# Sanitizing Fish Equipment



## twocents (Feb 22, 2010)

I think I just had a bout with columnaris.
I would upload a pic, but all the fish died in 2 days.
Looked like ich, then like a fungus, fuzzy patches, but then the caudal fins started to rot, and they were trailing white string from them.
I have some equipment that I need to sterilize. Any ideas? 

also, any idea on how to proceed?
all that is left is a pleco which I think is dying. If I catch him, I'm going to euthanize him. 
the plan I have is to sock the tank with meds, some water changes, and then sock it again. 
anti bacterials, whatever I can get my hands one. 
any input would be appreciated. so far it has not spread to the other tanks.

Thanks.


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## jaysee (Dec 9, 2009)

I've honestly never sanitized anything - I just let it dry, and clean with hot water. Not saying you should do the same - just saying what I do, which has worked out fine for me and the close to 30 tanks I've had over the years.

As for the pleco - I cull a fish when it fails the net test. If a fish is easily netted, then it is in deep trouble. If its able to avoid being netted, then it's still got some life in it and so there's hope.


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## MoneyMitch (Aug 3, 2009)

u can always add some bleach, its safe to use to clean a tank with with no live stock in there. itll sanitize and still be safe for fish use after. I would use a good conditioner before restocking after use of bleach though.


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## twocents (Feb 22, 2010)

thanks mitch, the tank is heavily planted, so not sure the bleach would be good for that.
for hot water, I would heat it close to boiling, many bacteria can form cysts, spores or other protection to survive desiccation.


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## MoneyMitch (Aug 3, 2009)

plants would copunt as love stock  ive had success with the bleach method after nuking a tank after a similar problem. to each their own =D


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## twocents (Feb 22, 2010)

yeah, I agree, bleach would fix the problem. would probably also nuke my aquariapure. I just hope that filter does not harbor the columnaris as well.


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## MoneyMitch (Aug 3, 2009)

ahh yea no experience with the aquariapure thingy, maybe post in their section see what they think?


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## mcompagno (Feb 27, 2013)

All this happened in two days? Normally ich or fungus takes much longer to develop and to start killing fish.


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## twocents (Feb 22, 2010)

mcompagno, I think it is columnaris, so i was using all the wrong treatment. and the speed with which it murdered everything also points to it. I wish it weren't so, highly contagious and damned hard to get rid of.


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## mcompagno (Feb 27, 2013)

Oh man...I just did some research on that disease...nasty stuff! How is it avoidable?


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## twocents (Feb 22, 2010)

maybe. do not overcrowd a tank, although I do not know if that will help if the bug gets in anyway.

right now, the other tanks are clear of it, but I'm going to have to be very careful and follow strict quarantine rules on it.


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## MoneyMitch (Aug 3, 2009)

twocents said:


> maybe. do not overcrowd a tank, although I do not know if that will help if the bug gets in anyway.
> 
> right now, the other tanks are clear of it, but I'm going to have to be very careful and follow* strict quarantine* rules on it.


+1 but still not a sure fire way to keep it out


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## twocents (Feb 22, 2010)

From what I've read it is a nasty vicious b*s*d. It does not like warm water so I'm going to shut the heater off as well. However, now that the weather is getting warmer, that may not do too much anyway. Columnaris does not like water under 64 degrees.


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## fish monger (Dec 29, 2011)

Frankly, I'd start over. Start getting a seeded filter ready, clean everything with hot aquarium salt water and let it dry. I'd get new substrate also. Some of the "dips" suggested for new plants might allow you to save them. Perhaps some of our plant experts have advice for that. In my opinion, this would be easier, faster, and safer than trying to correct the situation using chemicals and then trying to counteract their impact. Best of luck.


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## ColoradoUtah (Apr 14, 2013)

I'm very new, but I remember reading someone, maybe Byron(?), talking about diping plants in a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and water then rinsing it off as a way to disinfect plants.


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## Boredomb (Feb 21, 2011)

Be careful on the ratio of water and H202. Too strong and it will kill your plants. I have done that myself. Nothing more frustrating turn knowing you are the one that caused the plants to die.


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## twocents (Feb 22, 2010)

wish i knew how to avoid it. I think avoid as many of the stress producing situations as possible. my 20 gallon was over stocked. I did weekly water changes of 1/4 -1/3 but apparently it wasn't enough. and again, it may have had nothing to do with it.


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## twocents (Feb 22, 2010)

i've left the heater on. I'm not worried about trying to counteract the chemical warfare going on. there's nothing left alive except ramshorn snails


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## twocents (Feb 22, 2010)

update, 9:30 pm friday may 3. the tank has a lot of baby rainbow fish in it.. 
oh well. as I said before, out of death, life.


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## ColoradoUtah (Apr 14, 2013)

Wonderful!


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## mcompagno (Feb 27, 2013)

twocents said:


> wish i knew how to avoid it. I think avoid as many of the stress producing situations as possible. my 20 gallon was over stocked. I did weekly water changes of 1/4 -1/3 but apparently it wasn't enough. and again, it may have had nothing to do with it.


 Apparently from what I've read, the stuff is ubiquitous in fresh water, so it's up the fishes immune system to keep it at bay.


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## mcompagno (Feb 27, 2013)

Next time your tank gets overstocked try doing 50 percent water change weekly. I know that seems like a lot, but my tank is heavily stocked and that's what I've been doing. I try to keep the stress of the water change down by turning the lights off and being very inconspicuous.


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## twocents (Feb 22, 2010)

Thanks. going to try and keep stock levels low. This is going to be hard given the babies that are now in the tank. I have no idea how many are going to survive: not easy since I can't seem to find baby brine shrimp in the immediate area. 
I am using a mortar and pestle to grind up flakes into a small a powder as I can.
Hope that works.
yes, huge water changes aren't that hard: I keep a rubbermaid 55 gallon barrel full of aged heated water.


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## RackinRocky (Feb 11, 2012)

Two cents, as you know, I have six balloon platy/Molly hybrid babies that have survived the columnaris. They were born right in the middle of an outbreak, and not ONE has even gotten sick. Its hard to believe that newborn fish could fight off this horrible disease. So maybe yours will be alright. I just hope my luck with them continues, because more and more of my fish are getting sick and dying, even with me putting them in a hospital tank at the first sign of sickness, with Furan 2 and Kanaplex.


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## RackinRocky (Feb 11, 2012)

Oh, forgot to add that my tank has never been overstocked, and I've practiced 30% water changes on a weekly basis, religiously. I didn't quarantine a couple of fish when I first started out, and I think they brought it in. I've learned the hard way.


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## twocents (Feb 22, 2010)

maybe there just isn't an answer, short of a huge expense. necropsies, lab tests, etcI still have babies as of this evening. need to do another water change. 
I just am going to be worried about syphoning off babies now.


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