The DOs and DON’Ts of Quarantine

[JBKReef]

I would think the 100 gallon would be safest for all the fish, additionally easier to track and care for one QT than multiple. Granted a 100 gallon QT would not be cheap (but probably cheaper than replacing all livestock)

 

[yepreef]

• But DO synchronize the SG/temp of your QT & DT before the fish gets transferred, so you can avoid having to do any acclimation procedure..

• 
  
  So bring up ur QT salinity slowly over few days prior to transferring to match DT salinity?

 

[Toofattofish]

• 
  
  So bring up ur QT salinity slowly over few days prior to transferring to match DT salinity?

Yes. I personally aim to raise it 0.001 sg a day.

 

[HotRocks]

Yes. I personally aim to raise it 0.001 sg a day.

+1, agree. I do so by topping off with saltwater instead of RODI.

 

[ascheff]

I'm in the process of refining my QT process. I do TTM, new fish usually going into the first transfer container direct from the bag.

Before going out to get the fish I start two containers, one with salt and one with RO water, both heated and aerated, so I can quickly mix to match the correct salinity after measuring the bag water while floating for temp adjustment. Typically, the receiving SG is around 1.016, while my display is kept at 1.026.

I do daily transfers, as this allows me a fairly big feeding, with the transfer happening within 30mins after, so I don't have to worry about ammonia in the water too much. Since the transfer window isn't as small as with an every 72 hour transfer, I can safely skip a transfer if life gets in the way. I also dose my prophylactic meds (Prazi, ParaGuard and recently also Metro) into the TTM water, one at a time, over the course of TTM.

Now to my first question. I usually raise the salinity over the course of TTM, mixing every new batch of water 0.001SG higher than the previous. In the first post it says that a .001 increase is okay, but is it safe to do so daily for the 10 days it would take to reach my DT salinity, scooping the fish from one container to the next (temp matching)? My containers are covered (except for vent holes and airline entering) to prevent evaporation and salinity swings, aerosol cross contamination and fish jumping.

My second question, is it better for a fish's slime coat - taking into consideration that they're caught once a day - to scoop them with my hand, or a net?

I usually use a net to to corner and contain the fish, but not completely lift out of the water, then scoop it out of the net with my hand to do the transfer. I however recently lost a small fish that somehow got the net caught in its teeth, which I had to cut loose, but fearing damaging its mouth I left a small piece. That piece unfortunately suffocated it, as it died within the hour.

DO float & release your new fish; DON’T drip acclimate if you can help it. One of the advantages of QT is you can set the specific gravity (SG) to match the bag water. This can usually be determined beforehand by asking the online vendor or local fish shop (LFS) what SG they keep their fish in. Knowing this, you can just float the fish for 20-30 minutes, to slowly bring the temperature of the bag’s water to match that of the receiving tank. Once that is done, open the bag and double check the SG. So long as the SG is within .001 (up or down) of the receiving tank, you can release the fish without further acclimation. If the SG in the bag is lower than the QT, you can quickly lower the SG of a QT by replacing some saltwater with freshwater. If the SG in the bag is much higher than that in the QT, then you are forced to drip acclimate. When doing drip acclimation use an ammonia reducer (ex: Amquel or Prime) if a fish has been in transit for more than a couple of hours.

 

[Toofattofish]

I punch holes in old tupperware containers to make them into "colanders" using a heated up knife (non heated knife works too but be careful of sharp edges).

I personally hate using nets, fish typically get extremely stressed when they are used but using clear plastic is usually very easy and non stressful on fish.

 

[ascheff]

I punch holes in old tupperware containers to make them into "colanders" using a heated up knife (non heated knife works too but be careful of sharp edges).

I personally hate using nets, fish typically get extremely stressed when they are used but using clear plastic is usually very easy and non stressful on fish.

I like this idea, thank you, I'll use it going forward.

 

[ascheff]

@Humblefish I'm starting TTM on a new flasher wrasse, with the first transfer tomorrow. First container's water was made to match the bag - an SG of 1.013.

Is it safe to make every new container's water 0.001 more for daily transfers, and simply put the fish in the slightly higher salinity every day for 13 days/transfers, without any sort of acclimation? From this thread I understand a 0.001 increase without acclimation is okay, but unsure if it okay for 13 days in a row?

I'm in the process of refining my QT process. I do TTM, new fish usually going into the first transfer container direct from the bag.

Before going out to get the fish I start two containers, one with salt and one with RO water, both heated and aerated, so I can quickly mix to match the correct salinity after measuring the bag water while floating for temp adjustment. Typically, the receiving SG is around 1.016, while my display is kept at 1.026.

I do daily transfers, as this allows me a fairly big feeding, with the transfer happening within 30mins after, so I don't have to worry about ammonia in the water too much. Since the transfer window isn't as small as with an every 72 hour transfer, I can safely skip a transfer if life gets in the way. I also dose my prophylactic meds (Prazi, ParaGuard and recently also Metro) into the TTM water, one at a time, over the course of TTM.

Now to my first question. I usually raise the salinity over the course of TTM, mixing every new batch of water 0.001SG higher than the previous. In the first post it says that a .001 increase is okay, but is it safe to do so daily for the 10 days it would take to reach my DT salinity, scooping the fish from one container to the next (temp matching)? My containers are covered (except for vent holes and airline entering) to prevent evaporation and salinity swings, aerosol cross contamination and fish jumping.

