How many of you quarantine your fish? VOTE HERE

[revhtree]

Do you quarantine your fish?

If so what is your preferred methods and what size tank and equipment do you use?

Also what would you say to those who DO NOT quarantine their fish?

image via Advanced Aquarist

 

[chort55]

I don't, never felt the need to do so really.

 

[Vmacisback]

I currently do not QT any of my fish and never have. Saying that I wish I had looking back at my years in the hobby. So heres the question, I currently have a 225G and have around 13 fish in there currently. Every so often the fish will show signs of ICH but it passes in a day or so and there is no real outbreak. Usually happens to new fish that are added and once adjusted they show no signs of it. So what would be the point of a QT for me? I have the space, money and time to set one up. I know I have ICH present in my system and I am not going change anything because there really is no problem. So would the point of a QT just to be to get the fish eating and use to tank life...maybe cure a disease that pops up while hees in QT?

someone with some knowledge shed some light on this for me please thanks

 

[ruppertb]

i get my fish from fosters and smith or live aquaria where they do it for me!

 

[jcdeng]

I use a 20g L for qt, mainly to medicate the fish before going in the DT.

 

[impur]

I also get most of my fish from Live Aquaria Diver's Den where they do it for me. But EVERYTHING goes thru QT before going into my tank, even snails and hermits.

 

[bullysam]

.... even snails and hermits.

even snails and hermits???

why?

just wondering..

 

[hybridazn]

Where do I begin....

At first I didn't qt anything. I managed to dodge the bullet for a good many years. Then all of a sudden I had a massive loss of fish, when I say massive I mean Massive. So I began setting up a new tank a couple years ago. I qt all remaining fish to put into the new display from before. About 6 months into it I ordered a goby pair from live aquaria/ divers den and like posted above, I felt their qt process was enough, wrong. Within 2 weeks of being added (the only fish added at that point) another massive outbreak of ich and more loss of life. I ended up throwing the whole display in hypo and pulled all inverts and corals.

So after that I felt the tank was going good so I added 2 fish from a good friend of mine who never had a ich problem. Added the fish without qt and yet another ich out break. So yet again I threw the whole tank back into hypo. Needless to say this whole ordeal set me back 8-12 months on my display setup.

2 years into it now my 180 is disease free because of a strict qt process. I have a 55 gallon setup and all fish get a 45 day qt with hypo for ich, regardless of shown symptoms. Also kept an eye on for other diseases. Because of this I feel that it's the only way to go to make sure that this parasite doesn't make it into my display.

 

[Titus]

I have a 26g Bowfront that i use for QT. It is equipped with THIS foam filter, a Maxijet for pulling flow through the sponge, an air stone, a heater, a thermometer, an Ammonia alert, and a large PVC wye. I made an egg crate top for it and it only gets ambient light. Replacement sponges are only $6.99 shipped for 2 of them, so I keep a few on hand at all times and ones sits in my Display tank sump getting seeded with good bacteria.

This is the process I follow:
Pre Day 1- The day before a fish comes home, the QT is filled, heater turned on, the seeded sponge is added, and a new sponge goes into the DT sump for seeding.
Day 1- Fish is acclimated to the QT and left alone
Day 2- I start offering daily lite feedings
Day 3- Prazipro treatment
Day 9- 25% water change
Day 10- 25% water change
Day 10-Prazipro treatment
Day 16- 25% water change
Day 17- 25% water change
Day 17- Cupramine treatment (unless I know it came from a source that copper treats all fish)
Day 30- 25% water change using half new water and half out of my display
Day 31- 25% water change using half new water and half out of my display
Day 32- Move fish out of QT, drain and bleach the QT, refill, and go buy another fish.

*It should be noted that I am new to marine fish. I decided to start using this process from the beginning after lots of research. I have taken one Tang through it (although I did not do the Cupramine because the LFS I bought it from had had him in copper for over 2 weeks when I bought it), and now I am taking a pair of clowns through it.

 

[MBG75]

I qt all my fish.

I had Marine Velvet go thru my tank and wipe out all my fish. Lesson learned.

I understand others not using a qt, But they obviously haven't dealt with Velvet.

 

[wysiwyg]

i get all my fish from liveaquaria were they put them through a 1 mnth quarantine before even listing them so those do not get qted bt if i get them from my lfs they get qted in a 10g tank for 1 mnth before being introduced to the display tank

 

[impur]

even snails and hermits???

why?

just wondering..

Hydroids and other pests come in on their shells

 

[jcdeng]

Live aquaria didn't mention if they use copper treatment or not unless I miss it somehow on their page. I would still QT, besides, the healthiest fish will be stressed during shipping, unless you live next to live aquaria in Rhinelander, Wisconsin.

 

[Ricks Reef]

I never used to.That changed about 4 years ago.I started quarantining all fish in a 20 gallon long for a month before putting them in my 180.The fish in my display are to expensive to take a chance.

 

[stiddley]

All my fish come from previously quarantined sources costs maybe a buck or 2 more when they do it but saves me that hassle

 

[ritter6788]

Die hard QT'er here. I won't let a fish anywhere near my tank without a month minimum QT. Not only does it help prevent disease but gives the fish time to adjust from traveling. It's easier for me to get a fish to eat when it's not being harassed also.

 

[Downbeach]

Die hard QT'er here. I won't let a fish anywhere near my tank without a month minimum QT. Not only does it help prevent disease but gives the fish time to adjust from traveling. It's easier for me to get a fish to eat when it's not being harassed also.

+1 I'm very selective about who/where I get my fish from, but it's still a Murphy's Law thing.

 

[Whippetguy]

I buy the majority of my fish from Diver's Den. Anyone know of any other vendors that have a decent qt process. I'd be willing to pay extra to have it done for me.

 

[Wesley42079]

Never.

I just acclimate them with the dt water and then in they go.

 

[Bry]

After losing a complete tank of fish... No fish go into the DT now without quarantining first.

I have a 10, 20 and 30 gallon tank that I use depending on the size or quantity of fish. I use a HOB filter with sponge and some plastic decor.