When to started medicated QT on newly acquired fish?

[Fish Fan]

Hi guys!

I am getting back into reefing after a long time off, and I am going to do my best to quarantine, observe and medicate all new arrivals, as best I can and is practical. I've done a lot of research and while there's a lot of different opinions on how to QT fish, I'm going to try to follow the R2R approved fish QT protocol found here.

I recently brought home a Yasha goby that I got on January 14th and added it to a 10 gallon observation tank (bare tank with PVC hides, small dish of inert sand, cycled bio media, no medications). It was understandably stressed, but soon started eating, and has now even started to be a little more confident, though still quite timid.

On january 19th I brought home a Tailspot Blenny and added it to the same QT tank (no medications yet) as the Yasha goby. The blenny has seemed much more stressed, literally curled up in a bare corner of tank, ignoring the PVC hides and the "sandbox". He will sometimes change corners of the tank, but he looks really stressed out. He does eat, he takes frozen and even flaked food. But it makes me nervous how stressed out he seems, though I know this is a timid fish.

My questions would be, when do you start the medicated QT protocol on newly acquired fish? On one hand, I am nervous to medicate a fish that's still obviously stressed, especially really small fish like my Yasha goby and Tailspot Blenny. But, some have said that if you wait too long to start a QT protocol, you're newly acquired fish - which are obviously stressed - will be susceptible to an outbreak of some kind.

I should note that both fish were purchased locally at local reef stores both of which have good reputation locally, and both fish look clean from parasites and any other pathologies that I can see right now. And again, both fish are eating, if but still stressed.

Any thought? Thank very much for your help!

 

[Spare time]

I personally recommend starting as soon as you get them so that a parasite can't take hold.

 

[Thunderstruck34]

I am pretty casual with qt, but I surely wouldn’t medicate the first 24 hours or if any fish were still showing obvious signs of stress (bullying etc.).

 

[i cant think]

Hi guys!

I am getting back into reefing after a long time off, and I am going to do my best to quarantine, observe and medicate all new arrivals, as best I can and is practical. I've done a lot of research and while there's a lot of different opinions on how to QT fish, I'm going to try to follow the R2R approved fish QT protocol found here.

I recently brought home a Yasha goby that I got on January 14th and added it to a 10 gallon observation tank (bare tank with PVC hides, small dish of inert sand, cycled bio media, no medications). It was understandably stressed, but soon started eating, and has now even started to be a little more confident, though still quite timid.

On january 19th I brought home a Tailspot Blenny and added it to the same QT tank (no medications yet) as the Yasha goby. The blenny has seemed much more stressed, literally curled up in a bare corner of tank, ignoring the PVC hides and the "sandbox". He will sometimes change corners of the tank, but he looks really stressed out. He does eat, he takes frozen and even flaked food. But it makes me nervous how stressed out he seems, though I know this is a timid fish.

My questions would be, when do you start the medicated QT protocol on newly acquired fish? On one hand, I am nervous to medicate a fish that's still obviously stressed, especially really small fish like my Yasha goby and Tailspot Blenny. But, some have said that if you wait too long to start a QT protocol, you're newly acquired fish - which are obviously stressed - will be susceptible to an outbreak of some kind.

I should note that both fish were purchased locally at local reef stores both of which have good reputation locally, and both fish look clean from parasites and any other pathologies that I can see right now. And again, both fish are eating, if but still stressed.

Any thought? Thank very much for your help!

As much as I dislike QT and the stress it imposes on the fish, if I were to do it then I would personally observe the fish for 2-3 weeks and make sure you actually have a disease that needs treatment. If you don’t have a disease, then why throw that fish under the stress straight away for no reason?

 

[Fish Fan]

I personally recommend starting as soon as you get them so that a parasite can't take hold.

I am pretty casual with qt, but I surely wouldn’t medicate the first 24 hours or if any fish were still showing obvious signs of stress (bullying etc.).

My Yash goby is starting to show some courage, but the tail spot blenny is eating but still stressed from the move.

As much as I dislike QT and the stress it imposes on the fish, if I were to do it then I would personally observe the fish for 2-3 weeks and make sure you actually have a disease that needs treatment. If you don’t have a disease, then why throw that fish under the stress straight away for no reason?

Because fish are known to harbor latent pathogens and/or parasites, so I’m newly in the camp of better to treat before any symptoms show.

Thanks for the help!

