How do you practice bio security in your tank?

wlucks

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As I am diving into this hobby again with two enormous dream tanks(210&220),I find myself reading threads and forums late into the night. A theme has been growing in my mind after reading many threads. It’s usually a WHAT IS THAT? MY NEW FISH HAS ICH! Or something on similar lines
Now having a QT tank for fish is almost a no brained for me. If I have thousands of dollars into a tank it would be only natural to quarantine new arrivals. I could even argue that a best practice would be quarantining said arrival for 30 days. This would allow time to use copper or other medication if needed and to make sure said acquisitions are eating well.
what about invertebrates though? The shrimp and the corals that should not be near Copper or other medication or fish. How long should they be quarantine? I am thinking they should be quarantined in a different tank that has not been exposed to copper or certain medication. How do others in the Hobby set up ongoing quarantine for invertebrates? Do you cycle the tank like you would a display tank?
 
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wlucks

wlucks

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I usually get my inverts from sources that don’t house them with fish like Reef Cleaners or Live Aquaria et
What about corals? There are a lot of hitchhikers that could potentially arrive on say some. I would hate to see a Zoe garden get eaten by a pest. Do you have a quarantine for your corals?
 

Dkmoo

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I'm of the camp of "no quarantine" for fish. As long as you buy from a reputable LFS that keeps fish healthy and living instead of one that just tries to turn them over (like petco). They should be find. Don't forget that these organisms all have an immune system. As long as fish is healthy, let their immune system go to work.

Many times fish get sick and die is not from the presence of bacteria or parasite in the water, but its from the stress and the stress induced lower immune system. Stress from being in an overcrowded store holding tank, from the transport, from a inadequately set up QT (most QTs are barebone minimum requirements temporary set ups - do you think that is a stress-free environment for the fish?), from changing environment shock from store to QT, then again from QT to DT.

QTs are often also temporary where its debatable if the cycling is even robust enough to keep something healthy.

Inverts can't use QT anyway since you cannot medicate.

Coral "qt" really would just consist of acclimation and dip before going into tank.
 

Beau_B

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QT everything wet. This after trying the natural way and having a major outbreak about a year in.

It’s a total headache, 3 extra tanks, and a lot of work, but losing 1/2 my fish was worse.

Inverts, including corals, have a separate tank they get 45+ days at 80F and have some black Mollys available to test for an additional 2 weeks if I’m suspicious.

My trusted LFS has been in the business for 30yrs and doesn’t QT or medicate at all. He has never lost an entire tank. A few individual specimens here and there, but lots of fish flourish in his established tanks (incl. his personal display). It’s obviously possible to succeed without QT but it just didn’t work for me. Half measures (QT some things and not others) seems pointless. Choose a course and go.

Best of luck regardless!
 

vabben

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I buy pre quarantined fish, inverts from fishless systems, and do everything possible to eliminate pests from corals, ex remove frag plugs and dip in multiple solutions.
 

vabben

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If I knew then, what I know now, I would pay for pre-quarantined fish. Pretty sure I would be ahead financially; certainly time and space wise.
This! Sure, I have a hospital tank, just in case. But the cost to have professionals inspect, care, and treat your fish is worth it in my personal opinion.

Plus the additional tank serves as a grow out tank when I don’t pay close enough attention to my sons cichlids, and they randomly release fry one weekend.
 

RobertTheNurse

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I say follow the science. Can an organism host in another organism until it finds a suitable host to replicate itself on.

Quarentining fish is a no Brainer. Captive Bred fish if you think about it, come from a long line of fish that have never been exposed to any major immune threat. Therefore, when they get sick...THEY GET SICK!

Should I quarentine inverts like snails --- I don't know, perhaps, makes sense to.

Can corals act as vectors to things like ich? I suppose...but are they really good vectors, that I dunno (I studied the human body not aquatic life) I'm only speculating. The answer is probably yes.

So in short. If im investing time and money. I'd follow the science. I'd be smart. And choose wisely.

I often post that this hobby is a lot like playing Chess.

Rob
 

RobertTheNurse

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This! Sure, I have a hospital tank, just in case. But the cost to have professionals inspect, care, and treat your fish is worth it in my personal opinion.

