Alternatives to a qt tank

[adon22]

Hey guys new here. Wanted to know if anyone had alternatives to setting up a qt tank for some one who barely have space in house for one

 

[Fish Fan]

You could try purchasing pre-QT'd fish from a few vendors that provide that service.

 

[adon22]

You could try purchasing pre-QT'd fish from a few vendors that provide that service.

You got some names if you don’t mind

 

[Fish Fan]

You got some names if you don’t mind

I'm hesitant to suggest any particular vendor as I've not personally used any of them. I'm sure other members will be able to make some recommendations

 

[adon22]

Thats fine I appreciate it

 

[jonelder68]

@Dr. Reef is who I exclusively order through. Nothing but great fish every time. Highly recommend!

 

[Malum Argenteum]

Dr Reef is the name of the most prominent of the shotgun-medicated fish vendors, and you can read reviews on them here and likely elsewhere. I've not used any such online vendors, but the general idea of making sure fish are healthy before selling strikes me as unusually responsible (though the practice of medicating every single fish is not completely unproblematic).

Some LFSs QT or shotgun-medicate fish before sale, and may be worth seeking out.

Any display tank that's properly sized for more than one or two fish might well have enough room for a 10-20g QT in the stand. Or somewhere else in the house -- considering RO storage, SW mixing/heating vat, and supplies (salt, test kits, siphon and drain bucket), a fair amount of extra space is good to have available before setting up a tank anyway.

 

[adon22]

@Dr. Reef is who I exclusively order through. Nothing but great fish every time. Highly recommend!

Thanks

 

[jahnje]

Here's what I do. I put the fish in 4+L containers and move them to a new container each day. Basically a 100% water change. Each container has an air stone or line headed to it. And right before I put the fish in a dose the meds. The plastic tub that they are in is filled with tap water and has a heater in it. It all breaks down when I don't need it. What you see here is me dripping in some new fish. A tub will hold 8 containers. I put the next days in the tub too, so that when I move the fish the water is the exact same temp. I add little plastic plants or places to hide depending on the fish. And change those out each day as well. You've got to make sure you dose a bit of prime to keep the ammonia in check, and I also do a bit of stress guard and stability, as well as whatever meds I need to. If you can stay on top of things it works out pretty well. I might bump up sizes if I have larger fish, but generally I have good luck with these 4L containers. Which I got from a kitchen supply place. Works for coral, fish, whatever, and then just bleach the containers when done.

 

[DanP-SD]

I’ve bought fish from several quarantine vendors - Ocean Devotion, Marine Collectors, Dr Reef. I’ve found all to supply good livestock and customer service. OD is perhaps a bit higher service because you’re dealing direct with the owner but the others have more inventory. Marine Collectors is pricey but supplies very high quality fish.

I think an important but overlooked consideration is location. Ordering from a supplier who is closer to you will mean an easier trip for the livestock. Stress during shipping is a significant factor in long-term survival, especially if you don’t have a QT for them to adjust in without potential bullying.

I’d also suggest reading up on how each vendor quarantines. I’m not going to call any out here but some treat for a couple weeks and then ship, which is fine, but others treat for a couple weeks and then move the fish to non-medicated tanks for a minimum of 14 days observation to make sure no parasites reemerge before shipping. The latter is more thorough and reduces your risk. Both can work just fine; it’s just a question of how much risk you want to eliminate.

Even with quarantined fish, I highly recommend using an in-tank acclimation box to let your existing fish get used to new arrivals. It helps reduce aggression issues. I usually put new additions in an acclimation box for up to a week. It’s also a good way to make sure they’re eating.

 

[MikeReefs]

Dr reefs
TsmAquatics
Fish Hotel

 

[adon22]

I’ve bought fish from several quarantine vendors - Ocean Devotion, Marine Collectors, Dr Reef. I’ve found all to supply good livestock and customer service. OD is perhaps a bit higher service because you’re dealing direct with the owner but the others have more inventory. Marine Collectors is pricey but supplies very high quality fish.

I think an important but overlooked consideration is location. Ordering from a supplier who is closer to you will mean an easier trip for the livestock. Stress during shipping is a significant factor in long-term survival, especially if you don’t have a QT for them to adjust in without potential bullying.

I’d also suggest reading up on how each vendor quarantines. I’m not going to call any out here but some treat for a couple weeks and then ship, which is fine, but others treat for a couple weeks and then move the fish to non-medicated tanks for a minimum of 14 days observation to make sure no parasites reemerge before shipping. The latter is more thorough and reduces your risk. Both can work just fine; it’s just a question of how much risk you want to eliminate.

Even with quarantined fish, I highly recommend using an in-tank acclimation box to let your existing fish get used to new arrivals. It helps reduce aggression issues. I usually put new additions in an acclimation box for up to a week. It’s also a good way to make sure they’re eating.

Yeah I got the acclimation box learned tangs are quite the bullies and my clownfish likes joining the “fun”

 

[adon22]

Dr reefs
TsmAquatics
Fish Hotel

Thanks

 

[adon22]

Here's what I do. I put the fish in 4+L containers and move them to a new container each day. Basically a 100% water change. Each container has an air stone or line headed to it. And right before I put the fish in a dose the meds. The plastic tub that they are in is filled with tap water and has a heater in it. It all breaks down when I don't need it. What you see here is me dripping in some new fish. A tub will hold 8 containers. I put the next days in the tub too, so that when I move the fish the water is the exact same temp. I add little plastic plants or places to hide depending on the fish. And change those out each day as well. You've got to make sure you dose a bit of prime to keep the ammonia in check, and I also do a bit of stress guard and stability, as well as whatever meds I need to. If you can stay on top of things it works out pretty well. I might bump up sizes if I have larger fish, but generally I have good luck with these 4L containers. Which I got from a kitchen supply place. Works for coral, fish, whatever, and then just bleach the containers when done.

The container doesn’t sound bad