Are there any clean up crew vendors we trust enough not to quarantine?

[MnFish1]

You're not the problem. The problem is some people are now obsessing over this issue. Let's find some common ground:

1. NOTHING is 100% effective or works 100% of the time. 100% doesn't exist. The best you can do is mitigate risks.
2. You should do everything you can to bolster the health of your animals. Food soak vitamins (but not amino acids) whilst your fish are in QT, the same as you would when they're in the DT. Use frozen which contains probiotics (like LRS). If it makes you feel better, run a UV or diatom filter or oxydator in your DT (whether you QT or not).
3. If you want to just passively observe in QT, at least house a few black mollies in there for disease detection: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/black-molly-quarantine.640235/
4. If you want to just passively observe in QT, have all the medications you need and a hospital tank on standby just in case you need to medicate. Most fish will be dead from Velvet before Amazon can deliver in 2 days.
5. Stick a small AIO in a corner, and put any new corals/inverts in there. If for no other reason than to watch for coral pests. I haven't kept SPS in awhile, but AEFW are a real PITA, and back in the old days you had to dose Interceptor to clear out these pests. (Maybe there is a better/easier way now?) But with acro frags now costing hundreds or even thousands of dollars, why risk your DT? And if you can house your corals/inverts in a fishless AIO for 6 weeks that will also protect against 99% of fish parasite tomonts. Dual purpose.

Excellent points

 

[Humblefish]

No importer/exporter/retailer who takes bad care of stock gets repeat business - there are regularly threads here where folks comment on business who have poor practices - they don't last long.

90% of marine livestock wholesalers are garbage and they are thriving financially. These are the same wholesalers that many online vendors use to drop ship directly to consumers. The 10% that actually hold the fish and ensure they are eating before selling struggle to find customers because they have to charge more. The aquarium industry is the embodiment of how good guys finish last.

 

[MnFish1]

90% of marine livestock wholesalers are garbage and they are thriving financially. These are the same wholesalers that many online vendors use to drop ship directly to consumers. The 10% that actually hold the fish and ensure they are eating before selling struggle to find customers because they have to charge more. The aquarium industry is the embodiment of how good guys finish last.

I believe you that the wholesalers that do this stay in business - BUT - the LFS that use these wholesalers (it would seem to me are the ones that are going to have the problem- and their customers) - but maybe im misreading the market.

PS - its nice you're posting more again

 

[Humblefish]

I believe you that the wholesalers that do this stay in business - BUT - the LFS that use these wholesalers (it would seem to me are the ones that are going to have the problem- and their customers) - but maybe im misreading the market.

PS - its nice you're posting more again

Well, LFS have to compete with online vendors. How can you do that and still buy from reputable wholesalers who charge more?? When all most people care about nowadays is bottom line. Sure, you'll have a few customers willing to pay more for quality.. but most will be ordering online the same fish they just saw in your store before they even get back to their car.

The strategy of the live fish business is to move the "product" as quickly down the supply chain as possible. So if it dies, everyone has made their money off the consumer.

 

[Sashaka]

I have never dealt with bryopsis so no experience from me on that one

Wow! How'd I get so lucky to get it twice in the last few years? ;Jawdrop

 

[dvybiral]

Based on their location in Fl, I think wild caught from the area.

I've bought from IPSF multiple times with no issues.

who is IPSF

 

[Silver14SS]

: : : : Indo-Pacific Sea Farms : : : :

Indo-Pacific Sea Farms produces captive-bred marine life for healthier reef aquariums: invertebrates, detritivores, live sand, snail grazers, amphipods, beneficial worms, macro algae, plankton, corals, coral food and beneficial bacteria.

ipsf.com

Indo Pacific Sea Farms

 

[chicago]

I posted and looked into this long and hard.. I contacted all the vendors mentioned here basically. The issue is water is a carrier also... Anything wet that has a hard surface I QT for 76 days.. I have a 20 gallon tank with rock and airstone and old light... snails go there for 76 days.. It has almost turned into an second or third tank.. On my frag tank I QT also..but frags I cut before putting in and do not place the old plugs into the system.. so in theory the frags which are not a carrier of any form of ick I keep and QT for 30 days...LPS corals due to the under side hard surface I QT for 76 days... Again, Hard surface or fish QT for 76... take it from someone that has two wipe outs... its worth the extra effort..

 

[MPS]

If you’re in SoCal my lfs is a great source.

