Poll: QT method - Proactive, Passive, I don't quarantine?

[winxp_man]

I did approach a guy to do it for me he said he would charge me 20 dollars per fish. But honestly sounded too shady so I went ahead and invested in a setup. Hopefully once I start a tank thread ill share pics of everything. My new tank has been stuck in hormuz for what feels like ages but it should be here soon.

A 150 setup for QT. 18 fish.

All are in a 300 now doing really well! The maroon pair were the new addition. Had them QT in another tank, but moved them to put a pair of SB Onyx Perculas in.

 

[Mark Goode]

I didn't quarantine when I started, four years ago, copper being difficult to acquire in the UK. The fish I have now are those that I bought back then - with one exception: a gorgeous hippo tang that had been in the LFS display tank for a year or so. I was confident that fish was disease free, so he went straight in the DT. However, I don't wish to upset this healthy tank, so any new additions will get the full treatment.

 

[winxp_man]

You can change your vote on this poll.
IMHO, no I don't believe a shop QT qualifies for you QTing as per the question.
If I bought a tank built for me I wouldn't claim I built it. Like wise an LFS QTing isnt anybody else QTing. Then again I haven't ever QTd anyway and not only that I don't believe it's in the best interest for our fish.
Has said above, am not so bothered if people prefer to QT in its many forms inc medicating. I have just found it unnecessary as I have posted above. The survival and long term health of the fish is what's important to me.

It’s about QT vs no need to QT no? What am I missing here from the original post. Not about who did the work of the QT. Why not buy non QTed fish then? But I digress.

 

[tlips]

I stopped QT when I setup a QT for my fish and ran my tank fallow. After I ran it fallow for 80 days and my fish had no spots and were healthy. I put the fish back in the display and within a day had white spots. So from then on ive never QT. The only thing I do is add kanaplex, metroplex, and focus to the food every day and I never have issues.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

I advocate for an effective, comprehensive quarantine protocol. We just revised the method that I developed as a public aquarium curator:

Current Quarantine Protocol

2024 Quarantine Procedures Jay Hemdal David Scarborough Protozoans (Cryptocaryon/ich, Amyloodinium/velvet) and Metazoan trematodes/flukes are by far the most common parasites found on newly acquired fish. A carefully managed, proactive quarantine process can effectively eliminate these...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[huthain]

A 150 setup for QT. 18 fish.

All are in a 300 now doing really well! The maroon pair were the new addition. Had them QT in another tank, but moved them to put a pair of SB Onyx Perculas in.

Are those multiple powder blue? Definitely a top 3 fish for me but everyone tells me to stay away for both their aggression as well as being ich magnets, how long have you had them and how has your experience been?

 

[atoll]

It’s about QT vs no need to QT no? What am I missing here from the original post. Not about who did the work of the QT. Why not buy non QTed fish then? But I digress.

The question. Quote "how do you quarantine" so do you do it or somebody else (if at all). If somebody else does it for you like an LFS then you don't do it they do. Now if an LFS says they QT for you how do you know how they do it. For instance, with other fish, in isolation, how long etc etc and how can you be sure they are QTing the way you would like or are told.

 

[winxp_man]

Are those multiple powder blue? Definitely a top 3 fish for me but everyone tells me to stay away for both their aggression as well as being ich magnets, how long have you had them and how has your experience been?

I have 6 powders haha. Two blue’s, two hybrids with white cheek powders, and one hybrid with gold rim ( I can’t chose a favorite. In the moment discussion yes haha, but if I ponder on it for a few mintues I just can’t say haha!). They have the typical banter between each other. Large tank, and lots of rock work and caves, and to be fed well makes it work for me. I introduced them at the same time and so they have a pecking order that works for them now. Also have 5 zebrasoma’s. They also all get along.

 

[chrisd73]

So in the process of starting to QT fish soon, ive learned a ton here especially from Jay's QT protocol that is the main reason im starting to QT.

However I also am unsure if I want to expose every fish to copper and prazi by taking a proactive approach, anything and everything goes through the treatment which also seems slightly inhumane towards the fish however i understand its for the greater good. Or should I just observe them passively for a couple of months and unless I see signs of disease start treatment.

Would love to hear how everyone does it, why they do it that way and how has it worked out for them!

I was the same way, until I lost all my fish to Velvet. After that I got a little 10 gallon breeder and QTd everything. I was really sold when my LFS told me they run a low dose of copper in all their tanks. So I figured fish would be already sorta used to it. Bought a fish, 4 weeks in QT with copper, 50% water changes weekly. Then kept up the 50% changes for 2 more weeks without adding copper. Then in the display tank. Brought copper in QT back up to 2.0 and bought another fish. Repeated until I restocked my DT. Over a year later and no sign of disease.

 

[huthain]

I have 6 powders haha. Two blue’s, two hybrids with white cheek powders, and one hybrid with gold rim ( I can’t chose a favorite. In the moment discussion yes haha, but if I ponder on it for a few mintues I just can’t say haha!). They have the typical banter between each other. Large tank, and lots of rock work and caves, and to be fed well makes it work for me. I introduced them at the same time and so they have a pecking order that works for them now. Also have 5 zebrasoma’s. They also all get along.

Thats amazing how large is your tank and how many total fish do you have in there?
Im getting my 6 foot 200 gallon soon planning on keeping a stocking under 20 fish, 4 tangs ideally Naso, bristletooth, hippo and purple. The other fish will all be small except for the foxface. Am I over stocking or understocking?

