Updates and Hypo Question

[eipappas]

Hi Beth!
It's been a while, I know but I wanted to give you the update on my clownfish... He's doing very well - All of his fins have regrown and he's stopped shaking since he's been in hypo this past month. My puffer (who's in the main tank) is also doing great - Either shook off the ick or never had it in the first place, I'm still not sure.
My question now is that I'm trying to bring the clownfish out of hypo - How do I start adding in salt? Can I do small water changes using heavily salt-concentrated water? Or do I do large water changes using water only a couple points higher in salinity?
Thanks!
Elena

 

[newreefers]

glad to hear your fish is better. use small water changes with regular salinity. you need to bring it up slower than you lowered, do this over the course of 1 week.

 

[eipappas]

Thanks Newreefers -
When you say small water changes with regular salinity - you mean replace small amounts of hypo water (say 5% of a 10 gallon tank) with small amounts of 1.023 water? Sorry for being repetitive - I just want to make sure... Thanks!

 

[carrie1429]

Yep thats what you do. Take out a small amount of hypo water and replace it with water that has a gravity of 1.021-1.024 Do this over the course of about 4 days to a week IMO.

 

[aqua blue]

Hello eipappas.
Glad to hear that your clown fish is recovering well. I would start out with a half gallon water change of water at 1.023 and see how much that raises the current level. If your water is currently 1.009 then you would need to raise the level .002 each day to reach 1.023 over a seven day time frame. If the half gallon change raises it from 1.009 to 1.010 then I would do one half gallon change in the morning and a second half gallon change in the afternoon or evening. By starting with small changes you can determine how many changes may be needed to raise the salt level slowly without over doing it. No need to rush.
Good Luck

 

[tangtang]

Hey all! I'm in hypo now and all the fish look great! All except my 1.5" striped puffer. He has a lumpy, distended? stomach and appears slimy because the particles I have floating in the water stick to him. (I have a white laundry bag filled with bioballs in my overflow that gives off a white "dust".) I've purchased another tank and am thinking of setting him up in there with some copper; but, not sure it will help. Am I wrong or does he sound like he has a worm?

 

[beth]

Hey, glad to hear that all is going well! Was wondering how you were doing. Take about 4 days to return the salinity in the QT to within normal levels, removing bits of hypoed water incremeentally and replacing it with water from your main tank.
TangTang...not sure I'm getting what your problem is. Does your puffer have ich, or what?

 

[tangtang]

No idea Beth! <smile> He seems slimy and the stomach(?) is not smooth. It is very lumpy. The color overall is darkening too. Any ideas? The puffer did not appear to have ich when I started the hypo. Only the tangs had it and they look awesome in hypo!
Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

[tangtang]

Will do! Thanks Terry B!