I live in OC. Seaside is a good good place. I’ve been a little nervous about the care and heath of their livestock from time to time. I’m glad to hear that you’ve had a good long run with them.

 

[Kenneth Hooper]

If you’re in SoCal my lfs is a great source.

Who is your lfs?
I'm in Mission Viejo but work in Los Alamitos just above H.B.

 

[shred5]

I don't care about algae, its never been a problem for me, because my tanks have algae. I guess you could scrub their shells. I only worry about introducing parasites. That is why I fallow...

If your nutrients are under control wouldn't it be a non-issue anyway?

While agree and most algae does not bother me it is a part of the biodiversity. People freek out over to many things.
I have seen two thing on snail shells I would rather not deal with though and that is bubble algae and vermetid snails.

 

[shred5]

90% of marine livestock wholesalers are garbage and they are thriving financially. These are the same wholesalers that many online vendors use to drop ship directly to consumers. The 10% that actually hold the fish and ensure they are eating before selling struggle to find customers because they have to charge more. The aquarium industry is the embodiment of how good guys finish last.

This is sad but true...

 

[shred5]

: : : : Indo-Pacific Sea Farms : : : :

Indo-Pacific Sea Farms produces captive-bred marine life for healthier reef aquariums: invertebrates, detritivores, live sand, snail grazers, amphipods, beneficial worms, macro algae, plankton, corals, coral food and beneficial bacteria.

ipsf.com

Indo Pacific Sea Farms

They are great and I have bought form them forever and yea they have been around a long long time.

 

[HB AL]

Who is your lfs?
I'm in Mission Viejo but work in Los Alamitos just above H.B.

Seaside in HB

 

[Pdash]

Curious for the point of education - what did you do before the dips. How do you prove that H2O2 Kills ONLY bryopsis - and not the thing you're quarantining

You can watch the algae literally melt, never to return, when treating with peroxide... could an alien have teleported down and sapped it while I wasnt looking? I guess it's possible. Is it probable? No

 

[Pdash]

Well, LFS have to compete with online vendors. How can you do that and still buy from reputable wholesalers who charge more?? When all most people care about nowadays is bottom line. Sure, you'll have a few customers willing to pay more for quality.. but most will be ordering online the same fish they just saw in your store before they even get back to their car.

The strategy of the live fish business is to move the "product" as quickly down the supply chain as possible. So if it dies, everyone has made their money off the consumer.

Exactly, wonky incentives. The real question is how do you change this, and change it in a way that doesn't generate unintended consequences that are even worse. My guess is there will have to be a change in culture. It takes lots of time though. (As a business strategy it makes perfect sense, why assume a bunch of risk when you don't have to?)

 

[phil bevilacqua]

I ordered a big pack from reeftopia and the snails were covered in worms .. big and small vermids..... I ordered 200. It took me 3 hrs to clean them. Total pain!!!!! Emailed several times and didn’t even get a response. Don’t use them

 

[ReefRy]

I’ve never QT’d anything from @AlgaeBarn

Never had any issues.

Don’t know what they’re systems are like but they’re bread and butter being phyto, pods, clean macros, etc. I felt “safer.”

+1

 

[Hermie]

I did get flatworms (brown regular, non-predacious) from one place, but since I QT'd they did not go into my DT. But that was one specific vendor that I probably won't use again since I got what I needed from them.

 

[Lol21]

Honestly i have bought snails and urchins and starfish from tanks heavily infested with ich and i havent had ich in my tank in 5 months since i did hyposalinity. And ive bought those critters after i did hypo.

For one sea urchins and star fish according to a scientist i forgot who, that studied ich said they cabt bring ich they wont encrust on those critters when they fall off fish

Give the urchins and stars s bath in tank water. And then let them sit in tank water for a day snd your good. The snails i just scrub the hell out if them with tap water and s tooth brush.. I rinse them in tabk water.. and let em cruise around ina container for a few hours. Then scrub again and rinse and then put em in my tank.

I havent had 1 ich spot doing this.. and i stressed the crap out of my tank rececently rearranging 150 lbs of rock and corals... Nope no ich

So yea maybe im lucky ? But i think as long as you scrub and clean what you buy youll be fine.


As for corals.. my oersonak experience is ORA corals are near 100% pest free. I have never seen pests or crsp come off their corals when dipping.

But local fish store.. They have nasty tanks. I just dipped some zoas i got the other day.. stuff came off those zoas ive never even seen before..