My Deadly Hospital Tank

[Hawkaholic]

I keep a sponge filter in my sump. I set up my hospital tank the same way you do but I also run the sponge filter. When I take the hospital tank down...I clean the sponge and put it back in the sump.

[reefwars]

i was always under the impression not to use live rock or sand or anything that could soak up medications you may use, i know water parameters are a must as well as water changes. a quarantine tank could be used maybe with a little something depending on what your using for meds, but in a hospital tank id keep it to the basics but i would try to let the hospital tank run for a few days or a week to let things "even out" . all the things you use in a hospital tank need to be cleaned constantly , like a human hospital your not wanting to add any more bad bacteria. get some water tests done and if anything shows change some out with new saltwater , dont do it in a hurry to stress the fish more do it in small amounts where the fish barely knows your doing it

also losing two fish doesnt mean your meds arent working or your methods are flawed could possibly mean two accounts of bad luck, alot of fish dont make it through punishment like losing fins while alot of others do , it could be the timing


interesting read though on the link you posted but i would imagine that theres always going to be a stradnd of bacteria we cant treat for, so its best to treat for what we know we dont want

[reefwars]

Originally Posted by Hawkaholic

I keep a sponge filter in my sump. I set up my hospital tank the same way you do but I also run the sponge filter. When I take the hospital tank down...I clean the sponge and put it back in the sump.

agreed with adding a sponge but before medicating though and i would be sure to wash it very well if your planning on adding it back to your system personally i would add new sponge and let it colonize again

[paddyob]

Keep in mind also... medicating can make things worse for your fish in the long run by weakening immune systems and what not. On top of that.... medicating for the sake of medicating is never a good option. Would you take meds yourself if they were not necessary?

[fishoholic]

Hospital tanks are difficult to keep water parameters in check so that could be the issue but for some reason (don't know why because it's supposed to be safe to use on saltwater fish) whenever I have tried to treat a saltwater fish with melafix if has killed the fish within a few days. I have noticed that something in melafix seems to make it hard for saltwater fish to breathe properly.

[Murminator]

When I have a fish that is taking a beating usually a smaller fish I just put it is a floating breeder trap (the biggest one I could find) and attach it to the side. It separates the fish and lets him heel with stress him out as much than moving him to a new tank it also help with the aggression between them because they both know where each other is and they will get used to each other. I have heard people using a large tupperware container with holes drilled in it also.
If I have to dose a fish I set a hospital tank with 75% of the old water from the tank it came from powerhead, heater couple chunks of pvc and a rock or 2 from my sump.

If a clown was bulling an angel in a 90G it think it was already on it's way out unless it is a huge maroon clown and tiny angel but an angel will just hide in the rocks and clown won't venture into them and a clown will not swim far to bully anything

[cwatkins]

Originally Posted by fishoholic

whenever I have tried to treat a saltwater fish with melafix if has killed the fish within a few days. I have noticed that something in melafix seems to make it hard for saltwater fish to breathe properly.

This is interesting to know. It seems my experience reflects yours.

You're right, I should have just picked up a guppy breeder container and put him in if for a week or two while he healed.

[fishoholic]

Originally Posted by cwatkins

This is interesting to know. It seems my experience reflects yours.

Ya I don't know what it is about melafix but for some reason it seems awhile after adding it saltwater fish start breathing really heavy then die.

[marie]

Originally Posted by fishoholic

Ya I don't know what it is about melafix but for some reason it seems awhile after adding it saltwater fish start breathing really heavy then die.

The tea tree oil in it causes weird bacteria blooms to happen which I think rapidly depletes the oxygen in the water