Is a "quarantine tank" really that essential?

[mcarroll]

To try and keep the thread on-topic...

I'm not anti-QT, I'm just realistic about it.

QT sytems have their place and their use like any tool. They can also be used right or wrong (intelligence requirement) and be used at the right or wrong time (wisdom requirement) like any tool.

A QT is no substitute for experience and no excuse to stock a tank faster than one's experience level would suggest.

Online, major online fish retailer

Our ability to be selective about livestock is totally impaired when buying online. (I don't think I'd ever be able to buy a dog online...fish don't seem too different to me.)

The fish are also considerably more stressed and have been handled more than a fish you'd get from a LFS.

A QT is definitely more essential if this is your "buying style."

Interesting (based on the material quoted earlier) that uronema's (assuming that's what we're looking at) parasitic behavior would seem almost surely triggered by a QT environment.

Also interesting that probiotics have a demonstrated effect on suppressing infections like this. If I understood correctly, fish even cleared the infection in one study. (The Koreans have studied this quite a bit.....sorry didn't save any links this time as most of the articles weren't too interesting overall. Dig into google scholar with "uronema korean".)

 

[tcarter1936]

I personally do not quarantine and have not in 40 years. But I keep my fish immune so it is not just throwing fish in and hope for the best. That won't work at all. For the majority of people quarantining is the way to go. I feel quarantining is very bad for fish as it will totally destroy their immune system but until you gain enough experience and all your paired fish are spawning and only dying of old age. Keep quarantine. There is no other way. Also if you feed dry foods keep quaranting

Agreed, I quarantine due to not having a old established setup where it's easier to have fish with immunities. But since I've started feeding clams and lrs reef frenzy. My fish have never looked so energetic and happy. Alot to be said for the foods you feed. I will never feed dry again.

 

[tcarter1936]

I agree with most, but curious why do you say quarantining is bad for fish and totally destroy their IS ?

Sound a bit extreme, considering qt tank is just a normal tank with no deco or sand usually. Is not an hospital tank. For me qt are for observation and heavy feeding in order to boost their inmune system, not to destroy it.

Qt tank is a must imo.

I partially agree, remember that if your not exposed to something you can't get immunities to it. And if you become exposed you need to be in great shape to build said immunities. Same reason I can get immune to the flu by catching it but if your a baby or elderly it can kill you in some cases. I still qt because I feel my tanks not established enough to take the chance.

 

[mcarroll]

@tcarter1936 @edosan

@jeremy.gosnell has a great Article here on fish behavior you guys should read. (Really, everyone who keeps fish should read it – not just you. )

How behaviorally complex are marine fish?

 

[edosan]

I partially agree, remember that if your not exposed to something you can't get immunities to it. And if you become exposed you need to be in great shape to build said immunities. Same reason I can get immune to the flu by catching it but if your a baby or elderly it can kill you in some cases. I still qt because I feel my tanks not established enough to take the chance.

I agree but maybe you misunderstood me or I didnt express myself good. I never said to get inmunity or new inmunity. I mean boost their inmune system, since with transport and all, is probably very depressed, and if I add a fish like that to a tank full of fishes (I have a huge bulling there), it will be more stressed. The idea for the qt, is to recover the strength, with a lot of live food, so much that in a normal reef sps tank, the no3 and po4 will be out of range.