Quarantine Tank

Reefkeeper14 · May 9, 2012

Right now i Have a thirty five gallon quarantine for when I add new fish.. recently I have divided to take the plunge and purchase a an Achilles tang from liveaquaria so the tang will be Four to five inches long. so my question is will a thirty Five gallon be big enough to quarantine a fish of this size? I would have a couple of power heads in the tank the tank is hexagon in shape... This is going to be the first time I quarantine a fish like this so what are some tips to remember when i quarantine should i dose anything?
Thank You

btkrausen · May 9, 2012

Hmm...a tough one. Coming from LADD, I don't think it should pose a problem. If it were me, I'd be feeding him often with vitamin soaked foods, but keep the tank clean of uneaten food which will contribute to ammonia build up. Do frequent water changes and keep a stable environment. Make sure to introduce him to nori as well.

As for dosing, I wouldn't dose anything until you actually spot a problem. LADD likely quarantined him to the point where they were comfortable enough to offer a healthy specimen for sale. Be prepared to do either a copper regimen (Culpramine) or hyposalinity if you spot any indications of ich.

Good luck and keep us updated with the progress.

Saltgator · May 9, 2012

Reefkeeper14 said:
Right now i Have a thirty five gallon quarantine for when I add new fish.. recently I have divided to take the plunge and purchase a an Achilles tang from liveaquaria so the tang will be Four to five inches long. so my question is will a thirty Five gallon be big enough to quarantine a fish of this size? I would have a couple of power heads in the tank the tank is hexagon in shape... This is going to be the first time I quarantine a fish like this so what are some tips to remember when i quarantine should i dose anything?
Thank You

If your only going to qt a few weeks, I think he'll be ok. Just don't add any more fish in that qt time frame and have some type of structure for him to claim. I think with the amount of flow sounds good and only dose if needed. I personally would keep him in there for 1 week, 2 at most. Is he from their DD? If so, definitely only a week IMO. GL

Country boy using tapatalk on a HTC Evo

Reefkeeper14 · May 9, 2012

Ok another question i have is once i add the achilles will i be able to add fish like chromises and anthias or is it no more adding fish no matter what

Saltgator · May 9, 2012

Reefkeeper14 said:
Ok another question i have is once i add the achilles will i be able to add fish like chromises and anthias or is it no more adding fish no matter what

To the qt or DT? If it's the DT, I see no issues IMO.

Country boy using tapatalk on a HTC Evo

btkrausen · May 9, 2012

The purpose of the QT is to quarantine him from other fish and possible disease. However, another HUGE benefit is to give him time by himself to recover from shipping without being hassled by anybody else.

Will he be hassled by chromis? No, not likely.
Would you enjoy the feeling of a $5 chromis bringing in a disease that kills your $300 Achilles? Not likely

To me, a $300 fish is worth being patient to make sure he's healthy. I hope I'm not coming off too negatively, but I just went through the same thing, not being patient enough and having a $25 wrasse almost kill a $200 wrasse.

In regards to time, 1 week in a QT is almost pointless when it comes to ensuring he's disease free. Take your time with it, keep him in there for 3-4 weeks if possible.

Reefkeeper14 · May 9, 2012

Im asking once you add him to the display tank will he be aggresive towards all fish or only new tangs . .. For example could i add a couple of chromises or anthias to the tank once the achilles is in the tank

btkrausen · May 9, 2012

Reefkeeper14 said:
Im asking once you add him to the display tank will he be aggresive towards all fish or only new tangs . .. For example could i add a couple of chromises or anthias to the tank once the achilles is in the tank

Yeah, you should be fine to add other fish afterwards. He'll likely be aggressive towards other tangs in the same genus if he's in there long enough and has established himself - but then again, he may not be....all depends on the mood of the fish.