It's Time to Re-Stock

[Salt1972]

As many of you know, we had a tank tragedy in late April that left us fishless. We've had a bonded pair of disbar mocha clowns for about a month now, but we'd like to re-stock back to previous levels +.

Here's our 'shopping cart' as it stands, but we have a few questions.

(15) Green Chromis
(5) Dispar Anthias
(1) Purple Tang
(1) Pacific Blue Tang
(1) Tomini Tang
(1) Watchman Goby
(2) Cleaner Shrimp
(3) Peppermint Shrimp
(1) Blue Linckia Star

How would anyone go about QT for a crew like this? Truthfully, we've never quarantined in the past, but reading on this forum makes me feel like we'd be ex-communicated if we don't.

Any tweaks or changes in stocking you guys would recommend?

Thanks in Advance.

Matt

 

[Maritimer]

You won't be excommunicated - there are a few folks here who run "disease management" tanks, and some of 'em pull it off with style - but if my personal experience is anything to go by, you might end up fishless again.

The first thing I'd recommend would be to add new fish slowly, and in order of most mild-tempered to most aggressive. I'd think about going Anthias - Goby - Chromis, and then either Tomini - Pacific blue - Purple, or all three tangs at the same time, to reduce aggression among them.

If I have the luxury of not seeing immediate signs of disease, I like to give new guys a few days to a week of settling in and eating well, then a shot of General Cure or Prazi-Pro for flukes. (Can be a good idea to freshwater dip each fish before GC or Prazi.) A second dose of GC or Prazi-Pro five to seven days later should take care of any fluke eggs that have hatched, as they won't be taken out inside the egg. At this point, a water change is probably in order, just on general principles as well as to remove some of the chemistry left over from de-fluking. After that, I'll begin slowly ramping up copper - I use chelated copper, the type that's in Copper Power or Copper Safe (there have been potency issues with Copper Safe recently...). Test copper levels as you go, with an appropriate test kit. If you've got a second, clean QT, you can move the fish out of copper and into that tank at about the two-week point, otherwise 30 days is recommended. Copper will treat for Cryptocaryon ("ich") and Amyloodinium ("velvet").

Shrimp and crabs should be quarantined as well, but can be moved into your display if they moult their shells in QT. Some fish parasites can encyst onto crustaceans, but when the shell comes off ... so do they. If the crustaceans don't moult, they should really remain in QT for 76 days, but in this case, _without_ medication. Observation only. Those parasites can't encyst onto sea-stars, so your blue Linckia can go into the display with a careful acclimation.

Brew12's excellent write-up on QT procedures is here: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/beginners-guide-to-acclimation-and-quarantine.304980/#post-3736443

~Bruce

 

[Salt1972]

Alright. We set up a proper Q tank today and began the cycle.

10g, HOB Filter, Sicce Voyager Powerhead, Heater, & Air Stone. We painted the back, sides, and bottom black, added some PVC fittings, and took some media from our display tank filter and put it in the HOB. We added 1 cube of mysis shrimp and ordered a Seachem Ammonia badge along with a compliment of @Humblefish recommended meds.

 

[tiggs]

I remember reading your post and am glad to hear you guys are getting back on track. I know how unsettling an event like that can be, so it's nice to see you're getting back on your feet.

Blue Linkias are by far my favorite invert because of their coloration and the contrast they bring, but are also very difficult to keep. This is mostly due to their unknown dietary needs. Most believe they really need sponges and filter feeders to stay healthy, although some have had luck in very well established, older systems with tons of microfauna and surfaces for them to graze, plus spot feeding angel formula that contains sponge. Some folks have had good luck with them (more so in recent years), but a good majority randomly melt away after a few months after seemingly being in good health. The one piece of advice I can give is if you see it start to melt, get it out of the tank immediately. I'm not sure if there's any recommended treatment for sea stars in that condition other than separating it into another tank so it doesn't pollute your DT, in the event that it doesn't make it. Personally, I've had better luck with Fromia stars, as they seem hardier. If you do go the Linkia route, I wish you good luck!