CUC vs. Adding Fish Timing...

PIPSTER · 02/26/2015, 10:28 AM

I know it's usual to have CUC in tank before adding fish, once the cycle is complete and the tank is somewhat established, but I'm in a bit of a conundrum. I would like to get my fish from a shipper that sends them at 1.0018 salinity, which I think is too low for snails, and serpent stars, and rest of CUC. I'm thinking about getting some fish first, and running my tank at 1.0018-1.0020 to make acclimation shorter, per sk8er's recommendations by matching the shipper's water parameters. Then slowly raising the salinity back up to 1.0025 by putting salt water in my ATO, all pre-calculated to reach 1.0025 with the addition of 2.5 gallons of salty ATO water over what should be a week or two. Then I'll go back to fresh water for ATO. Then I'll add CUC.

Comments, anybody?

Sk8r · 02/26/2015, 11:19 AM

The only problem with this scenario is that your tank has a sandbed and rock, which can house ich if your fish import it. Once that happens, you have to pull all the fish out to a bare tank, treat the fish, and keep fish and tank separate for 12 weeks until the ich starves out.

My advice is order your fish, put your CUC to work in the tank, and qt your fish for 4 weeks in a small bare tank with PVC pipe to hide in, and a frequently-changed floss filter and good aeration and jump screen and heater ---no light needed. This means you CAN get your fish now, but you will not be having to buy that second rig anyway for a 12 week stay. QT is a pain, but treatment and isolation is three times worse.

PIPSTER · 02/26/2015, 11:56 AM

I should have mentioned the place I'm thinking of getting it from does a 2 week QT before selling the fish, and I was planning on having them kept at the fish store another week or two beyond that just to make sure.

kottok.motors · 02/26/2015, 12:00 PM

I would still agree with sk8er, set up a QT even if it's just for salinity acclimation. Have your DT at 1.024 ready for your CuC, set your QT to 1.018, and slowly up the salinity in your QT to match DT. This is the same senario I was presented with, as I purchased my fish from a seller who had his at 1.018, but I was already planning on using a QT already luckily.

Plus, the additional time in QT can't hurt anything. Better safe than sorry. I would only trust my own quarantine procedure anyway.

Goldndoodle · 02/26/2015, 01:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PIPSTER

I should have mentioned the place I'm thinking of getting it from does a 2 week QT before selling the fish, and I was planning on having them kept at the fish store another week or two beyond that just to make sure.

Do you know for sure what the shipping guy is doing to QT the fish? Ich parasites have a lifespan of about 3 weeks - a 2 week QT by the shipper doesn't seem enough. And that's just concerning Ich, what about Velvet, flukes, etc., etc., etc.

If your LFS doesn't QT every fish they put in their tanks - they may infest your fish once they put them in their tanks.

The only way to know for sure that the fish you're about to put in your clean tank are disease free ... is to QT them yourself.

gone fishin · 02/26/2015, 03:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PIPSTER

I should have mentioned the place I'm thinking of getting it from does a 2 week QT before selling the fish, and I was planning on having them kept at the fish store another week or two beyond that just to make sure.

These are the famous words of many threads. " I got ich but my LFS QT's everything how can this be." Never trust anyone but yourself for QT. If Snorvich gave me a fish I would still QT it. Good luck

02/26/2015, 10:28 AM	#1
PIPSTER Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Posts: 291	CUC vs. Adding Fish Timing... I know it's usual to have CUC in tank before adding fish, once the cycle is complete and the tank is somewhat established, but I'm in a bit of a conundrum. I would like to get my fish from a shipper that sends them at 1.0018 salinity, which I think is too low for snails, and serpent stars, and rest of CUC. I'm thinking about getting some fish first, and running my tank at 1.0018-1.0020 to make acclimation shorter, per sk8er's recommendations by matching the shipper's water parameters. Then slowly raising the salinity back up to 1.0025 by putting salt water in my ATO, all pre-calculated to reach 1.0025 with the addition of 2.5 gallons of salty ATO water over what should be a week or two. Then I'll go back to fresh water for ATO. Then I'll add CUC. Comments, anybody?

02/26/2015, 11:19 AM	#2
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	The only problem with this scenario is that your tank has a sandbed and rock, which can house ich if your fish import it. Once that happens, you have to pull all the fish out to a bare tank, treat the fish, and keep fish and tank separate for 12 weeks until the ich starves out. My advice is order your fish, put your CUC to work in the tank, and qt your fish for 4 weeks in a small bare tank with PVC pipe to hide in, and a frequently-changed floss filter and good aeration and jump screen and heater ---no light needed. This means you CAN get your fish now, but you will not be having to buy that second rig anyway for a 12 week stay. QT is a pain, but treatment and isolation is three times worse. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

02/26/2015, 11:56 AM	#3
PIPSTER Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Posts: 291	I should have mentioned the place I'm thinking of getting it from does a 2 week QT before selling the fish, and I was planning on having them kept at the fish store another week or two beyond that just to make sure.

02/26/2015, 12:00 PM	#4
kottok.motors Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Mesa, AZ Posts: 66	I would still agree with sk8er, set up a QT even if it's just for salinity acclimation. Have your DT at 1.024 ready for your CuC, set your QT to 1.018, and slowly up the salinity in your QT to match DT. This is the same senario I was presented with, as I purchased my fish from a seller who had his at 1.018, but I was already planning on using a QT already luckily. Plus, the additional time in QT can't hurt anything. Better safe than sorry. I would only trust my own quarantine procedure anyway.