Plus the additional tank serves as a grow out tank when I don’t pay close enough attention to my sons cichlids, and they randomly release fry one weekend.
I agree. But in actual fact tho. Hospitals actually are breeding grounds for disease (like our hospitals for example) I can only imagine with widespread use of pharmaceuticals in hospital tanks in aqua marine, how they have the potential to create resiatant nosocomial infections (in time).
 

Coral Newbie

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I don’t qt my fish but I do spend the extra money to get from QT sites like marine collectors TSM and blue zoo. I only by my corals from @Battlecorals as his qt process is 2nd to none. I’m on my 5 box from battle corals now as I have upgrade over the years
 

RobertTheNurse

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If your store sold you a coral that had an aiptasia would you forgive and continue to shop there, or say your good bye?
 

xxkenny90xx

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I quarantine all fish and coral that go into my tank. I learned the hard way. Coral quarantine isn't that difficult. https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/how-to-quarantine-coral-and-inverts.228/
Uhh guys, @DrMMI already gave you the answer. Click the link! No need for further opinions!

But here is the just of it
Screenshot_20210206-201012_Chrome.jpg
 

Doctorgori

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What about corals? There are a lot of hitchhikers that could potentially arrive on say some. I would hate to see a Zoe garden get eaten by a pest. Do you have a quarantine for your corals?
Interestingly:
I’ve been experimenting with dipping vs not...”Tenativley” and I mean I’m whispering this, BUT I no longer trust that dips don’t actually further stress corals...
Again, this is anecdotal but those I didn’t dip didn’t brown ...Not sure or confident anymore with some of the dips ...
anyway, I can see the logic in a short observation period, I can’t follow a longer period of pathogenicity waiting for the bugs to show up ... may as well at least Bayer rather than subject a coral to a 3 environmental changes in short order: (LFS + QT tank + DT tank) in 30 days? ....
...OTOH you gotta compromise: new corals vs. $$$ in existing corals in your DT ..
 
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wlucks

wlucks

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I agree. But in actual fact tho. Hospitals actually are breeding grounds for disease (like our hospitals for example) I can only imagine with widespread use of pharmaceuticals in hospital tanks in aqua marine, how they have the potential to create resiatant nosocomial infections (in time).
I don’t think that I would treat with medication unless there was a need just for that reason
 

RobertTheNurse

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I don’t think that I would treat with medication unless there was a need just for that reason
I would just because of the investment. But, everyone is different. Remember, like a Chess game lol
 

kerbfish

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I recently lost all of my fish from what I believe to be velvet. My tank had to be broken down and moved to redo my floors. I had a LFS move it out and hold my tank and all my livestock for 10 days.

he lost 3 of my fish at his store, a brand new healthy blonde naso and yellow tang I had forever. I was ticked. He brought back tank and yellow tang he added looked healthy going in and was covered in snow 2 days later. Then I saw imperator and flame angel had also..

long story short I figured it was too late unless I pulled all fish....every fish including bullet proof damsel died over nest several days.

I am fallow but adding align or coral and we will wait at least 45 days from last frag added to add fish back. My first batch will come from dr reef.

will I have patience and perseverance to only buy from full QT/treatment vendors...only time will tell.

if the fish didn’t receive multiple stressors maybe this would have never happened but no one can tell you that for sure.
No one thinks they can lose a whole tank of fish until a perfect storm happens....
 

bdif

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Not QTing everything wet is like riding a motorcycle. It’s not a matter of if, but when u go down. It’s gonna happen. Hopefully it’s the equivalent of just tipping the bike over at a stop sign, but often it’s much worse.
16 years in this hobby and I can’t understand why you would not QT. “I can’t Afford a QT”. Really? Its like 75 bucks for fully equipped system. “I don’t have the space”. My microwave takes up a bigger footprint than my 20gal QT.

Be honest with yourself as to why you don’t QT. The real reason is you’ve fallen victim to the #1 culprit of tank failure and financial disaster. YOU WANT INSTANT GRATIFICATION. I just got this x/y/z fish/ coral/invert that’s gonna look awesome in my DT. The idea of waiting 30+ days before putting in DT Is just not gonna happen.

I QT everything and medicate prophylacticly even with no sign of disease. If whatever it is can’t make it through my militant QT standards, it doesn’t see the DT.

How did I come to implement this regimen? My “motorcycle” crashed 10 years ago
 

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