Other options besides quarantine

[Lenny_S]

"Safety Stop" was formerly called "Instant Quarantine." Here is the review I wrote on the Marine Depot website a couple of years ago:

Not a Quarantine
Sustitute

by WILLIAM SCOTT

One Star
Unsatisfactory
..............

Well there you have it. I heard of this from some online retailer that had it as an add-on option in the shopping cart when you bought fish. I didn't get it.

One other thing I just thought of that might be an option for the OP is TTM (Tank Transfer Method), not sure if anyone mentioned that yet. Now this I have used with every Tang I've gotten since it is geared towards Ich mostly. I also did the optional Prazi step as part of it. In those cases I did not do a full quarantine, only the TTM. It really requires very little to do. My TTM setup is two 5 gallon tanks I got from Petco during one of their $1 per gallon sales, 2 HOB filters for circulation (no media), 2 small cheap heaters, and a bottle of Prime. I got 2 of everything so I can let one entire set dry completely for > 24 hours before it's used again. I think the entire cost was like $50. Here is the article/post about it... https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/tank-transfer-method.192655/

EDIT: By the way, all that stuff only needs to be out temporarily when you get a new fish. Otherwise it can be tucked away in a closet or cabinet the rest of the time.

 

[mgoesma]

I have considered ttm along with the safety stop.

 

[Valkyrie]

There aren't any other fish to infect. That are you able to do in quarantine that you can't do in the main tank?

Do you have live rock? Do you have live sand? Are you running a sump system? Do you have any corals or inverts in it? Protein skimmer?
If the answer is yes to any one of those questions you're not going to want to medicate fish in your main tank and now your tank is contaminated.

 

[wkscott]

So help me understand the difference between medicated baths like "safe stop" and quarantine. I understand quarantine last longer. There aren't any other fish to infect. That are you able to do in quarantine that you can't do in the main tank? I get once you have lots of money in your tank it's a good idea.

A 5 minute medicated bath may knock off a few little "bugs" but it positively WILL NOT CURE Brook, Velvet, Ick or any other deadly ailment.
You put the fish in a QT so that you can observe them. Make sure that they are eating and not being bullied by other fish. Most importantly, you are looking for signs of diseases or illnesses so that you can take immediate action for the cure. It's really hard to observe a new fish in the DT when he's hiding out in the rocks.
Most fish medications will kill all of the invertebrates in the DT along with possibly harming part of your biological filtration. Not good to treat in the DT.
Why do this from the very beginning and not wait? All life has value so why would you want to wait until the DT has a wipeout after you've introduced disease? Now you would have to let the DT sit fallow (without any fish in it) for more than 10 weeks and start the whole process again.

 

[mgoesma]

I'm thinking about using safety stop and then ttm. Is there any objections to that?

 

[wkscott]

I'm thinking about using safety stop and then ttm. Is there any objections to that?

I have no personal objections but there are a couple of things you should be aware of:
1. Read the Safety Stop instructions. They tell you to dip and then put the fish into the QUARANTINE tank, not directly into the DT.
2. TTM is probably the safest and most effective way to get rid of ick. However, TTM has NO EFFECT on Velvet, Brook, or any of the other deadly diseases which new fish may bring in. In the last year in particular, Velvet has been running rampant in fish shipments arriving in the US, even the "better" dealers most likely have it. Many fish have BOTH Velvet and Ick.

 

[mgoesma]

So if I do the medication steps in ttm will that take care of everything?

 

[mgoesma]

Prazipro

 

[mgoesma]

So I have been talking to my gf and I think you guys have her scared enough to let me get a 10g quarantine tank. So my first fish are firefish what is the best medication to use to make sure I don't get sick or anything else? And how do I medicate?

 

[wkscott]

AFTER you complete the last stage of TTM, you can add Prazipro. Per its label, it: Controls disease conditions caused by flukes, tapeworm, flatworm, and internal parasites.
The treatment, I believe, should last 5 to 7 days.

