Outburst of bacterial infection

[RONY11]

Since last 2 weeks I've been noticing my CRS grades A-SSS turing reddish pink staggering through the tank and dying.

This usually happens to pregnant shrimps and they die after a week.
Their appetite diminishes, they seem to lack interest in food.

When food arrives other shrimps gather, cling pull and push to get a piece while the sick shrimps prefer staggering on the moss or substrate.

After searching the net I understood that I have a bacterial infection outburst. I'm afraid this is destroy my 40 litres tank which is full of fire sakura and crystals of different grades. It's getting hot here and the tank temperatures are rising to 24-25 degrees. I use fans to keep the tank water cool but it doesn't help much. I'm afraid the death toll will rise so I've decided to use JBL Furanol 2 .

I need help with the dosage and water changes. As I checked Furanol2 comes in a pack of 20 tablets, a single tab.for 20 lts.

My questions are :

1.When and what volume of water should I change during the treatment? 2.How often do I have to treat the tank?
3.What precautions should I take while treating the tank?

Any thing that comes to your minds will help. Thanks in advance
I've already checked and chosen this treatment as it is readily avaliable also comes in tablets so its easier than drops,etc doesn't contain copper thus safe for shrimps.

[imke_j]

Hi Rony11 - I have described the treatment in an article here:
http://www.shrimpnow.com/content.php...rial-Infection

Main point is to disconnet the filter and to aerate the tank water. With Furanol I used: 1 tablet for a 20L (5.28 US G) tank, added for 4 days. I did 80% water change after that and then added 1 pill again for 3 days. Filter with carbon for one week after usage to get rid of any last traces of the pharmaceutical.

If you have more questions, please ask!

[RONY11]

Thanks Imke I got the Furanol from the pet shop. I've already read the instructions.
As per JBL instruction pamplet I have to oxygenate the water by adding an airstone.

The instructions firmly recommend to disconnect the external filter as the Furanol kills the nitrifying bacteria.
At present I have a sponge filter running in this aquarium.
I will have to remove the sponge filter and keep it running aside in the water taken from the tank in a small container inorder to keep the nitrifying bacteria alive.

What I'm worried about is the fact that if I use the water from this tank may be the infected bacteria
will travel and continue living in the water and spong filter.
After treatment and use of active carbon and perlon as suggested by JBL I will return the filter but the infection may surface once again.

I'm not sure what should I do right now, just thinking how to solve this problem.

[imke_j]

The main point of bacterial infections of shrimp is NOT the appearance of 'bad' bacteria, but the unbalance of the bacteria species as well as a too high bacteria amount in general (= microbiological load). This also explains why we deal with infections in summers, as the bacteria population grows faster than in winter. So, you sponge filter cannot re-infect your shrimp; don't worry!

[RONY11]

I've started the treatment with Furanol 2 left the sponge filter inside coz I found another sponge filter alongwith regular internal filter in another aquarium. I totally forgot that I had kept a spare filter in that aquarium for quite a while now.
I'll use it later on in the shrimps aquarium when I've finished treating the aquarium, added an extra airstone 24/7 before starting the treatment inorder to aerate the aquarium water.
I used 2 tablets dissolved them well with aquarium water in a cup and added to the aquarium the water turned yellow.
Checked today morning my aquarium water has turned yellowish, the shrimps seem to be fine grazing on the substrate, moss and sponge filter.

I will have to wait for 5 days and add a filter (internal) with active carbon and a bit of clean floss for atleast 24 hrs to absorb the medicine.
Meanwhile I'll not feed in these 5 days. After that I'll make a 40 per cent water change.
I thought making 20 per cent water change for 2 consecutive days.
If there are any changes (good or bad) I'll mention them in my post.
Keeping my fingers crossed and hoping for the best.

[RONY11]

I finished the treatment yesterday, made a 20% water change and added an internal filter with activated carbon to absorb the traces of Furanol as it colored the tank water yellow.
All the healthy shrimps CRS and Sakura are alive and look much healthier. No signs of any unhealthy shrimp dragging itself throught the tank.

Found a few shrimps carrying today including a snow white. A few new babies were swimming too.
Fed them for the first time after 5 days in few minutes the shrimps swarmed the Shirakura fighting to get a piece tugging pulling pushing one another.
Removed the leftover food after an hour.

I made another 20% water change today. The carbon seems to absorb the medicine as the tank looks much clearer no traces of yellow color.
I'm planning to keep the internal filter with activated carbon running in the tank for a week, Keeping my fingers crossed and hoping for the best.

[Zenzu]

How scary bacterial infections are no fun when you have so many shrimp.