How Many of you QUARANTINE EVERYTHING that goes into your tank ?

[discocarp]

I always try to work on the main tank prior to the q-tank on any given day just out of principle. However, after reading that, maybe I should make it a rule instead of a habit.

[reefrubble]

Originally Posted by MellowReefer

I thought I was doing pretty well at QT till I read this. I have separate fish and invert QTs and I thought I was careful enough. I figured if I rinse the buckets and my hands with freshwater in between uses that was enough, since I thought freshwater kills ich/velvet. It can get stuck to your hands for hours? Wow. Maybe do maintenance on the separate tanks on different days?

Just make sure you wash with plenty of soap , and water , or use some alcohol hand sanitizer.

[MellowReefer]

I think I'll get different colored buckets too. I think one time I did forget to wash my hands inbetween...its crazy to think that one mistake could wipe out all your hard work.

[discocarp]

I use orange home depot buckets for the q-tank.

[reefrubble]

I started keeping salt water tanks in 1972 , and I didn't quarantine anything . I was lucky for many years , but the past 2-3 years my luck ran out big time . I had some problems with ich in the past , but that was nothing like red bugs , AEFWs , and Marine Velvet . There are a lot of other things that can infect your tank as well . I don't know , may be it's because I'm getting older , and think it's better to QT than to lose something you had , and watch grow for years .

[MellowReefer]

Originally Posted by discocarp

I use orange home depot buckets for the q-tank.

You read my mind, I was thinking of getting the HD orange buckets. My others are the blue Sherwin-Williams buckets (never had paint in of course).

[MellowReefer]

I didn't QT inverts when I first started because a lot of people say you don't need to. Then I put in a coral from my LFS and it must have had ich on it because it had been months since I added any fish. So I lost my beloved starry blenny and another fish almost died. Then I treated all my fish in QT and left the tank empty for 2 months. Never want to go through that again.

[Outrigger Reef]

Thanks to this site I see its a must for a QT tank. I have my first fish in one now and can't wait to get it in the DT.

[reefrubble]

Originally Posted by Outrigger Reef

Thanks to this site I see its a must for a QT tank. I have my first fish in one now and can't wait to get it in the DT.

patience grasshopper

[dzfish17]

I QT everything (FOWLR) after dealing with velvet and ich last year...lesson learned. I run my fish through cupramine and prazipro even if I dont see anything wrong.

[seamonkey84]

I QT all new fish unless I get drop shipped or bring home in bag shipped from aquaculture facility, like Ora, SA, and sea and reef for my designer clowns. My problem came up when I didn't QT macro algae that was in the stores system. Learned the hard way that anything wet can transfer disease. So now I am at the point that I want to set up a macro algae tank just to grow food for my tang (don't have a sump and only fuge I use is a ac70 on another tank) and another to qt new cleanup crew for 6-8 weeks.

[tkeracer619]

A lot of times I don't do the QT but trustworthy and skilled people do. Nothing goes in without a proper QT.

[MellowReefer]

Originally Posted by dzfish17

I QT everything (FOWLR) after dealing with velvet and ich last year...lesson learned. I run my fish through cupramine and prazipro even if I dont see anything wrong.

I also have decided to treat all fish regardless of whether they look like they have anything. I use cupramine too. A lot of people on this other forum I've been on use hypo, but I've read on wetwebmedia (Robert Fenner) that it doesn't always work even if people supposedly did it correctly. I figure why not go with what definitely works. I did lose one fish recently, a small wrasse, after I used cupramine on it. I increased the dose very gradually and it was only at 2/5 of the dose when it died. But it seemed weak to begin with, it was very small and a picky eater, so maybe it wasnt the cupramine, I don't know.

[reefrubble]

Anyone else care to give some input ?

[GuvNa H2o]

I never do

[Reefahholic]

Originally Posted by discocarp

Ich is not always present if you take the proper steps to prevent it. It is not present in mine. I q-tank everything for a little over 2 months - even inverts. ALL my fish get hypo (probably switching to tank transfer on the next fish) and prazipro even if they look completely healthy.

I learned the hard way very early in my fish keeping, and have been pretty religious about quarantine since. Other than a jumper, I don't remember the last time I lost a fish once it had passed quarantine.

Good advice

[Reefahholic]

Originally Posted by reefrubble

patience grasshopper

It's worth it bro. Just wait it out.

I have 6 fish that are all ICH free and the nasty crap is not present in my system.

Feels great!

Plenty of other crap to do while waiting on fish to come out of QT.

[Reefahholic]

Originally Posted by MellowReefer

You read my mind, I was thinking of getting the HD orange buckets. My others are the blue Sherwin-Williams buckets (never had paint in of course).

Buckets for qt?? Come in guys...how can you see the fish.


Break down and get a 20L for crying out loud.


If I had to QT in a 5 gallon bucket, I would just throw the fish in my toilet for 2 months! Lol

[discocarp]

Originally Posted by Reefahholic

Buckets for qt?? Come in guys...how can you see the fish.


Break down and get a 20L for crying out loud.


If I had to QT in a 5 gallon bucket, I would just throw the fish in my toilet for 2 months! Lol

We were talking about which buckets to use for water changes, etc. Not QTing in the bucket! Although I know people that use the transfer method for ich use 5 gallon buckets to do it for all but big fish.

[ReeferKimberly]

Originally Posted by Reefahholic

If I had to QT in a 5 gallon bucket, I would just throw the fish in my toilet for 2 months! Lol

You might be on to something. It would be a good way to flush away the parasites.

Bud dum dum tsssshhhh

[spinsonic]

I dont quarantine or dip anything. first sign of ich and uv light goes on. worked for me

[vel123]

well here is a good one for you, i have a 400g DT. everything gets QT for 8 weeks at least before going in my tank. until my wife decided to suprise me with 2 clowns, she put in the tank i came home and seen the clowns swimming around and asked the wife where did thiese come from. well lets just make this short. Marine Velvet, here is the main fish i lost,
Gem Tang, 8 Black Tangs, 2 purple Tangs. and 5 other fish.

[ReeferKimberly]

I want people who have lost fish (to ich, not talking about other parasites, ilnesses) to honestly post their tank params. I know there are other parasites. But strictly speaking of ich. I have never treated for ich and I have only lost one fish ever and it was a tiny green clown goby who was very young. If I see some spots I check my params and every time it's because I have slacked off somewhere. I start my 2-3 weekly water changes and it goes away every time.

[aandfsoccr04]

Originally Posted by vel123

well here is a good one for you, i have a 400g DT. everything gets QT for 8 weeks at least before going in my tank. until my wife decided to suprise me with 2 clowns, she put in the tank i came home and seen the clowns swimming around and asked the wife where did thiese come from. well lets just make this short. Marine Velvet, here is the main fish i lost,
Gem Tang, 8 Black Tangs, 2 purple Tangs. and 5 other fish.

Oh my gahhhhhhh that's one of the worst things I've ever read. Especially since she was trying to be nice I'm sure. 20 dollar fish costing you several thousand dollars in fish. Bummer

[Allentown]

None of the above.

I QT if i have a heavily populated tank, if the fish itself is particularly ick prone, or if i have a tank with lots of newly established inhabitants (ie if i have 5 or more fish added in less than 3 months i start qt all new inhabitants from there going foward)

Remember fish disease is not just exposure the way everyone thinks it is. Fish are no different than us..they have immune systems. The factors invovled are exposure, population density, and the genearl health of the tank inhabitants immune systems (both of the new fish and the exsisting fish) which ties cloesly into the next two items: a) water quality and 2) proper nutrition.