 

[Largeangels]

I feel the same. Fish can harbor many diesases and parasites that we cannot detect by mere observations. I medicate as soon as possible. Remember they have come from potentialy from 2 or 3 large systems with lots of other fish before you. The collector, wholesaler, LFS. I've also observed fish develop what appears to be immunity to parasites where other fish show obvious infection and they don't show anything.

 

[mfinn]

Hi guys!

I am getting back into reefing after a long time off, and I am going to do my best to quarantine, observe and medicate all new arrivals, as best I can and is practical.

My questions would be, when do you start the medicated QT protocol on newly acquired fish?

Welcome back.

What I do with new fish is to add them to my quarantine tank.
I put up black paper over the front and sides to give the new fish complete cover from seeing movement and people.
I leave a few gaps so I can see inside ( usually when the lights are off in the room.)
Have lots of cover in the tank ( large pvc fittings, usually black abs)
I try to have live food available ( Tigger Pods, brine shrimp)
I wait until they are eating before adding any medication.
If they come in with an obvious active issue, then IMO you have to start medicating to save the fish.

 

[Fish Fan]

Welcome back.

What I do with new fish is to add them to my quarantine tank.
I put up black paper over the front and sides to give the new fish complete cover from seeing movement and people.
I leave a few gaps so I can see inside ( usually when the lights are off in the room.)
Have lots of cover in the tank ( large pvc fittings, usually black abs)
I try to have live food available ( Tigger Pods, brine shrimp)
I wait until they are eating before adding any medication.
If they come in with an obvious active issue, then IMO you have to start medicating to save the fish.

Thank you for your help! I did not think to cover the tank, I think that would have been helpful. I do have lots of pvc tees and elbows, but I used the regular white stuff. I was already thinking of hatching some brine shrimp, and I could get some ‘pods.

My fish (a Yasha goby and a Tailspot blenny) are both eating and showing no visible signs of illness. As of today I think the Yasha goby is about 90% accustomed to the new tank and starting to be much more confident. The Tailspot is eating, but cowering in a corner, even ignoring the pvc hides.

I‘m getting very mixed information about medicating these fish. Do you think it’s safe to give these fish the full copper/PraziPro treatment as outlined in the Jay Hemdal article here on R2R? And since both my fish are eating, would you start the copper now?

Thanks again for your help!

 

[mfinn]

@Jay Hemdal

 

[Fish Fan]

posted by mistake

 

[mfinn]

posted by mistake

I tagged Jay so he could respond to your specific fish

 

[Fish Fan]

I tagged Jay so he could respond to your specific fish

Yes, Thank you, I’d very much appreciate Jay’s opinion here. When I posted previously, I didn’t have my glasses, and I thought you were linking to his QT article ;-)

 

[Fish Fan]

And Jay, if you’re out there, I‘m also strongly considering purchasing a Court Jester goby as well. So the three fish I’d like to QT together all in one round would be a Yasha goby, a Tailspot blenny, and a court jester goby.

Thank you in advance for your help!

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Thank you for your help! I did not think to cover the tank, I think that would have been helpful. I do have lots of pvc tees and elbows, but I used the regular white stuff. I was already thinking of hatching some brine shrimp, and I could get some ‘pods.

My fish (a Yasha goby and a Tailspot blenny) are both eating and showing no visible signs of illness. As of today I think the Yasha goby is about 90% accustomed to the new tank and starting to be much more confident. The Tailspot is eating, but cowering in a corner, even ignoring the pvc hides.

I‘m getting very mixed information about medicating these fish. Do you think it’s safe to give these fish the full copper/PraziPro treatment as outlined in the Jay Hemdal article here on R2R? And since both my fish are eating, would you start the copper now?

Thanks again for your help!

In addition to covering the backs and sides, keep the light levels just high enough so the fish can see their food. Beware of the observer affect where you are worried about the blenny so you get right up on the tank scaring it more. If the room is dark, they can’t see you as well.

I generally start the active quarantine process after 72 hours.

Jay

 

[Fish Fan]

In addition to covering the backs and sides, keep the light levels just high enough so the fish can see their food. Beware of the observer affect where you are worried about the blenny so you get right up on the tank scaring it more. If the room is dark, they can’t see you as well.

I generally start the active quarantine process after 72 hours.

Jay

Jay, thank you for your reply and help!

