How many fish is too many for a QT?

Neptune 555

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I am doing TT method on new inhabitants for my 180 tank that is ich free. I thought it would be a good idea to add all my new fish at once so the aggression could be spread out... and I will move some of my rock work when I add the new fish.

Currently I have the following fish in QT in a 20 gallon tank with 3 small pieces of LR:
* foxface 4 inches
* yellow watchman goby small
* 3 small green chromis

I have the following fish arriving on Monday from LA
* Bella sand sifting goby
* Red head Fairy wrasse
* 1 purple dottyback

Can I QT all of these fish together in a 20 gallon tank? My first preference as so much water for TT
* As they are only in QT for 3 days before new water will ammonia build up that fast?
* Do ammonia alert badges work if I add prime?
* If fish all look good no meds... If a fish is sick they will to to 10 gallon hospital tank for treatment
* Do I just purchase dry sand from the LFS and fill a Tupperware piece for the bella goby? I don't really want to lose that much sand from my DT? rinse and use?
* I will add some LR to each TT along w/ pvc for hiding. (live rock will stay out of tank for 2 months after this.
* I put sponges in my sump right now... in 1 week will they be seeded at all w bacteria to help?

I so rarely purchase fish b/c this first step is so annoying! But I am sure I have no ich b/c I have done with all fish.

thanks neptune!
 

JumboShrimp

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In my opinion, a 20 gallon is small for that many fish to try TTT all at once—for the concerns you have raised. I would TTT the first batch, and hold the new arrivals in a separate QT (not bad in and of itself, so...?), and then start TTT when your first batch goes into your DT.
 

Jay Hemdal

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I am doing TT method on new inhabitants for my 180 tank that is ich free. I thought it would be a good idea to add all my new fish at once so the aggression could be spread out... and I will move some of my rock work when I add the new fish.

Currently I have the following fish in QT in a 20 gallon tank with 3 small pieces of LR:
* foxface 4 inches
* yellow watchman goby small
* 3 small green chromis

I have the following fish arriving on Monday from LA
* Bella sand sifting goby
* Red head Fairy wrasse
* 1 purple dottyback

Can I QT all of these fish together in a 20 gallon tank? My first preference as so much water for TT
* As they are only in QT for 3 days before new water will ammonia build up that fast?
* Do ammonia alert badges work if I add prime?
* If fish all look good no meds... If a fish is sick they will to to 10 gallon hospital tank for treatment
* Do I just purchase dry sand from the LFS and fill a Tupperware piece for the bella goby? I don't really want to lose that much sand from my DT? rinse and use?
* I will add some LR to each TT along w/ pvc for hiding. (live rock will stay out of tank for 2 months after this.
* I put sponges in my sump right now... in 1 week will they be seeded at all w bacteria to help?

I so rarely purchase fish b/c this first step is so annoying! But I am sure I have no ich b/c I have done with all fish.

thanks neptune!
Hi,

First, as folks here know, I am not a fan of TTM. Even the hybrid method still can let more disease issues get through than a comprehensive quarantine protocol will. TTM does work pretty well for ich, but moving the fish is stressful, and you need to watch the ammonia very closely as it builds up faster than most people realize.

I would use the Seachem multitest ammonia test over their badge, much more accurate. I've heard of the badge failing to register ammonia too many times.

So - you are going to use two 20 gallon tanks then for TTM? If so, do NOT move the tray of sand between transfers, it will move tomonts with it and the TTM will fail.

I'm confused - why would you use LR in TTM? You would have to sterilize it between each move. I would just use PVC pipe. Oh - I reread about just observing the fish. That is usually a huge mistake. Observational quarantines need to be at least 6 weeks, and even then, they often fail. I never do them. Remember, if you have fish in quarantine and you add some new fish, the counter resets to day zero.

To the original question - those fish can technically fit in a 20 gallon long ( a 20 high doesn't have as much floor space). But a 4" foxface is going to put out as much waste as all the other fish combined. You also need to consider that the purple dottyback may attack some of the other fish.

