Quarantining Snails and Corals

[nickkohrn]

I’m setting up a frag system that I intend to populate with Trochus snails, a wrasse, a current stock of corals, and , eventually, new corals. So, I have been researching an appropriate way to quarantine them.

I have read about hobbyists putting snails and corals into a 76-day quarantine within the same quarantine system, but doesn’t that bring its own issues? For example, what if the shell of a snail is harboring a coral-eating nudibranch, a type of undesirable flatworm, or difficult-to-see colonial hydroids? I would hate to put them into a system with corals, even one used for quarantine, and have pests target the corals. I’m currently battling pyramid snails, Acropora-eating flatworms, Acoel flatworms (albeit harmless). I have also battled Montipora-eating nudibranchs in the past, so I’m quite scared to go through this again.

Is keeping a quarantine system that houses invertebrates and corals together actually beneficial?

I have an all-in-one AQUATOP that I will be using as a quarantine system for animals prior to their introduction into my frag system. I have been considering ordering some snails, which would be quarantined, allowing ample time for algae to begin growing in the frag system. Then, when they enter the frag system, I would clean the quarantine system and get it ready to be used for quarantining then wrasse that would be intended for the frag system. After the wrasse enters the frag system, I would then use the quarantine system to house new corals prior to them being introduced to the frag system. This would allow me to properly quarantine snails, fish, and corals separately, reducing the chances of introducing pests.

I’d love your thoughts on my plan.

Thank you!

 

[flsalty]

Sounds like a reasonable plan. Obviously you should be careful what you treat the wrasse with since you'll be using that tank for corals later. The only thing questionable is how long to QT the corals before putting them in the frag system. 76 days to protect the wrasse, but I don't know how long before you know you are safe from other pests.