Need Help with rescue of negelcted fish...

[Rocket2001]

I am about to take custody of my brother-in-law's 55gal tank. He has a full grown Red Devil and a Red Oscar in the tank..both fish are very sick.
He no longer lives at his mothers house and left the tank behind and she does not care for the tank or fish the way she should, (not her fault).
So I voulentered to adopt the tank and fish.
i have not yet seen the fish but he tells me they have Ich and the Red Devil has a bubble over his eye and his spine is curved. He tells me he has never done a water change in the 3 yrs he had the tank. I have no idea hat the water parameters are. And I do realize the tank is too small for these fish.
We are going to move the tank next week and I when I get it here I want to start treating the fish right away.
Here's my questions:
So how much water from the tank should I move? (I'm thinking 25-30gal)
What meds should I get right away?
What other advice can you offer for the move and care for these sick fish?

 

[Cafe Jeff]

Oscars and Red Devils are very hardy fish.
The ich on the Oscar is readily treatable either through the hot water treatment or just some basic meds.
The Red Devil sounds more of a problem. With the curved spine and bubble over his eye I would seriously consider euthanasia. As to how much water to take, take only as much as you need to safely transport the fish in buckets. A full size red devil can be 15 inches long. Once you have cleaned out the tank -- or better yet -- put them in a new one I would see if you could find some cycled media for the fellows. Jeff
To see how the fellows are, see how they react to a feeder or three.

 

[Rocket2001]

Well, Jeff I am currently running my 30 gal tank with two filters a fluval 303 (which is more than enough for it) and an Aquaclear 300 (also more than enough) for this reason alone, to seed it and "quick cycle" a new tank. I was concerned about not keeping about half the water volume because I've read that you should never do more than a 50% water change, which in essence what I would be doing when I move the tank.

 

[Cafe Jeff]

That definitely sounds good advice.
But with 3 years of nitrate build-up, neglect, the ick, and whatever else is in there, I wouldn't want to use any more of the water than I would have too. Drastic times sometimes call for drastic measures.
Are you planning to put them in the empty 90? You could seed that with a few feeders. I kept RDs for years and have to say that they are some of my favourite fish.

 

[Rocket2001]

I appreciate Jeffs advice but does anyone else have and more advice..i like to know what my options are.

 

[Menagerie]

I was concerned about not keeping about half the water volume because I've read that you should never do more than a 50% water change, which in essence what I would be doing when I move the tank.

I agree. The biggest reason is you don't want the fish to go into shock when introduced to a clean environment. Just as fish are shocked from clean to dirty, it also works the other way around.
I would immediately raise the heat and add salt.

Also, seed the tank with existing bacteria from your own tanks. That way you know what's being introduced right away--feeders can bring in any number of diseases.

Post a pic of the Red Devil and we'll go from there.

 

[Cafe Jeff]

Hey Rocketman, I see in your sig,

First I commend you on looking for advice additional to my own. Secondly, I commend you on your aquatic-rescue-op. But that sig of yours has got me thinking:

'90 gal Empty (thinking about possiblities)'

I think with the Red Devil at one end and the Oscar at the other and a big pea-eating Plec in the middle, that could be a really fun take, particularly when it came to feeding time. All the best. Jeff

 

[Rocket2001]

Jeff,
i know the 90 gal is a tempting but, i hate to say this...I really don't want the Red devil and Oscar...i just trying to help them out because my Bro in law can't take care of them anymore. He tried finding someone to take them but to no avail so i said i'd be glad to help the fish out.
Plus..i love a challenge and i'm sure if i can nurse these guys back to health they will grow on me and I'll enjoy having them..I think i have my heart set on a FOWLR tank for the 90gal but you never know.

Menagerie,

Quote:"I would immediately raise the heat and add salt."

unfortunately I'm not able to care for those fish until we make the move, which will be in one week.
So I'm thinking to use a large Rubbermaid tub to move 20 gal of tank water and two covered 5 gal bucket to move each fish. That will give me 30 gal of their original water and 25 gal of new water that would be a 45% water change.
Also I have always run two filters on my 30gal tank one is a Aqua clear 300..i was think to move that to the 55gal and run it with the canister filter thats currently on the 55gal...with new media in the canister. once all thats done i will medicate as nessasary.

How does that plan sound?

 

[Cafe Jeff]

Hey Rocket,
My next tank here will be a FOWLR, so I do understand.
You may, however, get to like these fishes in the end. Aside from their absolutely atrocious eating habits, they have some of the best personalities of any fish I have ever kept.
My 10 " Red Devil would let me scratch him on his forehead and would take food from my hand. He also watched TV (which I have heard another owner also comment on). Sadly, I had to give him up when I left the country for School. He remained at AAA aquarium at Toronto and Davisville for years afterwards. Jeff
That bent spine worries me though.

 

[Menagerie]

Quote:"I would immediately raise the heat and add salt."
Sorry, I meant when you get them.

So I'm thinking to use a large Rubbermaid tub to move 20 gal of tank water and two covered 5 gal bucket to move each fish. That will give me 30 gal of their original water and 25 gal of new water that would be a 45% water change.

Also I have always run two filters on my 30gal tank one is a Aqua clear 300..i was think to move that to the 55gal and run it with the canister filter thats currently on the 55gal...with new media in the canister. once all thats done i will medicate as nessasary.

Do not change out the media. You will need all that bacteria. As far as medicating goes, do you have a QT tank. Since you do not know what you will be dealing with as for as the RD is concerned, separate those fish. Also, do you know if the bent spine is new, or did the fish come that way?

 

[Rocket2001]

Hey Jeff and Menagerie,

i appreciate the info you both supplied...I now know where i need to start...but i'll be looking for the two of you next week when i get the fish here...i think i'll need all the help I can get.

thanks

 

[Cafe Jeff]

How'd things turn out? Jeff

 

[Rocket2001]

we lost the Red Devil yesterday...I decided to put him down..he never rebounded...he always laid on the bottom..one fin was frayed...one eye was cloudy...his tail fin was malformed and he couldn't swim upright..on a positive note i finally got the nitrates down to 40 ppm...the Oscar seems to be doing OK..and he seems to like having the tank to himself...my only concern is the color has faded on the Oscar..and hasn't come back yet. I bought some freze dried krill to feed to him along with the Cichlid gold pellets from Hikari..maybe varing his diet might help. Thanks for being interested