# Cleaning up after Disease Strikes



## Puppylove (Jun 10, 2012)

I got four goldfish from a carnival and they were super unhealthy. Two died and two are in my neighbors pond. They definitely had ich, probably a fungus too, and possibly other diseases. How do I clean the net/ bucket/ tank/ filter I used on them? I don't want to throw it all away, but I don't want to pass something on to my other fish.


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## Sue520 (Nov 8, 2011)

I use white vinegar and water, then loads of rinsing. If the weather's good, I let everything dry completely outside ( I stay in Scotland, so that's not often)


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## ripit (Aug 8, 2012)

Having just had an ick and fungus outbreak myself, I read that letting the equipment dry completely out will kill the ich. Also, the ick can not live more than a few says (in warm temperatures like in the 80's) for more than a couple of days without a host (fish) to attach to. At lower temperatures in can live for weeks though. 

Hydrogen peroxide will kill fungus (just the regular cheap stuff from the drug store should work fine). It breaks down into water and oxygen so no residue either. Just give it a quick rinse. I doubt its necessary but if you want a really powerfully anti fungal, use hydrogen peroxide and ammonia mixed. Yes you can safely mix them. Of course then you need to be careful to rinse the stuff really well to get rid of the ammonia, in particular if you use regular household ammonia that may have perfumes, detergents, surfactants etc.


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## Akinaura (Nov 8, 2010)

Honestly, I pull out the heavy artillery when it comes to cleaning my nets and what not after a disease outbreak: clorax. All of my nets, buckets get soaked in a heavy (meaning I can smell the clorax in the water) solution. After that, they get rinsed several times in regular water and left to airdry.

As for the tank and filter, you could run a heavy solution in the tank to kill everything off. Then toss the filter media, drain the tank and refill, and run again with a strong (probably double dose) of dechlor to rid the filter parts of the clorax. 

I do this because I have had to deal with pfiesteria piscicida (mean, nasty little bugger) a couple of times and it's the only thing I found that could effectively kill it and stop it from spreading by forgetfulness to my dozen other tanks.


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## zero (Mar 27, 2012)

just rinse in tap water and let dry in the sun. no need for all these chemicals.


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

I use bleach to sterilize things. It kills all the nasties, then soak in dechlorinated water. Drying out doesn't kill everything.


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## ripit (Aug 8, 2012)

Bleach and hydrogen peroxide are both cheap and will eliminate themselves. Peroxide breaks down into water and oxygen. Chlorine will evaporate if dried (the chlorine will actually gas out before the water dries) and any traces can easily be removed with dechlorinator (or a rinse in declorinated water). Fungus will not be killed at all by drying (it can live for a very, very long time dormant as spores. Of course there is no eliminating fungus. It is all around us (on your skin, your clothes, the carpet, in your fish tank). It wouldn't hurt to remove as much as possible if you have had an outbreak though. Its a gamble if there is the right kind to infect fish present but if you have had an outbreak, I'm guessing it has been spread everywhere. Every little drip of water you spilled somewhere or tracked on your shoes probably had some and it doesn't just die. 

The good news (or so I have read) is that fungus doesn't just infect fish. Your fish have to be wounded etc. to get it. It can of course attack the damage left by other diseases or parasites like ich. No harm in removing what you can from the water/tank/equipment. 

Very small traces of hydrogen peroxide will not hurt your fish either. I actually dosed my tank with it to treat the fungus on the fish and it worked great (you have to have the correct dose as 300ppm or less can kill the fish).


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