Beyond Coral Dips: Pest Prevention Strategies

[atlantean]

While coral dips remove a lot of pests, they don't prevent every nuisance organism from making it into your tank. Other than QT and dips, what other methods do you use to keep out pests? Do you remount every frag you bring into your tank? What about corals (like soft corals) that come mounted to rocks?

 

[xxkenny90xx]

The safest way would be to quarantine all corals for 45 or 76 days per humblefish recommendation. Other than that ditching the rock or frag plug the coral came on is a good idea.

 

[Jeffcb]

"Pests" are as beautiful as your corals. Just saying.

 

[Daniel@R2R]

Great discussion topic. One thing that I know some people do is have a fish that would eat pests if they made it into the display.

 

[hds4216]

"Pests" are as beautiful as your corals. Just saying.

I wouldn't consider acro eating flatworms lookers, per se.

 

[Sam816]

Most important is researching for 'pest to look for' in a particular coral group. QT for at least 2 weeks. multiple dips during the QT(if suggested), scrub hard parts of the coral with clean brush(toothbrush or make-up brush)
proper acclimation & what @Daniel@R2R said.

 

[hds4216]

Wrasses are good for pest control. If you have a small tank try a Six Line, if you have a larger one go with Melanurus or a Yellow Coris Wrasse. You can also try other Halichoeres wrasses. If you get the Six Line, do be careful, they can be nasty little fellas.