Hey all,
Last night I was in my long time trusted LFS and I saw the most incredible Jewel Cichlids I've ever seen. Beautiful colors, healthy looking, vibrant. I had actually seen them a few times the past month and wanted to get one. So finally I grabbed one for my big guy tank.
I don't have the benefit of extra space for a proper Q tank so given the apparent health of the fish I took the chance and added him to my long established 120 which hasn't had a new fish in years.
Of course, stupid me. I then notice a very ever so small tiny, brownish color hair like follicle hanging from the fish's bum. I immediately grabbed him and tossed him in my 40 in a panic because that's way too much water to medicate. Thinking what to do I remembered I had one of those desktop 5g fluval tanks in my basement and I quickly set that up. Wish I'd remembered it sooner.
Anyhowas I was setting it up the jewel did a nice healthy looking brown poop and at that point I thought I saw the trademark pink cluster or worm heads poking out and the brown thing but it was so small most people never would've noticed I don't think.
Moved him to the q tank and used an eye dropped to immediately remove that poop. I then vacuumed the sand thoroughly in both tanks and changed about 50-70% of the water. In total the Jewel might have spent roughly twenty mins or so in each tank. I feel bad because he was coloring up and looking incredible in then big tank.
My question/concern is, what are the chances that minimal time like that in each tank was long enough to infect the tanks? I have a hard time believing it could be that instantaneous, I know it's highly contagious but I would think the fish would need to be in there for a few days to pass it on.
In addition to that I've read it's so contagious that you need to sterilize all equipment and basically blow up the tanks. So I dunno. I've never dealt with it in all my years. I don't now have confirmation that this is what it was yet, I need to get a better look when I get home today but if anyone can share their thoughts or isn't much appreciated!
Thanks,
Mark
Last night I was in my long time trusted LFS and I saw the most incredible Jewel Cichlids I've ever seen. Beautiful colors, healthy looking, vibrant. I had actually seen them a few times the past month and wanted to get one. So finally I grabbed one for my big guy tank.
I don't have the benefit of extra space for a proper Q tank so given the apparent health of the fish I took the chance and added him to my long established 120 which hasn't had a new fish in years.
Of course, stupid me. I then notice a very ever so small tiny, brownish color hair like follicle hanging from the fish's bum. I immediately grabbed him and tossed him in my 40 in a panic because that's way too much water to medicate. Thinking what to do I remembered I had one of those desktop 5g fluval tanks in my basement and I quickly set that up. Wish I'd remembered it sooner.
Anyhowas I was setting it up the jewel did a nice healthy looking brown poop and at that point I thought I saw the trademark pink cluster or worm heads poking out and the brown thing but it was so small most people never would've noticed I don't think.
Moved him to the q tank and used an eye dropped to immediately remove that poop. I then vacuumed the sand thoroughly in both tanks and changed about 50-70% of the water. In total the Jewel might have spent roughly twenty mins or so in each tank. I feel bad because he was coloring up and looking incredible in then big tank.
My question/concern is, what are the chances that minimal time like that in each tank was long enough to infect the tanks? I have a hard time believing it could be that instantaneous, I know it's highly contagious but I would think the fish would need to be in there for a few days to pass it on.
In addition to that I've read it's so contagious that you need to sterilize all equipment and basically blow up the tanks. So I dunno. I've never dealt with it in all my years. I don't now have confirmation that this is what it was yet, I need to get a better look when I get home today but if anyone can share their thoughts or isn't much appreciated!
Thanks,
Mark