Do you even QT, bro?

[Big Smelly fish]

I don’t qt fish and never have. I don’t buy fish online and only deal with certain people when it comes to livestock. I just observed the fish and all the fish in the tank and system. If I see any signs of illness anywhere I don’t buy anything.
im not saying it’s 100% perfect, but it’s worked out fairly well for me.

 

[katonge]

I didn’t used to but since I set up the bigger tank (WB 220.6) and I have more fish, some more expensive & bigger I keep them for at least a month in observation only quarantine. I have found fish transfer really well from there & acclimate to the big tank with minimal stress.

 

[Ol’ Dog Trey]

I used to not QT and then one of the additions brought velvet, killed everything but the inverts and corals….. I am running fallow for another month to give it all time to starve/die out and I will now always QT for at least a month before adding to DT.

 

[mindme]

I went 10 years without QT'ing. Built my biggest tank ever, 180g, with the most expensive fish I had ever bought.

All died to velvet.

All my fish get the full QT and medications now. But even still, ich managed to find it's way in. Not velvet though, which is my real concern.

Not to say there are no negatives about QT, because there are. I think if you can find someone who does it at as a service for a decent price, it's well worth it unless you are experienced. Otherwise, you will likely do something wrong in QT and lose some fish.

It's not something to take lightly. For new people starting out, or for people with smaller tanks, probably not worth it IMO.

 

[Terrp]

DO hold new SPS in a spereate tank and DO NOT hold back snails/crabs...

I QT everything. Why do you suggest no QT for snails and crabs?

 

[Daniel@R2R]

Here's my story: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/why-i-hate-quarantine.158632/unread

 

[bnord]

I QT everything. Why do you suggest no QT for snails and crabs?

just an odds calculation. the chances of a tomont encysting on a snail shell in the patent period between the event and being plopped in my tank seems exceedingly low - and a crab/shrimp even lower
I could be wrong and I may pay the price some day, but I just don't think it is likely

 

[bnord]

adding this here for your consideration - it is lifted from an answer to another post I just made about value of QT and it might fit here too...

Appreciate your position as it is broadly founded on both good science and astute observation.

I too am balding and should be retired, but am a vet immunologist/parasitologist and have spent 38 years making vaccines for all species (including fish) for 3 major global companies and now a start up of my own

With all that I know one needs to start with general statements then burrow down into the facts of the exceptions

Parasites and their relationships with their host are fascinating and as complex and intricate as you can imagine. However, I rarely get the attention of a guest at a cocktail party to convince her of that.

There is a species of Sarcocystis (in the family tree of Cryptocaryon) that exists only in lynx and snowshoe hares. It causes no disease in the lynx, where the sexual stage takes place and passes in the feces, and when picked up by grazing by the hare attacks the diaphragm and the muscles in the eye of the hare to ensure that the infected hares are the first to be eaten, and complete the life cycle.

There is another on another branch of the tree - Isospora suis that only affects pigs and goes directly from infected to uninfected pigs, causes 2-5 days of the squirts, passing on to the next pig. Infected pigs develop an immunity that largely prevents reinfection for life. Or at least a transient infection that keeps the parasite in circulation.

These are just 2 of the volumes that support the diversity of life cycles and these lifecycles of parasites (just talking about protozoans right now and ignoring metazoans (flukes and such) and virus and bacteria run the gamut and have locked in to maintain themselves consistent with the environment they have evolved in.

Here is where I get concerned with the broad stroke of always or never QT.

Amylodinium and Cryptocaryon did not evolve in a closed system loop of recirculating constant temp water. They evolved their relationships with their hosts in massive quantities of constantly changing water columns which would never allow concentrations of the infective stages to reach what they can in our tanks even with UV/diatom/WC support.

We do not even know if as an example some of these parasites evolved in certain parts of the oceans and therefore better balance was achieved in Madagascar compared to the Keys. We do know that some species are inherently resistant (Morays and I think I have read lion fish), and powdery tangs are exceptionally susceptible.

So whereas Ich does seem to "find its way to a balance in a stable system" I remain skeptical that velvet can and will do the same. Not to forget the bell shaped curve of what a health and stable system is and where you or I may be on the curve compared to a cautious and well intentioned and caring beginner may be.

So to wrap up MY longest post, it is good value for the fish/owner/hobby to attempt a reasonable level of discretion and control in their early years in screening for and treating disease before entry into their tanks.

I also happen to believe that velvet has not yet worked out its' environmental and host strain balance for the home aquarium, and the vast number of genera and species that it can now, thanks to us, come in contact with.

I, therefore, will always QT a new entry into my display is there is even a remote chance it is carrying velvet with it.

Of course that's just my opinion and I could be wrong. D Miller

 

[Cali Reef Life]

Quarantine everything wet that goes into my system and treat all new fish with copper for minimum of 15 days at therapeutic levels or add another 15 days from the last observed issue. All coral are dipped prior to entering a separate tank for 8 weeks. Then dipped again before they enter my display tank. Sometimes I cut the frag plugs off for extra precaution. Inverts are also stored there simple setup 2 pound live rock with a power head, led light and heater in a 10 gallon tank. Water change every week or 2. No ich or issues with disease for 2 years.