 

[winxp_man]

Thats amazing how large is your tank and how many total fish do you have in there?
Im getting my 6 foot 200 gallon soon planning on keeping a stocking under 20 fish, 4 tangs ideally Naso, bristletooth, hippo and purple. The other fish will all be small except for the foxface. Am I over stocking or understocking?

I think that would work, make lots of caves. And if only these are the large fish that will not be a problem. For the bio load. Get a good skimmer. Octo Regal 200 Int would be nice. I’m running the 250 Int on min.

Oh and about your other post ich magnet if you do ich management yes. It’s been 3 months since my powders finished QT another tank with the others. Not a spot to be seen. Ich is an issue for powders because of the slime coat I would say. It’s not very thick so ich gets attached and enters into the fish easily. My zebrasoma's were the last to get it when I had the outbreak, but when picking them up I noticed they have heavily slime coat. But a good run through QT, and the fish are all good.

 

[huthain]

I think that would work, make lots of caves. And if only these are the large fish that will not be a problem. For the bio load. Get a good skimmer. Octo Regal 200 Int would be nice. I’m running the 250 Int on min.

Oh and about your other post ich magnet if you do ich management yes. It’s been 3 months since my powders finished QT another tank with the others. Not a spot to be seen. Ich is an issue for powders because of the slime coat I would say. It’s not very thick so ich gets attached and enters into the fish easily. My zebrasoma's were the last to get it when I had the outbreak, but when picking them up I noticed they have heavily slime coat. But a good run through QT, and the fish are all good.

Octo is hard to come by here however, im getting the redsea DC 900 which is the biggest one they have. It should do the job well

 

[SeaWolf95]

My vote was easy I dont QT and Ive used this meme a few times but once again

 

[Evensong]

How is copper stressful? Unless you’re referring to cupramine. Ionic vs Chelated copper is the key. In the almost two years I have been using copper, unless it’s uronema I have not had any issues because of copper.

Most will agree that TTM is actually more stressful. And the amount of work it takes vs copper power or copper safe.

Depends on the fish. Some fish are furious at being scooped up every three days, others couldn't care less. Some fish tolerate copper and other meds just fine, others less so.

 

[exnisstech]

I was really sold when my LFS told me they run a low dose of copper in all their tanks.

They do this because it suppresses disease which is the same reason many run low salinty in addition to saving money. Neither do anything to kill disease, only hide it until the fish are placed in normal salinty then the disease becomes active. It's the reason I try to only buy fish from tanks containing coral and or inverts. It's a poor practice that unfortunately has become common practice. Many LFS will flat out lie and call low salinity hypo and state low level copper cures disease.

 

[huthain]

They do this because it suppresses disease which is the same reason many run low salinty in addition to saving money. Neither do anything to kill disease, only hide it until the fish are placed in normal salinty then the disease becomes active. It's the reason I try to only buy fish from tanks containing coral and or inverts. It's a poor practice that unfortunately has become common practice. Many LFS will flat out lie and call low salinity hypo and state low level copper cures disease.

Yea I get it its shameful. Most of our LFS run their salinity lower as well but none use any copper as far as I know.

 

[Evensong]

TTM seems super time consuming honestly and it limits you to very small QT tanks unless youre willing to dish out huge quantities of water. I feel like im not at that level yet, but I also feel theres a different added level of stress relocating the fish constantly

I'll add my 2 cents on TTM -- and specifically hybrid (HTTM) with 2 hydrogen peroxide baths and 2 doses of Praziquantel. I'm not saying it's superior to other methods necessarily, but I think it has an undeserved reputation for being complicated and time consuming. It's actually dead simple, just repetitive so it seems like a lot. The time difference compared to traditional methods is negligible; you're just cleaning tanks instead of performing copper tests and water changes. And you don't need a cycled QT so that's another simplification.

As far as cost, using cheap Instant Ocean is the way to go bc it has no additives that you don't want anyway for this method. If you're using 20g tanks like I do for 1 to 3 fish at a time, you'll need 100 gallons to do a full quarantine, so like 35 bucks for salt.

 

[Gnop1950]

I don't quarantine, but I only buy from QT vendors with good reputations. It is a bit easier since the closest FS, I won't call it an LFS, is a 140-mile round trip. So the temptation to see and buy a fish from a physical store is pretty much nonexistent for me.

 

[Spartyon]

I am a relatively new reefer but after my non-quarantined pair of clowns, Royal Gramma and yellow watchman all died I decided to QT. I was gone two days and came back to the clowns covered with velvet. I quickly removed them and started treatment, too late. I’m doing the Serious Reef Qt with a Formalin bath, four treatments of Copper Pro and three Prazipro in a 5gal bucket with 100% water changes between treatments. They then go in a 10gal observation tank with a UV filter for three weeks. Besides killing my Flame Angel with the copper treatment, add that to my learning curve, I have eight fish make it through with no later illness. It is time consuming and oh so boring. I’m not going to risk an expensive fish or put an un-quarantined expensive fish in with healthy quarantined expensive fish.

 

[exnisstech]

I’m not going to risk an expensive fish or put an un-quarantined expensive fish in with healthy quarantined expensive fish.

Not sure what price has to do with wanting healthy fish. I like my $8 chromis to be healthy.