I did not think to cover the tank with paper or cardboard, but the tank is in a room that we really don't use, so they are not seeing a lot of activity outside the tank. I don't have the tank lit, they get ambient light as well as a little spill over from a nearby tank.

You don't see any problems with either the Yasha goby or the Tailspot blenny using the full copper/PraziPro protocol, just given that these fish are very small?

Thank you again for your help!

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Jay, thank you for your reply and help!

I did not think to cover the tank with paper or cardboard, but the tank is in a room that we really don't use, so they are not seeing a lot of activity outside the tank. I don't have the tank lit, they get ambient light as well as a little spill over from a nearby tank.

You don't see any problems with either the Yasha goby or the Tailspot blenny using the full copper/PraziPro protocol, just given that these fish are very small?

Thank you again for your help!

No, if everything in the tank is good, those fish are not sensitive to either treatment.

Jay

 

[Fish Fan]

No, if everything in the tank is good, those fish are not sensitive to either treatment.

Jay

Thank you very much, I appreciate your help!

 

[bezj]

Pro active QT when you treat for all potential issues is the way to go. See Humblefish for relevant protocols. I’ve been following for 2+ years once copper at therapeutic levels (general cure and metroplex) with no real issues.

 

[blazn]

Jay, thank you for your reply and help!

I did not think to cover the tank with paper or cardboard, but the tank is in a room that we really don't use, so they are not seeing a lot of activity outside the tank. I don't have the tank lit, they get ambient light as well as a little spill over from a nearby tank.

You don't see any problems with either the Yasha goby or the Tailspot blenny using the full copper/PraziPro protocol, just given that these fish are very small?

Thank you again for your help!

First, you are to be commended for asking for advice as to how to best handle/treat the fish in your quarantine, as it's obvious you want the best for them!

You mentioned that your QT gets a little 'spill over' light from a nearby tank. Just in case that tank is fairly close to your QT, it's recommended that no other aquarium is within 10 feet of your QT, to minimize the chance of anything making it from your QT to the other tank (primarily aerosol contamination). You should also maintain a separate set of 'tools' (net, siphon hose, etc) for your QT that are never used in your DT, to avoid cross contamination.

Considering your comment about receiving 'mixed information' concerning if you should medicate the fish in your QT...you'll always get contrasting opinions on that subject. Some are for and some against, you'll need to determine the best method for you. A lot of those that advise against proactively medicating your fish in QT don't want to put any undo stress, etc, on the quarantined fish, which is understandable. I take the position that I don't want to put any undo disease/parasites on the fish in my DT, so I ALWAYS proactively medicate every fish before it enters my DT. I lost an entire tank to marine velvet years ago and I'll do everything possible to never go thru that again!

I hope all goes well with your quarantine!

 

[Fish Fan]

First, you are to be commended for asking for advice as to how to best handle/treat the fish in your quarantine, as it's obvious you want the best for them!

You mentioned that your QT gets a little 'spill over' light from a nearby tank. Just in case that tank is fairly close to your QT, it's recommended that no other aquarium is within 10 feet of your QT, to minimize the chance of anything making it from your QT to the other tank (primarily aerosol contamination). You should also maintain a separate set of 'tools' (net, siphon hose, etc) for your QT that are never used in your DT, to avoid cross contamination.

Considering your comment about receiving 'mixed information' concerning if you should medicate the fish in your QT...you'll always get contrasting opinions on that subject. Some are for and some against, you'll need to determine the best method for you. A lot of those that advise against proactively medicating your fish in QT don't want to put any undo stress, etc, on the quarantined fish, which is understandable. I take the position that I don't want to put any undo disease/parasites on the fish in my DT, so I ALWAYS proactively medicate every fish before it enters my DT. I lost an entire tank to marine velvet years ago and I'll do everything possible to never go thru that again!

I hope all goes well with your quarantine!

Thank you for your reply. Yes, I’m trying to be proactive and treat in advance rather than dealing with an outbreak of something.

To be honest, I only heard of this 10 foot distance thing like yesterday. Could you elaborate on this point a little more?

I thought I was being real slick when I put together a rack system that holds several ten gallon tanks. I have three 10 gallons literally side-by-side with each other, one for medicated fish QT, one for coral observation, and one for all other critters to be held fallow. I now think this arrangement isn’t ideal, and it sounds like I should move my fish QT tank some distance from the invert tanks. My wife is going to kill me with all these tanks and stands everywhere lol!

This is my QT current setup:


Thank you again for your help!