Introducing fish without quarantine?!? - Page 2

gweston · 04/13/2012, 01:48 PM

I'd have a small QT running while your display cycles. That way you start out properly quarantining livestock, and you'll have a QT for the future already in place. Without a QT/Hospital tank, if your fish do get sick in your display, choices will be limited to how (if) you treat those fish.

A decent basic QT

10g tank off the shelf
power filter (aquaclear50) +extra filter sponges&carbon.
heater
clamp-on cheapo hardware store lamp & bulb
a few key meds (prazipro, a gram neg antibacterial, cupramine)
copper test kit (seachem for cupramine test)
Amquel+(ammonia neutralizer)
Seachem Ammonia badge
A few PVC parts for hiding spots.

sleepydoc · 04/14/2012, 09:33 AM

Quarantining also helps prevent introduction of diseases to your tank - if a fish gets sick while in QT, you can prevent exposure the the rest of your stock and begin treatment without having to treat your entire DT.

A decent QT setup is not terribly expensive - I found a 29gal complete setup on special at the local fish warehouse for $69.

emeraude1484 · 04/14/2012, 09:52 AM

I've never had a QT, I wish I had in some case with my first tanks. Since establishing this one I've just been diligent in the acclimation/transfer process and I trust my MAIN LFS

I do NOT put water from the bags in the tank, i drip acclimate. I double/triple check the fish at the store as most of them don't accept returns. Worse case if they do have parasite I hypo for awhile and everything seems to be fine. As stated above though QT tank would be ideal but the water needs to match your tank water almost perfectly for it to be effective.

Humuhumunuku · 04/16/2012, 09:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reefin' Dude

quarantining is only good if you know all about what you are trying to quarantine out. to say you are quarantining against ich and actually being able to quarantine against ich are two totally different things.

G~

Even if you aren't targeting a disease, if you are adding fish to an established tank, QT can be a nice place to get them eating and fattened up a bit before having to compete with the established inhabitants.

Reeferz412 · 04/16/2012, 01:33 PM

I am waiting for Sk8tr to chime in on this. But in simple terms coming from someone who made many mistakes (college makes you lazy).... Get the QT asap. Its a cheap investment and this forum will help you in whatever you plan to QT and what methods you should take. Learn from me, its not worth losing your whole DT to one fish.

Sk8r · 04/16/2012, 01:40 PM

False Sense of Security---a heads-up.
Posted 03/29/2011 at 08:42 AM by Sk8r
Inevitably when there is a thread on quarantine, there is That Guy, who turns up to tout his lack of quarantine and how he never gets ich in his tank.

The real reason is that a number of distributors and major online merchants run their own qt and treatment programs that you never see. Many fish stores that can, add their OWN qt and treatment program atop all that.

Then That Guy, in all his confidence, changes sources and buys The Deadly Fish from some source he's never used. Or the usual source---slips up. Once.

I see multiple cases of this situation a week, and I do not feel smug about being right: I feel very, very sad for the guy and know there's little I can do but give that dreaded advice: "Pull all your fish into hospital at once, treat, and leave your tank fishless for 8 weeks."

Do you always need to run qt on new fish, if you're pretty sure your fish source is qt-ing? Yes. Please don't be That Guy. Particularly if you've got a big tank, a lot of corals, and your fish have reached their full growth. You think it's hard to qt a couple of baby clowns? Ask how hard it is to qt a mated pair of fullgrown Maroons with an anemone involved. Or a 12" tang, a full-grown angel, and a flock of anthias. THAT'S a problem.

And kudos to dealers who do this! But don't let it lull you into a false sense of security. It's so easy to operate a 10-20 gallon qt on a baby fish. It's so hard to hospitalize a whole tankful of adults.

Humuhumunuku · 04/16/2012, 01:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reeferz412

I am waiting for Sk8tr to chime in on this. But in simple terms coming from someone who made many mistakes (college makes you lazy).... Get the QT asap. Its a cheap investment and this forum will help you in whatever you plan to QT and what methods you should take. Learn from me, its not worth losing your whole DT to one fish.

