Best alternative to quarantine?

[nuxx Verified Sponsor]

We offer pre-quarantined fish :)

But it's really not that bad to QT. Personally I ended up using cupramine on fresh QT tanks cycled with Bio-spira and marinepure media.

Wrote this years ago, but still believe in it:
https://www.tankstop.com/quarantine/

 

[blaxsun]

It is very doable. The lion fish in my picture got ich and died because I added live rock from petco. What a horrible mistake that was.

Doable, yet a pain (hence why we see so many "help, all my fish are sick" threads), ie: everyone starts out with the best of intentions (and regiment)...

If I ever screw up and let ich in, I would try uv to control it. I think people don’t use it more because if you research up for ich there are a ton of posts that say don’t use it. While it will not cure ich, you won’t find anybody talking about how it can drastically reduce their numbers. And that is huge for controlling parasites.

I would say it's definitely made a difference. The UV and Medic saved 2/3's of my fish from velvet, and I imagine that over the course of the past year or so I've probably avoided any serious outbreak of anything (even if inadvertently introduced).

Even if my system isn't ich-free 100% of the time, any potential parasites are kept so low in numbers that the fish are able to fend them off naturally.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

If I ever screw up and let ich in, I would try uv to control it. I think people don’t use it more because if you research up for ich there are a ton of posts that say don’t use it. While it will not cure ich, you won’t find anybody talking about how it can drastically reduce their numbers. And that is huge for controlling parasites.

I suspect a major reason more people don't use UV is the cost. The sterilizers are hundreds of dollars, plus there's the extra pump (if they don't already have one powerful enough to be T-ed off), and the space the equipment takes up.

Let's face it, if someone says they don't have the $ for a proper quarantine tank, they definitely won't be buying a UV sterilizer.

 

[ninjamyst]

my experience is everything eventually dies when ich is introduced. And I have a lot of experience unfortunately. I also have a lot of experience successfully keeping expert fish and large complex aquariums. I am not just talking out of my ***.
So the fact that the above scenario is common, especially for new people getting advice on here, it should not be down played by the anti qt people. That reality needs to be acknowledged.
But even if you can keep it at bay. You have something in your tank that will kill your fish as soon as one of them gets sick or has their immune system compromised for any number of reasons. As soon as that happens there will be tens of thousands of parasites swimming in a tiny glass bowl of water. Why not just buy qt fish from drreef? They really aren’t that much more money. And the chances of you having to deal with parasites are drastically reduced.

If ich is so deadly, how are so many people maintaining tanks with ich in it??

 

[JoJosReef]

Where did all of these fish immunologists come from? I'm a human immunologist, and half of what I've read here is baffling.

Buying pre-QT'd fish seems like a super win-win. No need to set up a tank and run it and kill your fish. If fish arrives alive, good to go, just observe it for aggression and general well-being (in a quasi-QT tank or right in your DT).

People can shell out $300 for a torch but can't pay an extra $10-20 for a fish that significantly lowers the odds of parasitizing and killing your other fish?

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

I ask because I have an order from drreefsqtfish. I have 5 tangs and a moorish idol, ich or velvet would be completely devastating. Although 76 day quarantined captive bred mandarins seem to as low risk as you can get.

You're lying to yourself if you think Mike follows a 76 day quarantine procedure...

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

I suspect the death rate with quarantine is significantly higher than most believe - probably in excess of 50% mortality.

Who's losing 50% of incoming fish to qt?

I MAY lose 5% and have been running between one and 3 quarantine cycles back to back for two years.

 

[JoJosReef]

You're lying to yourself if you think Mike follows a 76 day quarantine procedure...

That's an important and serious allegation. For those of us who have purchased from Mike and thinking of purchasing in the future, we need to know if there really is false advertising. I'm now checking their page on quarantining procedures... but not loading right now.

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

That's an important and serious allegation. For those of us who have purchased from Mike and thinking of purchasing in the future, we need to know if there really is false advertising. I'm now checking their page on quarantining procedures... but not loading right now.

There's no accusation to be made there. There's facts. I am a Dr reef customer. Brought five fish in from him last week.

I've talked to Mike about his quarantine procedure multiple times. I crafted my own based on his. 76 days is the life cycle of ick in a fishless system. Not the requirement for quarantining a fish. Keep it straight.

 

[blaxsun]

Who's losing 50% of incoming fish to qt?
I MAY lose 5% and have been running between one and 3 quarantine cycles back to back for two years.

Read through any quarantining thread - there's an extremely high mortality rate. Maybe not for you...

 

[SpyC]

We offer pre-quarantined fish :)

But it's really not that bad to QT. Personally I ended up using cupramine on fresh QT tanks cycled with Bio-spira and marinepure media.

Wrote this years ago, but still believe in it:
https://www.tankstop.com/quarantine/

Where do you find the qt fish on your site?

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

Read through any quarantining thread - there's an extremely high mortality rate. Maybe not for you...

I've read through most of the big ones on here and although there is a higher representation than what I see personally, I don't think it's anywhere near 50%. I could be wrong, but that would be an absolutely astounding number to me.

 

[blaxsun]

I've read through most of the big ones on here and although there is a higher representation than what I see personally, I don't think it's anywhere near 50%. I could be wrong, but that would be an absolutely astounding number to me.

Yeah, but these are the only ones being reported here. There are a lot of quarantine efforts that result in 100% fatalities.

 

[areefer01]

What should I use to condition and treat fish BESIDES formalin and methalyne blue? What are the best options out there? I can not quarantine, dips and baths accepted as well.

Well then the best solution would be to buy from a vetted vendor.

 

[areefer01]

Buy fish that have been quarantined (make sure it's a reputable place because most stores claim "quarantine") or just stick to captive bred.

If one goes captive bred/raised, which is awesome by the way, then buy direct. Do not go through middle / supply chain as you introduce the animal to everything and the world. Thus the need for QT again.

 

[damsels are not mean]

If one goes captive bred/raised, which is awesome by the way, then buy direct. Do not go through middle / supply chain as you introduce the animal to everything and the world. Thus the need for QT again.

I agree which is why I prefer biota when possible due to their online store. ORA only does wholesale but if you buy from places that only do cultured fish I think the risk is quite low.

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

Yeah, but these are the only ones being reported here. There are a lot of quarantine efforts that result in 100% fatalities.

Part of it could be specimen selection. Being in socal, I have a lot of stores within range, which makes it easier for me to locate specific fish, in stock. When your special ordering, you don't have that much of a choice, but when you have the option and can choose the healthiest fish available to start quarantine, I think the fatality number drops dramatically.

 

[Lionfish hunter]

Should have read his website description on tank raised mandarins buddy. Unless you are claiming Mike is lying, because that’s the only scenario where I’m lying to myself? See the attached image.

You're lying to yourself if you think Mike follows a 76 day quarantine procedure...

 

[Lionfish hunter]

There's no accusation to be made there. There's facts. I am a Dr reef customer. Brought five fish in from him last week.

I've talked to Mike about his quarantine procedure multiple times. I crafted my own based on his. 76 days is the life cycle of ick in a fishless system. Not the requirement for quarantining a fish. Keep it straight.

You need to keep it straight. You come on here being rude and arrogant. And now you look like a fool.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

You need to keep it straight. You come on here being rude and arrogant. And now you look like a fool.

Now that's the pot calling the kettle black...