 

[GARRIGA]

Once my fish-room is back up and running I'm setting up a QT process using various micron sediment filters as I have previously discussed. Done my research. Have seen it discussed recently on BRS. I'm convinced it will work. No copper. Mostly bath treatments with fish requiring additional attention separated by placing them down stream or their own system where medications can be applied as needed. No water changes. Just science.

Separate process for fish and coral/inverts but everything will be QT prior to introduction to main display(s). Plus main display will also likely have the sediment filter setup to assist with removing any free swimming pathogens. Just in case plus it will keep the water crystal clear.

Sediment filters eradicate that larger than it's lowest micron rating vs UV which just stops the reproductive process. Never been a fan of copper. My approach considerably easier to apply and less stressful for inhabitants aside from the various dip(s), as needed. I also expect the process to be considerably shorter because I just need to remove ich/velvet as it falls off the fish since there will be little for them to attach themselves onto. Internal tank walls will be wiped periodically, any items to provide security will be removed often and replaced with clean items and flow will be fast enough to ensure most if not all pathogens are flushed through the sediment filters.

Internal parasites such as flukes will be handled via dips. Not a fan of treating an entire system. I feel dips are more concentrated and effective but this doesn't always apply to everything therefore I'll adjust based on what I find. In the end my biggest fear has always been ich. Can't possibly identify every possible ailment but if I can avoid that one then I'll be less concern.

 

[jda]

I don't. I know that I am not going to fully QT my inverts and corals, so I am not going to keep all pathogens out of my tank so my fish need to be able to survive.

I do keep all new fish in isolation tanks with a friendly fish to show them how to eat and not be scared of me. These fish could be reef tanks with sand and rock, but don't have coral in them... so NSW parameter type of FOWLR with lots of coralline, pods and critters. The welcome-wagon fish have varied, but I currently have a small blue angelfish that seems to like to cuddle up to new fish, some YTB damsels and also currently a convict tang. The new fish stay in here until they are eating flake food, pellets and all types of frozen food out of my hands and are not skittish.

What about diseases? All of my tanks have sand, rock and are teeming with life. I have no doubt that some ich or velvet come in on my fish and I have knowingly put fish with ich into this introduction/isolation tank. While I doubt that it is eradication, anything that drops off of the fish to reproduce will find no sterile and hospitable places in my tanks. They can fight for their lives with the bacteria, pods, worms, starfish, etc. that roam around the substrate and rock.

I also really like a lot of fish that don't do well with meds.

If I do get some larger angelfish, I will FW dip them... but I usually get them small.

This has worked for me for many, many years. I would rather have well-eating, happy, non-skittish fish than fish that made it through copper or hypo... of course QT'd fish can be eating well and non-skittish too.

I would never do this, but I could put a Hippo, or something, in my tank covered in Ich and the rest of my fish would be fine. The hippo may or not make it if it was too far along, but the existing fish would be OK. I have never done this in my display, but I have done this in my introduction tank and the greeter-fish have always been fine. Most of the time, the sick fish are fine too and the spots are soon gone. Not long ago, a local purchased a trio of gem tangs and they all got covered - I put them in my introduction tank, the angelfish showed them how to eat and that I was cool. In about a month, they were all fine - I convinced the guy to get some diverse life into his sand and rock and AFAIK the tangs are all doing fine.

 

[reefrookie379]

TSM or Marine Collectors only. Will never waste my time buying a fish at any lfs ever again. The extra money is well worth avoiding the aggravation.

I follow Marine Collectors but who is TSM ?

 

[polyppal]

I follow Marine Collectors but who is TSM ?

A full QT fish supplier.

TSM Aquatics Inc

Largest Quarantined Saltwater Fish Facility. All fish go through a minimum 30 Day Quarantine. We carry Captive Bred & Wild Livestock. Angelfish, Anthias, Basslets, Butterflyfish, Clownfish, Filefish, Gobies, Rabbitfish & Foxface, Mandarins, Triggerfish, Tangs, Wrasses, Corals & Invertebrates...

tsmaquatics.com

 

[polyppal]

(feel free to use in 90% of the emergency fish posts)

 

[Buckster]

I have a 30g holding tank that all fish will go into first. I may put a shrimp or snail into the 32 biocube. Nothing will be added into my 180 until it has been in 1 of the 2 tanks for several months. I lost many fish once in the 180 due to an outbreak and I still feel the pain.

 

[sumtingbig]

I have never quarantined a fish and have never lost a fish. And i used to get in around 8 boxes of fish a week when i had my store. If something wasn't right i would do a FW dip. Always ran UV on all system's. In fact know retired i just recently bought a pair of Malinarus Wrasse from a well known vender that advertises quarantined fish. Female is very nice, the male had fungus all over his tail and front fins where nipped up pretty good right out of the bag. He buried himself in the sand and the next time four days later he was dead laying on top of the sand.