Nets in TTM

[hectoriptera]

Hello,

I’m just wondering what’s your take on what’s the best way to move fish from one tank to another in TTM, since I find it’s kind of non sense (to some extent) to have an independent equipments (2 heaters, pumps, etc) if in the end you are going to insert a net or colander or whatever that has touched the water of the previous tank. Of course that would be the only time you would go through a risk with this method, but there’s a way to get rid of that risk and make the TTM 100% safe with any specific method to move the fish so that no water of the previous tank was getting to the other tank ? Also, do you think TTM method is the best one or do you suggest another quarantine procedure to be 100% on the safe side (or as close as possible to it)?
Regards

 

[christinna77]

From what I understand, people use net A to catch the fish and place it in a separate container to "rinse it". Then they use net B to catch it again and transfer it to the next tank.

That said, as you can see, this method has several downsides, including possible contamination, a very strict timeline and the fact that it really only works well for ich. Flukes can lay eggs directly on the fish and velvet requires a hybrid TTM approach as well, so TTM alone isn't effective for those.

Our fish medics strongly recommend following this quarantine protocol: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/current-quarantine-protocol.825055/. It was recently updated to include other options that can shorten the quarantine period while adding as little risk as possible.

 

[winxp_man]

Hello,

I’m just wondering what’s your take on what’s the best way to move fish from one tank to another in TTM, since I find it’s kind of non sense (to some extent) to have an independent equipments (2 heaters, pumps, etc) if in the end you are going to insert a net or colander or whatever that has touched the water of the previous tank. Of course that would be the only time you would go through a risk with this method, but there’s a way to get rid of that risk and make the TTM 100% safe with any specific method to move the fish so that no water of the previous tank was getting to the other tank ? Also, do you think TTM method is the best one or do you suggest another quarantine procedure to be 100% on the safe side (or as close as possible to it)?
Regards

It’s hard to understand this if you have not looked under a microscope as ich. It’s incredible how much ich is in a pin drop of water or fish mucus. Once you see it you come to an understating why a QT tank also needs to have 10’ if space from DT’s. Water splashing from a bubbler could crazy these insane diseases. They really are microscopic in size. And you can only imagine how much can be moved through handling fish to move it to another tank with a net as stated by @christinna77.

Here at R2R we don’t recommend it if one can do copper. Copper safe/power at 2.25ppm min is a solid way to go about eradicating ich and velvet in a 30 day QT process you will find in the protocol link.

The amount of success I have had over the going on two years of success now, and the ease of it makes me not care for other methods.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Owning a retail pet store, I have always used a net soak solution which contains methylene and formalin based solution but also rinsing in hot water reduces chances of transfer

 

[CHSUB]

I use TTM with PP dips and have done so since 2011, now added the Hybrid method in the last few years. The h2o2 dip claims to eliminate other parasites and PP is for extra security. I have done about 60 fish over this time and have been parasite free since. I use a colander to move fish and yes a little water probably makes it through. Imo, Hybrid TTM is extremely effective and I would not do anything else. The fish generally barely reacts with using a colander vs a net.

Here are some examples:

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Hello,

I’m just wondering what’s your take on what’s the best way to move fish from one tank to another in TTM, since I find it’s kind of non sense (to some extent) to have an independent equipments (2 heaters, pumps, etc) if in the end you are going to insert a net or colander or whatever that has touched the water of the previous tank. Of course that would be the only time you would go through a risk with this method, but there’s a way to get rid of that risk and make the TTM 100% safe with any specific method to move the fish so that no water of the previous tank was getting to the other tank ? Also, do you think TTM method is the best one or do you suggest another quarantine procedure to be 100% on the safe side (or as close as possible to it)?
Regards

TTM has some drawbacks as the others noted. The biggest issue is that one of the common flukes, Neobenedenia, has sticky eggs. These are easily moved from tank to tank in a net. It has been shown that one egg can restart an infection.

Being in the EU though, you may have issues obtaining chelated copper products and praziquantel to do a regular quarantine.

Hyposalinity might be an option for you. It treats ich and flukes very well, but doesn't treat Amyloodinium / velvet (but that is a rarer disease).

Hyposalinity

Hyposalinity Jay Hemdal 2024 This term refers to a long-term bath treatment for marine fishes in which the salt content of the water is lowered and held below the point that certain parasites can survive. The salt level reached, and the time of the treatment are the two variables...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[Michael Hughes]

Whichever QT method you have available and decide to use, I will second CHSUB's advice to use a colander, not a net. You can get a square plastic colander with a handle that makes catching and transferring fish much faster (and presumably less stressful than chasing the fish around with a net).