Ask, and ye shall receive.

04/14/2012, 09:33 AM	#27
sleepydoc Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Minneapolis, MN Posts: 3,907	Quarantining also helps prevent introduction of diseases to your tank - if a fish gets sick while in QT, you can prevent exposure the the rest of your stock and begin treatment without having to treat your entire DT. A decent QT setup is not terribly expensive - I found a 29gal complete setup on special at the local fish warehouse for $69. __________________ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 120 gallon, coast to coast overflow w/beananimal overflow. Waveline DC 10000 II return pump, 40 gal sump, Octopus XS200 skimmer, T5 lighting

04/16/2012, 01:33 PM	#30
Reeferz412 Coral Hoarder Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Miami, FL Posts: 2,247	I am waiting for Sk8tr to chime in on this. But in simple terms coming from someone who made many mistakes (college makes you lazy).... Get the QT asap. Its a cheap investment and this forum will help you in whatever you plan to QT and what methods you should take. Learn from me, its not worth losing your whole DT to one fish. __________________ Alex FMAS Member Current Tank Info: 400 Gallons of frags... 30 gallon Deep Blue mixed reef ... 70 other tanks throughout south FL

04/16/2012, 01:40 PM	#31
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	False Sense of Security---a heads-up. Posted 03/29/2011 at 08:42 AM by Sk8r Inevitably when there is a thread on quarantine, there is That Guy, who turns up to tout his lack of quarantine and how he never gets ich in his tank. The real reason is that a number of distributors and major online merchants run their own qt and treatment programs that you never see. Many fish stores that can, add their OWN qt and treatment program atop all that. Then That Guy, in all his confidence, changes sources and buys The Deadly Fish from some source he's never used. Or the usual source---slips up. Once. I see multiple cases of this situation a week, and I do not feel smug about being right: I feel very, very sad for the guy and know there's little I can do but give that dreaded advice: "Pull all your fish into hospital at once, treat, and leave your tank fishless for 8 weeks." Do you always need to run qt on new fish, if you're pretty sure your fish source is qt-ing? Yes. Please don't be That Guy. Particularly if you've got a big tank, a lot of corals, and your fish have reached their full growth. You think it's hard to qt a couple of baby clowns? Ask how hard it is to qt a mated pair of fullgrown Maroons with an anemone involved. Or a 12" tang, a full-grown angel, and a flock of anthias. THAT'S a problem. And kudos to dealers who do this! But don't let it lull you into a false sense of security. It's so easy to operate a 10-20 gallon qt on a baby fish. It's so hard to hospitalize a whole tankful of adults. __________________ 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%.

04/13/2012, 01:48 PM	#26
gweston Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Gardner, MA Posts: 961	I'd have a small QT running while your display cycles. That way you start out properly quarantining livestock, and you'll have a QT for the future already in place. Without a QT/Hospital tank, if your fish do get sick in your display, choices will be limited to how (if) you treat those fish. A decent basic QT 10g tank off the shelf power filter (aquaclear50) +extra filter sponges&carbon. heater clamp-on cheapo hardware store lamp & bulb a few key meds (prazipro, a gram neg antibacterial, cupramine) copper test kit (seachem for cupramine test) Amquel+(ammonia neutralizer) Seachem Ammonia badge A few PVC parts for hiding spots.

04/14/2012, 09:52 AM	#28
emeraude1484 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Ottawa, ON, Canada Posts: 143	I've never had a QT, I wish I had in some case with my first tanks. Since establishing this one I've just been diligent in the acclimation/transfer process and I trust my MAIN LFS I do NOT put water from the bags in the tank, i drip acclimate. I double/triple check the fish at the store as most of them don't accept returns. Worse case if they do have parasite I hypo for awhile and everything seems to be fine. As stated above though QT tank would be ideal but the water needs to match your tank water almost perfectly for it to be effective.