Help with QT, Coral Beauty with cloudy swollen eye
 

PLEASE, Help the newbie again!!!:cry:
My most recent purchase a Coral Beauty is not doing so well.
I have put him in a QT tank but am not able to keep the params stable!!! URGH! The tank is a 10G with a HOB filter with carbon and some ammonia rock things in it, a powerhead, heater and about 8lbs LR. It was stable all params good before adding the fish. Now I have Ammonia 0.25, Nitrite trace not quite registering, Nitrate about 10-15. I have been doing 10-20% Water changes every other day. (Am now increasing to daily) Will do a 30% WC tomorrow.
Now my fish is losing color, cloudy swollen eye, and whitish fringe on fin. I know it is likely water quality issues but I cannot stabilize it?? Also he is not eating well - picks abit but does not show any real enthusiasm.
HELP, what should I do??
I am frustrated because I thought I was doing it "right" by QTing and it seems like in the end it may be doing more harm to this poor fish than good! I am tempted to just put him in the display because atleast I know the paramaters are perfect there and stable!!!!!
He is so pretty and I don't want to lose him. I feel so bad keeping him in less than ideal environment but I can't FIX it??!!!
What should I do?
Carmen

This is the old argument AGAINST quarantining. Unless your QT is a healthy environment, you are correct in that your QT may be worse for the fish than adding it directly to your healthy tank.

The key is that by QT'ing you are protecting your existing fish from anything that the new fish might introduce. That is mainly what it is about.

It doesn't sound good for your fish. Maybe someone can recommend a medication that could be used since he is already isolated. (I've never successfully medicated a fish) Meanwhile, you need to do a lot of water changes on that QT to keep that ammonia level low.

I don't think that they symptoms you describe would be dangerous to other fish if you chose to place him into the display tank. Unfortunately, even healthy fish have a tough time being the new guy. An unhealthy fish rarely survives being the new fish in the tank.

I'd start water changing with water from the main tank immediately. Angels don't eat right away, so don't further pollute the water by trying.

Good advice. Do not place him in your display tank. Keep your lights off and give him a hiding place he can feel secure. Try 1 or 2 Mysis shrimp a couple times a day to see if he will take it then and if so soak some in Selcon and Garlic extract. I have some I use at the store. Syphon out uneaten pieces. This will help him fight off what ever he has. Small water changes from your existing tank is a great idea (less of a shock). Good luck and keep us informed of the progress.
Kevin

IME with the exception of neomycin and maroxy by Mardel Labs all other meds are useless for marine fish.
Did you get the water from your main tank for your QT? What is the ammonia level of your main tank?
Do as Kevin and Emily suggest.

Angel fish are not for newbies. Coral beauties are iffy. If you lose her dont buy another.

Thanks everyone. So far it looks much the same, eye cloudy although I think it's not as swollen (could be wishful thinking though???). He did eat a nibble today and I did a 3 G waterchange with part fresh/part display water. I will continue to do WC with 1-2G display water everyday until paramaters lower. Hopefully fish will hang on and start eating more. Picked up some Garlic to try as well.
Naesco, the display tank has perfect params. So all ammonia is from QT. Ammonia was down tonight, Nitrites up a tad, Nitrates down so hopefully we will keep moving the right direction.
Just wish fishy was happier!!!
Carmen

Okay , so she looks worse today! Her eye is more swollen and almost white. She has whitish "fluffy" spots on fins now too.
Should I try anything else???? Hyposalinity, antibiotics? Where do I get them if so????

Unfortunately Carmen just continue with what you are doing. Do not put undo stress like Hyposalinity on him. Entice him to eat but do not leave and uneaten food in there.
Keep us informed.
Kevin

Not sure but a fw dip might kill of any parasites, but it could be a bit stressfull....tough call ...hope it works out. If it is a parasitic infection, there is a product called http://www.polyplab.com/medic.html
It worked pretty good for my percs.

Hi Carmen,

The swollen/cloudy eye is caused by either eye flukes, cryptokarion or bacteria.

Since you said "fluffy" patches I would lean toward recommending http://www.seachem.com/products/prod...ParaGuard.html
from Seachem. Perhaps Red Coral has it in stock?

I would recommend 10% water change a day from the display tank to keep ammonia low in the QT. You cant use an ammonia neutralizer as it will counteract the medication. Make sure that you add medication to the water removed from the display tank before you add it to the QT. Do siphon out any uneaten food.

You were wise to use the QT tank. You may be saving all your fish in the display tank.

Hopefully the angel pulls through.

I had the same fish get the same symptoms, I used QT with antibiotics for a long time but I couldnt keep the ammonia levles down and the fish died. I Hate putting a fish in QT. Good luck but dont be to upset if he dosnt make it.

No, he did not make it and I am feeling much the same about QT!!:cry: But thanks anyway.

If your display tank has no paracites, just put the foam block that goes into the QT filter in you display sump and leave it there a few weeks, then set up your QT with the foam block that has been collecting everything it needs to cycle your QT. Once you fill it with water from your display, your QT is pretty much ready to go! Then go out and buy your fish. Don't EVER risk contaminating your display with an unQTed fish! :eek:

I don't want to get into the debate to QT or not to QT. :redface: I understand fully the risks involved in not and the benefits of QT, however why is it that every reefer I have visited so far does not QT.:neutral: My prob with the QT is that I could not stabilize my params until it was too late and it was a cycled tank. The QT was less than perfect and I hate to complain but it was a tonne of work doing the WC every single day.
So does anyone out there really QT and do you not have issues? Do you WC every day and isn't that stressful in itself for the fragile fish in QT????
Was I just unlucky....or is this the norm to have unstable parameters?:question::question:

You shouldn't use this experience to decide on using QT in the future. IME it is one of the best things you can do to manage new livestock and I really don't understand why more people don't do it.

You had trouble because your QT tank wasn't set up right and it sounds like it wasn't cycled. To do this properly follow WhoPoopWrasse's advice in the future. You should also discard the ammonia remover, it doesn't work in SW very well. When you setup you tank next time replace it with some small pieces of rock rubble from your display.

If you set it up now before buying the next fish it will be cycled and stable. I make a point of not messing with the filter in my QT once it's up and running and I do a 1or 2 gallon WC a week IF I have a fish in it. Otherwise if it's been sitting a long time with no fish I do a 2 gallon W/C just before buying my next fish.
You are right, daily W/C's are stressful to the fish especially if it's sick and living in an uncycled tank. You need to be patient and let it cycle and stabilize and then everything will go smoothly. And your fish will thank you for it.:biggrin:

Thanks for the advice. :wink: Maybe it's just better luck next time!