Jay
 
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Neptune 555

Neptune 555

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Yes I have (2) 20 gallon tanks and (2) 10 gallon tanks. The live rock is for ammonia spikes... I don't put it back in my DT for 60+ days after I do this... so if ich was present it would be fallow... YES sand gets thrown out each TTM... that is why I was going to purchase a new bag.
 
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Neptune 555

Neptune 555

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Hi,

First, as folks here know, I am not a fan of TTM. Even the hybrid method still can let more disease issues get through than a comprehensive quarantine protocol will. TTM does work pretty well for ich, but moving the fish is stressful, and you need to watch the ammonia very closely as it builds up faster than most people realize.

I would use the Seachem multitest ammonia test over their badge, much more accurate. I've heard of the badge failing to register ammonia too many times.

So - you are going to use two 20 gallon tanks then for TTM? If so, do NOT move the tray of sand between transfers, it will move tomonts with it and the TTM will fail.

I'm confused - why would you use LR in TTM? You would have to sterilize it between each move. I would just use PVC pipe. Oh - I reread about just observing the fish. That is usually a huge mistake. Observational quarantines need to be at least 6 weeks, and even then, they often fail. I never do them. Remember, if you have fish in quarantine and you add some new fish, the counter resets to day zero.

To the original question - those fish can technically fit in a 20 gallon long ( a 20 high doesn't have as much floor space). But a 4" foxface is going to put out as much waste as all the other fish combined. You also need to consider that the purple dottyback may attack some of the other fish.

Jay
Hi Jay, based on your feedback I called LA and they are holding my order until I complete my QT and TTM with the fish I already have. So thank you!

Second and I started a new thread on this... how do I keep ammonia down in a QT tank? Is prime an option? That is why I placed the 3 pieces of LR in the Qt tank. I realize I can't put them back in the DT for 60+ days now. But is that enough?

thanks!!
 

Jay Hemdal

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Hi Jay, based on your feedback I called LA and they are holding my order until I complete my QT and TTM with the fish I already have. So thank you!

Second and I started a new thread on this... how do I keep ammonia down in a QT tank? Is prime an option? That is why I placed the 3 pieces of LR in the Qt tank. I realize I can't put them back in the DT for 60+ days now. But is that enough?

thanks!!
Don’t use prime if you are running a copper treatment with an amine based copper, especially Cupramine.
What I like to do is keep sponge filters running in tank sumps - then I can use them as biofilters for QT as needed. These are much more effective than static live rock - as long as they’ve been running for a few months.
Jay
 
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Neptune 555

Neptune 555

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Don’t use prime if you are running a copper treatment with an amine based copper, especially Cupramine.
What I like to do is keep sponge filters running in tank sumps - then I can use them as biofilters for QT as needed. These are much more effective than static live rock - as long as they’ve been running for a few months.
Jay
Jay, Yes I took a piece of my filter sponge from my sump that has been in my sump for 1 year + and added it to a HOB filter. My ammonia just ticked up... .25? what do I do? ADD more of the filter sponge or just cut bait and move fish to a new QT...Tested my DT and my QT. DFN my QT is showing ammonia. 3 pieces of LR and seeded filter? OMG!!

They look fine....
 

Jay Hemdal

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Jay, Yes I took a piece of my filter sponge from my sump that has been in my sump for 1 year + and added it to a HOB filter. My ammonia just ticked up... .25? what do I do? ADD more of the filter sponge or just cut bait and move fish to a new QT...Tested my DT and my QT. DFN my QT is showing ammonia. 3 pieces of LR and seeded filter? OMG!!

They look fine....
It wasn’t clear - are you using copper yet? All three main copper meds have ammonia in them that will show on mist ammonia tests.
If no copper, then more biofilter and “bacteria in a bottle” will help. Water changes remove ammonia, but it builds up again so quickly that you may only get benefit from that for a day or so.
Jay
 

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