Question on QT in new tank

daninflipflops · 07/25/2012, 06:44 AM

Hi there, getting ready to start cycling my 28 biocube today, and looking ahead to ordering livestock. i am planning on getting a CUC after the cycle is complete, and then ordering fish. by the time i order fish, there shuold only be LR and CUC in the tank...my question is...do i really need to QT my first fish purchase? i understand that going forward i will need to QT for any new fish, but i guess i dont understand if the QT is needed right at first, especially since there isnt any corals, etc in the tank.

Please let me know your thoughts! if i need to QT, i guess i should get that tank setup asap

Cymonous · 07/25/2012, 07:47 AM

For what I understand it is still best to put even your first fish in a QT just in case of any diseases your new fish carry. If you put in a new fish in your new tank, it has a disease like ich, it will linger in your tank and won't just go away on its own.

thegrun · 07/25/2012, 07:49 AM

The price to pay if the fish get sick is smaller in a new tank. If the fish did get sick you would need to catch the fish (and possibly remove the rock to do so) and place the fish in a hospital tank. Then treat the fish and for 8 weeks let the tank sit without fish (ghost feeding the tank to maintain bacteria levels). You could add corals to the fallow tank during the 8 week waiting period.

sponger0 · 07/25/2012, 08:20 AM

A QT isnt needed but highly recomennded. granted yes your tank is new with possibly no parasites or diseases, but each time you put in a new fish that isnt QT'ed you run the potential to add those to the tank if the fish is carrying it.

For me, I wont add any fish that hasnt been QT'ed for at least 4 weeks.

goettner · 07/25/2012, 09:08 AM

What do you do if you do not have a quarantine tank?Like me who just started out and is happy to own just one tank which is expensive anough.

180gal going on 2 month

worm5406 · 07/25/2012, 09:20 AM

As some people have stated... QT QT QT... even a 10g QT is better than none.

One fish with ich or worse can cause you to wipe out the entire tank. Even those impulsive buys need to be QT more than anything.

Just like with relationships... We don't just move that person into our life/house because we saw them behind glass and they look pretty. Gotta check the background and make sure they are not going to poison what we have set up for weeks/months in advance with (yes sad eyes) nothing in it.

Not a sermon... just a thought.

sponger0 · 07/25/2012, 09:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by goettner

What do you do if you do not have a quarantine tank?Like me who just started out and is happy to own just one tank which is expensive anough.

180gal going on 2 month

What do you do? You have 2 options.

1. Play russian roulette

or

2. Go on craigslist and find a tank to use for quarantine.

MrTuskfish · 07/25/2012, 09:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sponger0

What do you do? You have 2 options.

1. Play russian roulette

or

2. Go on craigslist and find a tank to use for quarantine.

Sure, a basic QT can be had for less than the cost of the first fish it saves.

daninflipflops · 07/25/2012, 10:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by worm5406

As some people have stated... QT QT QT... even a 10g QT is better than none.

One fish with ich or worse can cause you to wipe out the entire tank. Even those impulsive buys need to be QT more than anything.

Just like with relationships... We don't just move that person into our life/house because we saw them behind glass and they look pretty. Gotta check the background and make sure they are not going to poison what we have set up for weeks/months in advance with (yes sad eyes) nothing in it.

Not a sermon... just a thought.

but i guess that is kind of my point, the concern is that you will wipe out the entire tank. but really, if i buy 3 fish and QT together they are all going to get sick either way, just in the QT as opposed to the DT.

sponger0 · 07/25/2012, 10:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by daninflipflops

but i guess that is kind of my point, the concern is that you will wipe out the entire tank. but really, if i buy 3 fish and QT together they are all going to get sick either way, just in the QT as opposed to the DT.

But you can treat all 3 as opposed to them all dying in the display.

Tin_Whistler · 07/25/2012, 10:16 AM

If your fist fish has ich, or any other tranmittable parasite, then all future fish will have ich, or any other transmittable parasite.

If you're not QT'ing the first one, you may just be wasting your time QT'ing all the future ones.

daninflipflops · 07/25/2012, 10:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tin_Whistler

If your fist fish has ich, or any other tranmittable parasite, then all future fish will have ich, or any other transmittable parasite.

If you're not QT'ing the first one, you may just be wasting your time QT'ing all the future ones.

great, thanks. looks like i am going to need to setup my 10 gallon concurrent with the nano cube!

worm5406 · 07/25/2012, 10:30 AM

Lets say you only got one fish... If it has ich... and it dies.. (or it jumps off and finds more hosts (lays eggs)

The parasite lives in your tank for up to a minimum of 8 weeks with no host.

SO.. if it is in your QT.. and you see the signs at week 4... then all the fish in your tank are like SHEW.... didn't have to bite the bullet on that one.

I mean I went to my LFS and they had and Australian ______ at $250.00

Frankly... I would want to know that my single new fish I am adding is not going to kill it (of course is compatible and not a feeder fish situation) and not contaminate for up to 8+ weeks the entire tank. OR even have 'worms' and have to empty the entire tank coral fish and everything.

Some of the fish we get have a minimum tank recommended... I dont have a QT to fit that fish in. If I have to empty my tank where am I going to store him?? The bathtub will only work so long. (that was a joke)

Basically even though we spend $30 on a small tank, $15 on a air driven filter, $5 on water/salt, and a few weeks to set it up (maybe in another room/location) that saves $1000 on replacing all the fish in the tank, $500 on the LR/LS, $800 on the coral (because it has grown, right??) and most of all $10,000 on the person hours you spent setting it up and maintaining it.

