Poll: Do You QT? See where you stack up!

[dbl]

I realize the topic of QT is often discussed and quite frankly debated. I'm curious though to how many people actually do use some type of QT method. Feel free to discuss your methods but the poll simply asks whether you use a QT or not, and if so, what "items" are QT'd prior to going in your display.

 

[Diesel]

Got a 10, 20 and 40 gal QT 20 gal is always running.
Use a HOB only and some 2" fittings for fish to hide.
Fish will go into QT for observation first and if I see something wrong treatment will start.
1o weeks minimum sometimes up to 12 weeks.
I just want to be ABSOLUTLY sure I tackled and battled everything out.
Same with corals.
I don't have any inverts other than pods.

Awesome Thread Dave!

 

[splix]

I used to not QT. The odds caught up with me and velvet wiped 75% of my fish. Needless to say I now QT.

 

[rich nyc]

I feel like a lot of reefers. After velvet killed all my fish including my oldest clown fish that got me started I now quaratine. Even my tank raised clown pair I got from a local hobbiest breeder.

 

[AJsTank]

I've been in the hobby for almost 20 years. Never quarantined, I've been lucky, I know I should, but I don't. I don't even acclimate my fish, I literally walk in the door, cut the bag open, net the fish into the display.

 

[Brew12]

I'm paranoid. Everything gets QT'd.

 

[Maritimer]

For right now, I'm QTing all fish ...

Eventually, I'd like to set up an invert/coral QT, which would be a permanently running system, with coral-compatible lighting and filtration. Too many balls in the air and not enough available funding to get that done for the moment though, but I feel that I can't _not_ quarantine fish these days.

~Bruce

 

[lacrosseboss18]

In the process of redoing my 225g tank that crashed when I moved.
Felt like it was a good time to start doing things the right way.
I'll be setting up a fish QT and a coral/invert QT

 

[Labridaedicted]

100%... I like to think there are 2 kinds of people in the hobby: those who quarantine and people who will one day wish they did. (Although there are a handful on here who don't and have long term success with it, but they have a whole regimen of immunity boosting techniques) I always recommend it.

Pick up a 40 breeder and use that. Remember you don't have to fill it up all the way. Mine is usually half or 3/4 full, but it affords more swimming space than a standard 10 or 20.

Here's my qt.... currently its housing 6 lyretail anthias.

Hang on back filter with sponge from sump, air stone, heater, and a Power head. Throw in some fittings for shelter and your golden. Everyone gets 2 rounds of prazi and if after 3 weeks, I see no more symptoms, they go to observation plumbed you main system to get them fat and eating then to dt.

 

[jbow50]

I always qt now. Too many risk otherwise. Plus saves money and time in the long run.

 

[Denisk]

I don’t quarantine any fish. I have lost fish in the past but so have those who quarantine. I am a very very strong believer in making sure the fish you bring in are compatible. If they’re aggressive towards each other someone will most likely not make it. Aggression leads to significant stress. I also feed fresh food as much as I can.

Currently have like 20 fish in three different systems and none have been lost. I do dip all my corals though.

Disclosure: I do not recommend anyone doing this just because it works for me. I think we all do what feels works. If quarantining works for you, then continue quarantining.

 

[ca1ore]

Fish yes, and ALWAYS. Inverts not so much.

 

[Jimmyneptune]

I used to not QT. The odds caught up with me and velvet wiped 75% of my fish. Needless to say I now QT.

Those of you who lost fish to velvet, what fish brought it in?

 

[rockstarta78]

I QT only fishes. QT lasts minimum of 6 weeks. I use Prazi and chelated copper (coppersafe) to QT my fishes. I try not to use copper unless necessary. I observe my fishes for 3-4 weeks before deciding on copper. Or unless otherwise there are tell tale sign of some issues. I followed @Humblefish and @melypr1985 discussion for a while before deciding on my QT regimen. But if I had the space and resources I'd use humblefish's TTM method. Due to space constraint I don't QT corals or inverts, but I really want to.

 

[blkhwkz]

I didn't QT my first few years and got lucky. Then I got a larger tank and some tangs. My LFS assured me they had been there over a month and through multiple rounds of meds. Needless to say everything got wiped out in that tank by an ich/velvet combo within days. A 76 day fallow period is no fun. Started over and every fish goes through QT now. I did still have an issue with a purple tang that did not take to quarantine well, broke my own rules and added to DT. Ich outbreak a week later, another 76 days fallow. Twice in a year was enough for me to decide there is no changing my QT protocols anymore and if anything to make them longer, especially when tangs are involved. Have another purple tang that should be going into the DT this weekend.

 

[Brand00995576]

I dont quratine corals and inverts but I defiantly quratine all fish that enter my system for about a month or 2 depending on wither they get a disease or not

 

[fragit]

These numbers are quite surprising!

 

[Crabs McJones]

I qt for a minimum of 4 weeks before adding anything to the tank (fish or inverts). I have a little 5 gallon fluval set up next to my display tank. I dip my corals, put them in quarantine for 24 hours, dip again and then add them to the tank. I don't like leaving them without light for to long. As most of you know I did loose all my fish to brook, and yesterday after a 9 week fallow period I added new fish that were quarantined for 6 weeks before adding them in. No idea how I got brook, but I got it taken care of and were moving forward

 

[Radman73]

My first 5 fish I never QT'd and all were with me for at least 2 years. The clowns are still here after 7.5 years! But that was before I'd even read about QT. When I upgraded to a 60 cube I decided to start doing QT but didn't really know what I was doing. I kept a firefish in a 10gal for about 2 weeks before moving him over. I gave him away when we moved. A yellow tang and yellow watchman goby both went straight in because I knew the QT those two went through at a LFS. Probably not the best idea, and I wouldn't do it now. 3 different wrasses went through about 3-4 weeks of QT with prazipro. One didn't make it but he looked bad in the bag. One disappeared months later. The other is with me still after 3-4 years.

I never QT'd coral. Until today. My 60 cube started its fallow period about two weeks ago when I used TTM to move my current fish over to the new 220. I figured might as well order some coral and extend that fallow period out a couple more weeks. My plan is to alternate the use of the 60 cube as coral QT and then fish QT. This should slow my purchases while giving a nice, cycled, place for fish and coral to go to for observation.

Fish will go into the cube as long as there is no coral that been in there for less than 76 days. But the idea is to time purchases so there won't be any overlap. Fish will be medicated in 10 or 20 gal tanks before getting placed in the cube. There I can make sure they're eating the foods I want them to, fatten them up or grow them if necessary, and make sure they're adjusted to tank life before getting thrown into a tank that will be much more difficult to catch a fish in. Goal would be 2-3 days in a 10gal to let a fish settle in and start eating. Next would be copper for either exactly 14 days with a transfer to a sterile tank or the full 30 days. Then into the 20gal for 1-2 weeks of observation before moving to the cube for however long is necessary.

That's the plan anyway. I'll let you know when I actually execute it lol! I did put the new coral in the cube and I'm picking up some more this afternoon. They'll get moved to the display some time in January.

 

[burtbollinger]

I have a blue reef chromis in a QT, but having just learned about uronema today in reading about chromis, I'm kinda freaked out....I had not planned to treat with anything but prazipro but now I'm worried I need to start treating him proactively...

very glad I decided to QT...or I'd really be sweating bullets this AM>