How long to observe?

[jasonrusso]

If I'm not prophylacticly treating, how long do you observe for disease?

I got two fish from DD so they are supposedly pretreated. It's been 2 1/2 weeks and both are eating and swimming around. I don't see any spots on them, but they do hide a bit when I get close.

 

[ca1ore]

Depends on the fish and whether you are also trying to fatten it up a bit. I do 8 weeks minimum; 12 weeks if necessary. There have been occasional fish that I did much shorter, but only for those that are less suceptible to skin parasites.

 

[Uncle99]

Eating acting and behaving for 14 days, they go to my DT.

 

[jasonrusso]

Depends on the fish and whether you are also trying to fatten it up a bit. I do 8 weeks minimum; 12 weeks if necessary. There have been occasional fish that I did much shorter, but only for those that are less suceptible to skin parasites.

8 - 12 weeks? I was thinking a month at most. Why so long? I hate leaving them in an unnatural QT.

 

[ca1ore]

Because I have a sizable, and expensive, fish ‘collection’ that I do not wish to imperil so I err on the side of caution. I do keep a proper small reef setup as one of my QT tanks, so not all fish get stuck in the PVC tank for the full period.

 

[nereefpat]

8 - 12 weeks? I was thinking a month at most. Why so long? I hate leaving them in an unnatural QT.

Life cycle of ich can last that long, fyi.

Also, keep in mind DD doesn't really QT fish. It's more like what you're doing, conditioning. They keep the fish for a while, make sure it's eating, treat any ailments that the DD employees see.

 

[jasonrusso]

Life cycle of ich can last that long, fyi.

Also, keep in mind DD doesn't really QT fish. It's more like what you're doing, conditioning. They keep the fish for a while, make sure it's eating, treat any ailments that the DD employees see.

Not on the fish. On the fish is 14 days.

If I read the DD QT process, it says they are treated with copper, anti-biotic, prazi....

https://m.liveaquaria.com/general/general.cfm?general_pagesid=425

 

[nereefpat]

Not on the fish. On the fish is 14 days.

If I read the DD QT process, it says they are treated with copper, anti-biotic, prazi....

https://m.liveaquaria.com/general/general.cfm?general_pagesid=425

Right, but what if it drops off the fish, and 3 days later reinfects the fish because there is no medication in the water?

Folks on this forum have received fish from DD with ich, velvet, etc. I see they mention treatment with copper sulfate, but we don't know the specifics (concentration, duration, etc).

There are many different ways to look at QT. Some folks don't at all, some just observe, some prophylactically treat. I just wanted you to know that two weeks of observation of DD fish doesn't guarantee the fish won't have problems. And DD fish are quarantined, but not up to the standards of everyone.

 

[jasonrusso]

Any other input on this?

 

[Qasimja]

i only treat fish with metro and prazi and observe for 4 weeks i dont like to treat with copper if i dont have to may not be the best QT but it works for me

 

[jasonrusso]

At this point it's been 4 weeks. Everyone is eating and active (as long as I'm not in the room). I don't see any spots on fins.

 

[nereefpat]

Essentially, the thread is about observation only QT. It's really a QT philosophical question. I would treat DD fish the same way you would treat any incoming fish. What species of fish are we talking about?

Here are a couple threads: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/qt-observe-or-treat-or-automatically-treat-or.380506/
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/observation-only-qt-procedure.347180/
I'm sure there's lots more out there.

 

[jasonrusso]

Exquisite fairy wrasse and orange spot blenny