Help me understand invert QT day/math

[bevo5]

My brain is having a hard time understanding how the 74 day QT clock doesn't have to reset every time I add inverts to a QT tank.

Is this the basic logic - if there's an ich/velvet baddie on a coral frag or shell or whatever - it will pop off at some point in that 74 days. THEN, it will float around trying to find a fish to latch on to and then will die because it can't find a fish.

During that stage it can't settle on another frag or shell because it's not in the correct stage of it's life cycle? The ones that attach to things have to come off the fish itself? Is that basically it?

So - we put the inverts in the tank and at SOME point in the next 74 days all of the baddies will detach, and they will not re-attach to something else. Thus, anything that's been in there for the full time is clean.

If we take a clean frag out of that tank isn't there a chance something will be caught up in a single droplet of water? What is the best transfer method? Spin it around in a cup of new water and hope for the best?

Thanks.

 

[AcroNem]

In a strict quarantine protocol, adding ANYTHING not previously quarantined will reset the clock. Although quarantine for inverts is usually 30 days in a fallow system, ideally it would be 34 days. Some inverts like urchins and sea stars have been shown to not carry Cryptocaryon with them, but for other parasites they should still be housed in a fallow invert only system for a quarantine period.

 

[Big G]

Great question. I always QT incoming inverts/corals in batches for 76 days. I've worked too hard to keep my DT parasite free and my fish healthy/happy.

 

[Big G]

Helpful link on QTing inverts and corals by Humblefish:

Coral/Invert Quarantine Time Frames

Coral/Invert Quarantine Time Frames Preface: The purpose of this article is to outline time periods required to properly quarantine (QT) marine corals & invertebrates. While unable to host ectoparasites the way fish do, corals/inverts are still able to “carry” fish diseases in one of two ways...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[bevo5]

Great question. I always QT incoming inverts/corals in batches for 76 days. I've worked too hard to keep my DT parasite free and my fish healthy/happy.

Yeah exactly. The headache that comes with something getting in far outweighs the 'hassle' of getting to have another tank to play with.

Helpful link on QTing inverts and corals by Humblefish:

Coral/Invert Quarantine Time Frames

Coral/Invert Quarantine Time Frames Preface: The purpose of this article is to outline time periods required to properly quarantine (QT) marine corals & invertebrates. While unable to host ectoparasites the way fish do, corals/inverts are still able to “carry” fish diseases in one of two ways...

www.reef2reef.com

That's great. Thanks for linking. I guess it really does come down to risk tolerance.