 

[4FordFamily]

So help me understand the difference between medicated baths like "safe stop" and quarantine. I understand quarantine last longer. There aren't any other fish to infect. That are you able to do in quarantine that you can't do in the main tank? I get once you have lots of money in your tank it's a good idea.

No medication will kill all parasites on the fish during any period like this. They become shielded by the slime coat or are deeply embedded. This is why the longer quarantine process it allows enough time for the parasite life cycle. Once dislodged from the fish, medications can work

 

[wkscott]

So I have been talking to my gf and I think you guys have her scared enough to let me get a 10g quarantine tank. So my first fish are firefish what is the best medication to use to make sure I don't get sick or anything else? And how do I medicate?

Happy to hear that we scared your girlfriend.

Most copper-based medications will kill Ick, Brook and Velvet. Get one and carefully follow the package instructions.

 

[mgoesma]

Got it. Copper. Is copper safe for all fish?

 

[jsker]

I'm going to try to add to the question.. If one vets the LFS sees good practices and the LFS qt's all new fish before display/sale, also this LFS is who you get to do monthly maint on tank and get your supplies from is there a need for a second QT when you buy the fish?

IMO no.

 

[wkscott]

It is safe with firefish but it is not safe with ALL fish. Apparently wrasses don't like it.
Just ask here on this forum when you get other fish.

 

[jsker]

I've purchased a few fish from WWC, no issues yet. Although I prefer to buy fish from other hobbyists. My wife just wouldn't be cool with having a 10 or 20g tank with a fish in it for 3 weeks for a QT.

I've got 10 fish and have had zero issues. My parents on the other hand have 2 tanks a 90 and 125 with about 30 total fish. They never QT either, now they have fish that they purchase die within a week or two for no apparent reason, but I've yet to see a disease in their tanks. They literally buy a fish a week..... from some shady places. I'm really not sure how they haven't had to deal with something...

Best of luck to ya! I'm on the no QT train.... For now....

Now there are some store in town that I have been and I would flat out would not purchase just from the looks of there tanks. You know you can request and @WWC will order what you are looking for?

 

[TaylorPilot]

You haven't even started thinking about corals and inverts. IMHO, the best sure fire way to stop ICH is copper based medications. But you can't use those on corals or inverts, so you have to leave them in a fallow "fishless" tank for 75 days. After that long, the Ich will have died from lack of a host. Unfortunately to do it 100% you have to have two QT tanks. One to treat all incoming fish with copper, and another to leave corals fallow for over 2 months. I don't like the idea of tank transfer. All it takes is one little microbe in a single drop of water on the fish or net, and you just shot yourself in the foot. Definitely better than nothing, but not 100%.

 

[TaylorPilot]

As far as trusting a store. Allot of stores run the fish only systems with copper in them to help control outbreaks, but I don't know any stores that will guarantee their tanks are pest free. Once it is in your tank, you have to remove every fish, put them in a QT. Treat with copper and leave the display fallow for 75 days. Just spend a little extra and do it right up front. Do a quick search of velvet on here and you'll see entire tanks wiped out. Unfortunately, it usually fouls the water if you don't catch it soon enough and takes out allot of corals as well...Just a bad situation.

 

[jsker]

Let me see if I am understanding you properly: You are part of the R2R "Reef Squad" and you are implying, to new hobbyists, that it's okay NOT to quarantine?

I stated that I do not, and have not in over 30 years of reefing.
It is using your own judgement of what you would like to do and are comfortable with.
This is a good discussion and there are other reef squad member that have also posted on this thread that they do use QT and would do it no other way.

 

[Lionfish Lair]

Let me see if I am understanding you properly: You are part of the R2R "Reef Squad" and you are implying, to new hobbyists, that it's okay NOT to quarantine?

May I politely say something to this? I'm honestly not trying to be inciteful. Just because we are members of the "ReefSquad", it doesn't mean we conform to a single idea or way of doing things. Some of us have very different ideas from each other. I may not agree with what someone else says, but that doesn't guarantee I'm right and they're wrong. It definitely doesn't mean their opinion shouldn't be heard. The best way to change someone's mind is to "make" them see it your way through supportive data.