Quarantine inverts
- Thread starter Jiliman
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Sharkbait19
10K Club member
Welcome to the forum!
To be 100% safe, all invertebrates should be held in a separate quarantine tank for 76 days (nothing new should enter in that time). There is a risk of disease transfer, even if it is not as large as with fish. Many people, myself included, do not do this and haven’t had problems. If I had the tank space I would qt inverts though.
To be 100% safe, all invertebrates should be held in a separate quarantine tank for 76 days (nothing new should enter in that time). There is a risk of disease transfer, even if it is not as large as with fish. Many people, myself included, do not do this and haven’t had problems. If I had the tank space I would qt inverts though.
Blumy
Active Member
It really depends on your source. I have never qt’d anything and never had a problem. My LFS only buys tank raised fish and never wild. They keep everything in the back for 2 weeks before moving to the “for sale” tanks. In my opinion your going to get pests anyway, it just a matter of time. Handle them early on and it’s not a big deal.
OP
OP
Jiliman
New Member
I am a newbie and have found an awesome rare pencil urchin and star fish at petco but hardly can trust petco tanks. My FLS doesn't have lots of variety yet!!
I have an empty cycled tank and not ready quarantine tank. wondering if I could by pass quarantine them.
BirdFish5000
Well-Known Member
Yes, 76 days. That is the full life cycle of ich; whose 'egg' stage can attach to hard surfaces like invert shells.
There are two exceptions - neither urchins, nor starfish, can carry said parasite egg stage. Those are fine to put straight into your tank, provided you rinse them through a few cups of tank water.
There are two exceptions - neither urchins, nor starfish, can carry said parasite egg stage. Those are fine to put straight into your tank, provided you rinse them through a few cups of tank water.
Sharkbait19
10K Club member
I’ve read similar, that echinoderms don’t carry ich on them. Not sure if the validity.
Starfish and urchins both need really established tanks - so best to wait a bit before getting either.
Fallow/invert qt can be 45 days, but 76 is safer.
Starfish and urchins both need really established tanks - so best to wait a bit before getting either.
Fallow/invert qt can be 45 days, but 76 is safer.
Blumy
Active Member
I’d not do the starfish. They rarely live long in captivity. Urchin is great for the ugly stage but the get big and tend to bulldoze over corals even when firmly attached. Get a cheap fish like a chromis, some snails and a hermits to “test the waters”. But get them from a reputable source.
BirdFish5000
Well-Known Member
I'd be <very> careful with a chromis. They are highly prone to uronema, which is getting more and frequent in the supply chain, and once uronema is in your tank, there is no getting it out.
I'd personally would never put a chromis in one of my tanks without at least prophylactically treating it for uronema.
I'd personally would never put a chromis in one of my tanks without at least prophylactically treating it for uronema.
Here was what Jay said in a thread asking if Urchins and Anemones needed QT'ed or not:
So, to be totally safe, yes, you would need to quarantine your inverts before adding them to your display tank. For reasons mentioned above, a 76 day quarantine is - unfortunately - the safest.Hi, I've seen the chart that talks about that, the trouble is, the chart is wrong. As I recall, it says starfish can't carry parasites, but sea urchins can - those are both echinoderms, so would both be able to carry resting stages of parasites. Anemones are filled with tank water, so incidentally, they can carry many different stages of parasites.
Here is the issue - different parasites have different resting stages. The chart only discusses where ich tomont stages have been found in aquariums. It doesn't discuss viruses, flukes eggs, velvet, or any of the other protozoans. Additionally, we all know that anything wet (your hands, tank tools, etc.) can incidentally carry parasite just in the water on their surface. So everything moving from an infected tank to a clean tank needs to be "cleared" first.
Putting the animal in a fishless system for 30 days is the best option. Here is an article I wrote on this topic:
Jay
Out of curiosity, Jiliman, do you know what kind/species of starfish it is that your looking at?
\m/reefsnmetal\m/
Active Member
If you put those in an empty tank you'll have to feed them directly or they'll starve. I've never quarantined inverts and never had a problem. You just have to weigh the risks and decide how much you are willing to chance. To Qt or not will have equal numbers of people telling you that you should or shouldn't.
LeftyReefer
2500 Club Member
Shrimps should be QT'd too, but you really only need to hold them until they molt. So only a couple weeks, not 76 days for them.
I believe any eggs would have to be on their shell, which once molted, they would be clean.
I believe any eggs would have to be on their shell, which once molted, they would be clean.
monicalooze
Active Member
I bought some pre-quarantined snails, a cleaner shrimp, and a porcelain crab from quarantined fish.com. I think that's the name. It's really generic. Super nice guy. Peace of mind.
With sand sifting stars, most people recommend waiting until your tank is established before adding them - however, you might be able to target feed it with things like clam on half shell, oyster, snail or conch meat (a lot of places offer these frozen), a good quality omnivore food (like LRS Reef Frenzy) etc. It should swallow any of these foods whole, as long as the food isn’t too big for the star. They generally feed on detritus in our tanks, but target feeding might provide enough of the proper nutrition for them, and these are supposed to be some of the kinds of food they eat in the wild anyway. Plus, they are known for eating all of the detritus in our tanks and starving to death, so target feeding them larger food pieces relatively regularly might actually help it do better long term. No guarantees though.
If you decide to get it and try target feeding it, let us know how it turns out.
If you decide to get it and try target feeding it, let us know how it turns out.
OscarHaglund
Active Member
Lots of people saying 76 days here. So im just going to point to the fish disease forum eith its sticky saying 46 days at 27C
Coral/Invert Quarantine Time Frames
Coral/Invert Quarantine Time Frames IMPORTANT UPDATE: Raising aquarium temperature to 27C/80.6F can shorten the coral/invert isolation period to 6 weeks: New Ich Fallow Period Preface: The purpose of this article is to outline time periods required to properly quarantine (QT) marine corals &...
humble.fish
Sharkbait19
10K Club member
Recent research suggests 45 days is enough, but it’s possible some strains can slip through hence the 76. It’s also just old school and acts as a safety net.
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