Freshwater Bath

[eclass]

I "had" a Blue Tang that I gave a freshwater bath today to heal a disease. I was told today by a professional to use either RO or distilled water. I used distilled. I balanced the PH to match my tank and raised the temp to the same as my tank to help stress. I was told to go 7 minutes. After 5 I panacked with no movement and loss of alot of color. I put the tang back in my tankand still no movement. Finally after 15 mins I called the time.

When I called back and explained what I did I was told every thing was right. I was told I didn't have to worry about the PH but that isn't what killed the tang. Any insight on what happened?
Died due to stress?
Are tangs that sensitive?
Did the freshwater burn the gills?

I have had the tank set up now for over 2 years with a clown and a few damsils. Yellow tang has been just fine. 3 peppermint shrimp. 5 hermits and a few snails. Water has been tested and found perfect twice. Last 3 weeks I lost 2 fish to disease. (One i guess was my fault) Frustrated and looking for some help.

Is there a med. I can add next time safe for reefs that heal diseases?

 

[theplatypus]

What disease are you treating?

 

[eclass]

Eye Clout or Fluke. It cleared it up but didn't really matter with no signs of life.

 

[blind1993]

EClass;85143 wrote: I "had" a Blue Tang that I gave a freshwater bath today to heal a disease. I was told today by a professional to use either RO or distilled water. I used distilled. I balanced the PH to match my tank and raised the temp to the same as my tank to help stress. I was told to go 7 minutes. After 5 I panacked with no movement and loss of alot of color. I put the tang back in my tankand still no movement. Finally after 15 mins I called the time.

When I called back and explained what I did I was told every thing was right. I was told I didn't have to worry about the PH but that isn't what killed the tang. Any insight on what happened?
Died due to stress?
Are tangs that sensitive?
Did the freshwater burn the gills?

I have had the tank set up now for over 2 years with a clown and a few damsils. Yellow tang has been just fine. 3 peppermint shrimp. 5 hermits and a few snails. Water has been tested and found perfect twice. Last 3 weeks I lost 2 fish to disease. (One i guess was my fault) Frustrated and looking for some help.

Is there a med. I can add next time safe for reefs that heal diseases?

if it is bacteria i can help you but you cant have corals the name is metronidazole by seachem.

 

[theplatypus]

Eye clout? Do you mean he had a cloudy eye? Are you sure it wasn't just damaged? Flukes aren't a disease, they're a parasite.

 

[dannybradley]

There is a lot that ca go into this. F/w dips are very effective because of the violent change in osmatic pressure. Essentialy, the f/w rushes into the cells and ruptures them. The higher organisms withstand this better, and that's why in most cases, the fish lives and the parasite doesn't. They can be terribly stessful to a fish.

This might be a good time to invest in a quarentine tank instead of a new fish. Even if you don't have it running all the time, leave some filter media in your sump or filter you can move over to your QT for an instantly cycled tank. In there, you can medicate more delicate specimens, or get them healthy enough to a point they can withstand a dip.

Some of the factors are how long have you've had the tang and how healthy it was before the dip. Unless the situation is dire, a surgeon won't perform surgery unless the patient is deemed healthy enough for the invasive procedure.

 

[xyzpdq0121]

blind1993;85147 wrote: if it is bacteria i can help you but you cant have corals the name is metronidazole by seachem.

What are you talking about Willis?!? Please do elaboriate on your point.

 

[xyzpdq0121]

As far as commenting on the original post. Tangs like to "play dead" for abou the first 5-10 min of a F/W bath but should rebound vary well after. Are you sure the fish was dead? Sounds like a dumb question, but I have dipped about 10 tangs in my day and they all have the same dip reaction for the first few min. IMHO, a 7 min FW dip is pretty useless... anything under 10 min has not been shown to be very effective. I have NEVER lost a tang to a dip. Heck I have only loss one fish to a FW dip and that is because of a PH issue.

 

[jessezm]

Yeah I've done 30 minute dips on tanks and even wrasses without a hitch. I was VERY careful about matching pH and temp, and using enough water so that O2 didn't get used up to quick. I don't like bubblers as they can quickly alter pH in such a small body of water.

I wonder what could have happened? Sounds like possible stress due to the illness+getting cuaght+dip stress/shock... Sorry you lost your fish.

 

[dkelly]

I've also dipped blue tangs without deaths. They do tend to lie down in the FW but will respond to touch or start swimming on their own a couple of minutes after the "shock".

 

[roland jacques]

jessezm;85422 wrote: I don't like bubblers as they can quickly alter pH in such a small body of water.

Good point, never thought about that. You think bubbling room air would change the PH in a dip?

 

[jessezm]

I haven't actually done a test (which would be easy to do, though), but I did read this in a great write up that Brandon posted a link to awhile back I think: http://www.reefland.com/forum/marine-fish-care-health-disease-treatment/19094-acclimation-i-know.html#post137198">http://www.reefland.com/forum/marine-fish-care-health-disease-treatment/19094-acclimation-i-know.html#post137198</a>
Here is the money quote:

Air stones - are never to be used. They alter the water chemistries too quickly by mixing air with the water too quickly. It may seem &#8216;efficient&#8217; and of benefit, but the use of an air stone or bubbling air through the bag water or dip water is unnecessary and in some cases very harmful.

BTW, anyone interested in QT, FW dips, and generally disease prevention should read through the entire article--it is FANTASTIC information, and easy to follow.