My second question, is it better for a fish's slime coat - taking into consideration that they're caught once a day - to scoop them with my hand, or a net?

I usually use a net to to corner and contain the fish, but not completely lift out of the water, then scoop it out of the net with my hand to do the transfer. I however recently lost a small fish that somehow got the net caught in its teeth, which I had to cut loose, but fearing damaging its mouth I left a small piece. That piece unfortunately suffocated it, as it died within the hour.

 

[Blackened]

Do remember that every fish should earn its entry into your Display Tank...imagine quarantine like an immigration procedure...your fish either clears it or doesn't.
Don't hate me for this:
Do know that Wrasses (& few other sensitive fish species) are often lost in QT. They don't really need very aggressive QT (a whole discussion in itself, maybe one for @Humblefish).

Don't quarantine every fish with the same method and drugs/doses you see suggested online.
Don't believe everything you read online or even on a products label... identify a reliable source and back it up with online research etc.

 

[citymouse]

What is TTM?

 

[HotRocks]

What is TTM?

Tank Transfer Method

 

[citymouse]

Tank Transfer Method

So you switch the new fish around from tank to tank? I'm confused on how this works and why do it.

 

[DeniseAndy]

Here is a thread on Tank Transfer method. https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/tank-transfer-method.192655/

 

[Victoria M]

I am in need of some advise on how to proceed with this QT/hospital tank situation. 2 days to bring prazipro up to the full dose, then switched to copper due to two fish deaths. Three days to bring it up to full dose. Lost another fish but it was expected really. Now the pyramid butterfly has popeye.

Azure Damselfish, Captive-Bred(Chrysiptera hemicyanea) 3
Yellow Pyramid Butterflyfish(Hemitaurichthys polylepis) 1
Flame Hawkfish(Neocirrhites armatus) 1

The fish have bee in QT for 7 days now. Matched the specific gravity the fish came in. 1.016. Floated the bags and matched the temp which was 75. then the temp went to 82. I let it come down to 77 in 24 hours.
I was saw some possible flukes so started with...
prazipro 1 day at half dose
prazipro 1 day full dose
1 azure damsel and 1 clownfish died
copper .25 for 2 days
copper 0.5 since then
ammonia 0
The pyramid butterfly has turned almost all black, and has a huge eye.
Should I be conerned for a bacterial infection? what should I do next? @Humblefish @Brew12 @4FordFamily

 

[HotRocks]

Prazipro should be dosed all in one dose. If you are concerned about the level, you can reduce it some overall. But not below 2ppm. It dissapates relatively quick in water. Hence needing to be dosed all at once.

Also, if you are losing fish in prazipro (that were well prior to dosing) I would suspect low oxygen. Need heavy agitation at the surface.

For the pyramid I would add Kanaplex and Furan-2 to your tank with copper. I use them in conjunction with copper frequently.

Also being that both fish you lost were clown/damsel, did you see any white patches or anything that looked like skin sloughing off?

 

[Humblefish]

Prazipro should be dosed all in one dose. If you are concerned about the level, you can reduce it some overall. But not below 2ppm. It dissapates relatively quick in water. Hence needing to be dosed all at once.

Also, if you are losing fish in prazipro (that were well prior to dosing) I would suspect low oxygen. Need heavy agitation at the surface.

For the pyramid I would add Kanaplex and Furan-2 to your tank with copper. I use them in conjunction with copper frequently.

^^ Agree

 

[Victoria M]

Prazipro should be dosed all in one dose. If you are concerned about the level, you can reduce it some overall. But not below 2ppm. It dissapates relatively quick in water. Hence needing to be dosed all at once.

Also, if you are losing fish in prazipro (that were well prior to dosing) I would suspect low oxygen. Need heavy agitation at the surface.

For the pyramid I would add Kanaplex and Furan-2 to your tank with copper. I use them in conjunction with copper frequently.

Also being that both fish you lost were clown/damsel, did you see any white patches or anything that looked like skin sloughing off?

Thank you so much @HotRocks ! Although I am familiar with QT I have never encountered these issues before. I will beoing back to just being patient with my LFS. The instant gratification of online ordering has been a let down for sure. LOL.
The meds will be added today!
The clown fish and azure were VERY small tank bred fish. They looked great when I first placed them but then one had a white stringing poop.

 

[Victoria M]

Also Thank you @Humblefish for noting my plight. So is this likely the gram negative bacteria infection I have read about?

 

[Humblefish]

Also Thank you @Humblefish for noting my plight. So is this likely the gram negative bacteria infection I have read about?

Yes, but the thing about bacterial infections is they are often secondary to a preexisting parasitic or worm infestation. Meaning, something like velvet or flukes usually has to be afflicting the fish first before the infection develops. All those tiny bite marks are just ripe for harmful bacteria to invade, and the fish's natural immune system is already weakened from fighting the parasite/worm.

 

[Victoria M]

Yes, but the thing about bacterial infections is they are often secondary to a preexisting parasitic or worm infestation. Meaning, something like velvet or flukes usually has to be afflicting the fish first before the infection develops. All those tiny bite marks are just ripe for harmful bacteria to invade, and the fish's natural immune system is already weakened from fighting the parasite/worm.

Yes, I understand that has taken place with my fish in QT. I believe the butterfly prolly brought it, and I am thinking the captive bred fish were kept separate but what do I know? I think the damsels were just very young/small.