I used to agree about.. "WHY do I need a QT.... I trust who I am getting it from..."

The LFS I really trust... Last weekend when I visited them... ICH..... in the main tank with communial filter among all the other tanks.

I dont want my kids telling me about how much I spend on the tank already, espc if they see me one day replacing all the fish. "Where did my college fund go again??"

SkyJunkie · 07/25/2012, 10:34 AM

I made the mistake of not qt new fish and they turned up sick four days later and wiped out five fish. I will never not qt fish again.

07/25/2012, 06:44 AM	#1
daninflipflops In Memoriam Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Sarasota, FL Posts: 208	Question on QT in new tank Hi there, getting ready to start cycling my 28 biocube today, and looking ahead to ordering livestock. i am planning on getting a CUC after the cycle is complete, and then ordering fish. by the time i order fish, there shuold only be LR and CUC in the tank...my question is...do i really need to QT my first fish purchase? i understand that going forward i will need to QT for any new fish, but i guess i dont understand if the QT is needed right at first, especially since there isnt any corals, etc in the tank. Please let me know your thoughts! if i need to QT, i guess i should get that tank setup asap

07/25/2012, 07:47 AM	#2
Cymonous My Clown Attacks Me Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Akron, OH Posts: 2,105	For what I understand it is still best to put even your first fish in a QT just in case of any diseases your new fish carry. If you put in a new fish in your new tank, it has a disease like ich, it will linger in your tank and won't just go away on its own. __________________ 100 Gallon Long with 20L sump 10 Gallon Office Tank Current Tank Info: 2 False Percula Clowns, One Spot Foxface, Diamond Watchman Goby, Yellow Tail Damsel, Engineer Goby

07/25/2012, 10:16 AM	#11
Tin_Whistler Mayor of Podunk Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Madison, WI Posts: 263	If your fist fish has ich, or any other tranmittable parasite, then all future fish will have ich, or any other transmittable parasite. If you're not QT'ing the first one, you may just be wasting your time QT'ing all the future ones. __________________ So long and thanks for all the lulz. Current Tank Info: In Progress

07/25/2012, 07:49 AM	#3
thegrun Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Garden Grove, Ca Posts: 17,023	The price to pay if the fish get sick is smaller in a new tank. If the fish did get sick you would need to catch the fish (and possibly remove the rock to do so) and place the fish in a hospital tank. Then treat the fish and for 8 weeks let the tank sit without fish (ghost feeding the tank to maintain bacteria levels). You could add corals to the fallow tank during the 8 week waiting period.

07/25/2012, 08:20 AM	#4
sponger0 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Virginia Beach Posts: 6,659	A QT isnt needed but highly recomennded. granted yes your tank is new with possibly no parasites or diseases, but each time you put in a new fish that isnt QT'ed you run the potential to add those to the tank if the fish is carrying it. For me, I wont add any fish that hasnt been QT'ed for at least 4 weeks.

07/25/2012, 09:08 AM	#5
goettner Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Grand Rapids,MI Posts: 69	What do you do if you do not have a quarantine tank?Like me who just started out and is happy to own just one tank which is expensive anough. 180gal going on 2 month

07/25/2012, 09:20 AM	#6
worm5406 Not afriad to admit wrong Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: South of WashDC in Maryland Posts: 7,774	As some people have stated... QT QT QT... even a 10g QT is better than none. One fish with ich or worse can cause you to wipe out the entire tank. Even those impulsive buys need to be QT more than anything. Just like with relationships... We don't just move that person into our life/house because we saw them behind glass and they look pretty. Gotta check the background and make sure they are not going to poison what we have set up for weeks/months in advance with (yes sad eyes) nothing in it. Not a sermon... just a thought.

07/25/2012, 10:30 AM	#13
worm5406 Not afriad to admit wrong Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: South of WashDC in Maryland Posts: 7,774	Lets say you only got one fish... If it has ich... and it dies.. (or it jumps off and finds more hosts (lays eggs) The parasite lives in your tank for up to a minimum of 8 weeks with no host. SO.. if it is in your QT.. and you see the signs at week 4... then all the fish in your tank are like SHEW.... didn't have to bite the bullet on that one. I mean I went to my LFS and they had and Australian ______ at $250.00 Frankly... I would want to know that my single new fish I am adding is not going to kill it (of course is compatible and not a feeder fish situation) and not contaminate for up to 8+ weeks the entire tank. OR even have 'worms' and have to empty the entire tank coral fish and everything. Some of the fish we get have a minimum tank recommended... I dont have a QT to fit that fish in. If I have to empty my tank where am I going to store him?? The bathtub will only work so long. (that was a joke) Basically even though we spend $30 on a small tank, $15 on a air driven filter, $5 on water/salt, and a few weeks to set it up (maybe in another room/location) that saves $1000 on replacing all the fish in the tank, $500 on the LR/LS, $800 on the coral (because it has grown, right??) and most of all $10,000 on the person hours you spent setting it up and maintaining it. I used to agree about.. "WHY do I need a QT.... I trust who I am getting it from..." The LFS I really trust... Last weekend when I visited them... ICH..... in the main tank with communial filter among all the other tanks. I dont want my kids telling me about how much I spend on the tank already, espc if they see me one day replacing all the fish. "Where did my college fund go again??"

07/25/2012, 10:34 AM	#14
SkyJunkie Registered Member Join Date: May 2012 Location: Southern California Posts: 159	I made the mistake of not qt new fish and they turned up sick four days later and wiped out five fish. I will never not qt fish again.