big hurtle though. Keep his immune system high during this time. How is the water quality?
 
new180g

new180g

Member
Thanks ccampbell! I ended up submitting the one you liked and the one where he's facing the camera.
Sepulatian, as of yesterday the readings were as follows:
SG: 1.009
pH: 8.2
Alk: 3.2 meq/L or 9dKH
Ammonia: 0.5 mg/L (I'm adding Amquel daily and will do a water change in the next couple of days...probably today)
Nitrates: 5 mg/L
Temp: 78
Today there are lots of spots/bumps (the most yet), so what you said would happen seems to be happening (that they would panic and burrow and this is the largest Ich attack). Poor fishy...
I fed some garlic the day before yesterday...I'll put some more today. I think the garlic press made the pieces too big, but he did eat one whole piece. It was almost like he was thinking, "what in the world did I just eat?!" I'll try to make them smaller next time. But I suppose the juice is good, too...I don't have to put the pieces?
I will post my next readings when I test everything later today.
Thank you for all your advice and help!
 
sepulatian

sepulatian

Moderator
Keep the ammonia as close to zero as you can and check your nitrites. Everything else looks good. When adding the garlic to the food you want mostly the juice, but the pieces are good as well. It sounds as though he is still eating pretty well which is a great sign. Keep us posted!
 
new180g

new180g

Member
I just did a 30% water change. Prior to the change, the readings were:
SG: 1.009
pH: 8.0 (I added some buffer with the change)
Alk: 3.43 meq/L or 9.6dKH
Ammonia: 0.5 mg/L
Nitrates: <5 mg/L
Temp: 77
I don't have a nitrite test kit, only ammonia and nitrate.
He looks terrible today, but is still eating well and is as active as he has been the whole time. I would say the Ich is at it's worst so far.

I did give some garlic yesterday with his food.
 
new180g

new180g

Member
He's ok. No worse than yesterday...but not too much better. I hope he dealt with the worst of it.
Thanks for asking...how nice of you!
 
sepulatian

sepulatian

Moderator
Pick up a nitrite kit asap. If the nitrites are high, which I suspect that they are being that the tank is cycling, then that is putting needless stress on your fish. Keep up the great work. It sounds like he is still doing pretty good.
 
new180g

new180g

Member
But if I did have a nitrite test kit...whatever the results were, what more could I do than what I've already been doing?

Today he is finally looking better. Much less evidence of the Ich than a couple of days ago (he was looking terrible). He wasn't even that excited about eating yesterday.
I'm going to feed him soon and I'm hoping he'll eat better.
Do I keep adding the Amquel+ until I get a 0 ammonia reading? Once I do, can I just do weekly water changes for the duration of his time in QT?
Thanks.
 
ccampbell57

ccampbell57

Active Member
Originally Posted by New180g
But if I did have a nitrite test kit...whatever the results were, what more could I do than what I've already been doing?

Today he is finally looking better. Much less evidence of the Ich than a couple of days ago (he was looking terrible). He wasn't even that excited about eating yesterday.
I'm going to feed him soon and I'm hoping he'll eat better.
Do I keep adding the Amquel+ until I get a 0 ammonia reading? Once I do, can I just do weekly water changes for the duration of his time in QT?
Thanks.
Dont add anymore amquel till after you do a water change. You will still see a potential amount of ammonia reading due to the fact that the amquel does not take it out of the system, but makes it non toxic.
Once you do a water change, add the amount of amquel equal to the amount of changed water.
 
sepulatian

sepulatian

Moderator
Originally Posted by New180g
But if I did have a nitrite test kit...whatever the results were, what more could I do than what I've already been doing?

Today he is finally looking better. Much less evidence of the Ich than a couple of days ago (he was looking terrible). He wasn't even that excited about eating yesterday.
I'm going to feed him soon and I'm hoping he'll eat better.
Do I keep adding the Amquel+ until I get a 0 ammonia reading? Once I do, can I just do weekly water changes for the duration of his time in QT?
Thanks.
Your nitrite spike will last longer than the ammonia spike. You may think that the tank is done when it is not. I am glad that he is looking better. Let us know how he eats.
 
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