I Give Up

[Miss Wiggle]

First thing is to set up my quarantine tank so I'm not tempted to do anything stupid again. Obviously it'll have to cycle first, I'll nick some media out of hubby's tank to seed it. Couple of weeks, depending on how my big tanks going, and I might get some. Shall have to ask on the cory board (well technically they're not cories though are they lol) about the temps.

I've had no answer on the emergencies board about suitable treatments for making sure whatever it was has gone - do you think I should do a 5 day course of Myxazin and Pimafix just to make sure if it was columnaris that it's 100% cleared up?

yeah they've had some brochis in at paws for thought and they have to keep them in the plant tank thats furthest from the heater/filter cos it's the only one that's cool enough for them. not sure exactly what temp they like though.

hmmmm i'm not sure tbh, medication's not my field of expertise. when i've had undiagnosed problems before i've treated with melafix as it's a good all round tonic, stepped up my water changing so i know water quality is perfect and just kept a very close eye on things for a few weeks.

are you sure it was columnaris?

 

[LisaLQ]

The one fish to have any symptoms had classic columnaris symptoms (slightly fluffy fins, white mouth, saddleback beginning) - but not severe symptoms - just like it was just starting. None of the others who died had any symptoms. Since I added the salt, I've had no further problems - all fish healthy and active, no fin erosion or anything, but I've been told on the emergencies board the salt will be stressing my fish so I have to remove it.

 

[Miss Wiggle]

which plec was it that had symptoms? and how long ago did you loose it?

yueah i didn't think salt was any good for plecs... not 100% though

 

[Glod]

Sorry to hear about your plecs Lisa, I feel really bad too when one of my fish is poorly/dies.

For your quarrantine tank, why not run the filter in one of your established tanks for a couple of weeks. This will clone the filter and assuming the water parameters are the same in both tanks it's pretty easy to just move the filter when needed. Added to which a little extra filtration in your big tank in the meantime won't do any harm And it saves the whole cycling process for a tank that is only going to see intermittent use.

 

[Miss Wiggle]

Sorry to hear about your plecs Lisa, I feel really bad too when one of my fish is poorly/dies.

For your quarrantine tank, why not run the filter in one of your established tanks for a couple of weeks. This will clone the filter and assuming the water parameters are the same in both tanks it's pretty easy to just move the filter when needed. Added to which a little extra filtration in your big tank in the meantime won't do any harm And it saves the whole cycling process for a tank that is only going to see intermittent use.

yeah but with the current problems then you risk cross contamination

i;d fishless cycle it to be on the safe side!

 

[LisaLQ]

I could run it in my hubby's tank, or nick some of his media, so contamination isn't a worry. Thanks for the idea - do you think a fortnight will be long enough to run it for or would it be better to nick media nearer the time and set it up then?

Doh @ me - just thought, if I am going in a couple of weeks, the tank doesn't have to be ready that soon as I'm asking them to quarantine for me lol, then I'll also quarantine here - but that'll be in a month or so.

 

[Glod]

A couple of weeks should be enough for the filter to be able to cope with a single plec I'd think. A month would be ideal tho.

 

[LisaLQ]

Hubby went down to the LFS with a water sample (tank's - not his! lol) and the manager tested it, said water was fine (we know!) and has made us an offer to replace two of the plecs we've lost for free. Do you think I should take them up on it - and put them in my quarantine tank? Thing is, I have to decide before Weds what I want, and they'd be here on Friday - so I'll have to nick some media from my hubby's tank to clone the currently empty quarantine.

Secondly, my quarantine tank is only 2ft, would that be ok for a couple of weeks for a 3-4" plec? I wont take anything smaller than 3" this time.

Part of me thinks I'd be mad to go for it, part of me thinks I'd be mad not to - as long as they're not infecting any of my other fish, if they survived I could either keep them or sell them on?

Pah - I dunno what to do!

 

[geo7x]

Hi Lisa, I know I haven't posted on this thread yet but I'm sorry to hear about the loss of your plecs. But at the same time I'm glad that you haven't given up.

I've had no answer on the emergencies board about suitable treatments for making sure whatever it was has gone - do you think I should do a 5 day course of Myxazin and Pimafix just to make sure if it was columnaris that it's 100% cleared up?

Incase youre still unsure about this (Im not 100% sure myself though) I dont think I can see a problem with adding melafix to the tank if youre worried. Reason I say melafix is that it's natural, it's not easy to overdose, and it's 100% safe to your fish, inverts, plants and filter media etc. I sometimes use it just to be sure. You might want to check with someone else though.

Secondly, my quarantine tank is only 2ft, would that be ok for a couple of weeks for a 3-4" plec? I wont take anything smaller than 3" this time.

that would be fine for a 3-4" plec if you decide to go for it.

 

[LisaLQ]

Thanks geo - I read your post after I sent hubby down for Pimafix, will that do instead?

I have a slightly clearer picture now. My plan is not to take any of the fish they can order in for me. At the moment hubby knows they have the "squiggly black and white plec" (Kathy has seen it labelled as an L333 but they have been wrong with other plecs and when I showed Mick the pic of an L333 and a King Tiger he said it didn't look like either lol), and the baby dull eye royal. The baby royal has been in for about 6 weeks. He's eating well, very active. But he's only an inch and a half max. He's marked up at £17.50. The L333 is marked up at £22.50 and has been in for just under a week, and is about 3-4".

They could order me fish in, but tbh I doubt they'd hold them, and I dont want to risk it. Hubby is going to go back down tomorrow and see what else they have and ask how long they've been in. I'm definitely thinking of getting the royal, as it's been in a long time and I know it's eating and grown (they were tiny when they first arrived - Kathy says they were still see-through!). I'm not so sure about the L333 as it wouldn't go in my big tank with my big plecs, and it'd be too big for my 2ft tank long term. I might, and I say might, get him to quarantine and sell on purely for the fact that it would be daft to turn down a free fish. Kathy might want him. Or I might just get the royal. The way I see it is - technically, they're free. I didn't ask for a refund, I didn't expect one (as they've not been forthcoming with other folks). So there's no harm in trying. But I dont want one fresh from the supplier. They do have another gold nugget in but I've already said no way about that - not trying that again - and besides, I do want a royal in the long run in my big tank, so a GN isn't compatible.

So do you think I should get the tiny weeny royal and see how it goes - or get them both? Or see what else is in that's been in for a while (although I'm not daft enough to make do with a clown plec or a common when I am replacing two nearly £20 fish!).

 

[KathyM]

Get them both. *Ahem*.

 

[LisaLQ]

 

[smithrc]

If they offer store credit - take that instead and wait until they get something you want.

If not take it - or you'll lose out

P.s. The 333 would be fine in a 2ft...

 

[LisaLQ]

Yeah - I'd have taken the store credit if it were an option, just spent £13 on pimafix lol. But they only offered replacements. And he only offered that because he's known hubby to be a good customer, he says he normally doesnt do this kind of thing

 

[KathyM]

So what am I? A crap customer? LOL - he didn't offer us a refund for the angel. Grab your offer and run, run for your LIFE!