What to do next - Run Fallow?

[AndrewJG]

Would appreciate some advice before making my move.

The background is that about six months ago I had all but one of my Fish (a Fairytale Wrasse) get wiped out by Ich, so as I was in the process of getting into SPS corals I decided not to run fallow and just keep the one fish, given I will be introducing frags that could re-introduce Ich with the water.

Having only one fish has meant that I need to dose nitrate, but not phosphate, so running fallow may just mean I need to add some phosphate, although I think Reefroids sorts this out on its own.

I am close to getting all the coral I want, so the question is what would you do, the two options I am thinking of is:

Option A - Run Fallow for 90 days by removing the Wrasse (easier said than done) and then medicate the Wrasse before re-introduction and then medicate new fish in quarantine before putting in display.

Option B - Live with Ich in the display, quarantine new fish prior to introduction to prevent any other pests. If fish get signs of Ich remove them and medicate and then re-introduce, eventually they should have enough immunity.

My real problem is getting the Wrasse out, as I have a fixed NSA rockwork so would need to trap him, so I am thinking towards option B, what do you all think?

Thanks for any help.

 

[EricR]

I vote option A if you can swing it -- now's the time.
*option B just feels like too many potential headaches down the road when you have more fish back in and (if) things start going wrong,,, you'd likely regret it.

 

[PigDaddyF15E]

Option A without a doubt. Yes it's going to suck...but going fallow pretty much guarantees (bio security during fallow) that you don't have to deal with it again. My issue was a couple of firefish...those little buggers are lighning fast and hide anywhere/everywhere. Finally got em out. Had no issues after my fallow period.

I will further add that it does you no good to go fallow unless you QT all the stuff you purchase from now on...or buy from an online vendor who does (I use Dr Reefs Quarantined Fish).

 

[AndrewJG]

Thanks for all the advice, will go option A.

What's the best way or trap to catch a Wrasse!

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Would appreciate some advice before making my move.

The background is that about six months ago I had all but one of my Fish (a Fairytale Wrasse) get wiped out by Ich, so as I was in the process of getting into SPS corals I decided not to run fallow and just keep the one fish, given I will be introducing frags that could re-introduce Ich with the water.

Having only one fish has meant that I need to dose nitrate, but not phosphate, so running fallow may just mean I need to add some phosphate, although I think Reefroids sorts this out on its own.

I am close to getting all the coral I want, so the question is what would you do, the two options I am thinking of is:

Option A - Run Fallow for 90 days by removing the Wrasse (easier said than done) and then medicate the Wrasse before re-introduction and then medicate new fish in quarantine before putting in display.

Option B - Live with Ich in the display, quarantine new fish prior to introduction to prevent any other pests. If fish get signs of Ich remove them and medicate and then re-introduce, eventually they should have enough immunity.

My real problem is getting the Wrasse out, as I have a fixed NSA rockwork so would need to trap him, so I am thinking towards option B, what do you all think?

Thanks for any help.

If you run a full quarantine, then option A would be the best course of action. If you run a truncated quarantine (not advised) then option B would be easier.

A couple of observations - there is no evidence that 90 day fallow periods are needed. Certainly going longer won't hurt anything, but the absolute longest shown in research to be needed was 75 days. At that, the 75 days was in a cool xeric culture, not an aquarium. The minimum is 45 days at 81 degrees (your SPS might not enjoy that though). 60 days at 79 degrees seems to work well, 75 if you want more of a sure thing. Most fallow periods fail due to poor biosecurity. For example, don't forget that you need to give your wrasse a full anti-protozoan treatment while the tank is laying fallow. Some people think they can put the fish back in untreated, but that defeats the purpose.

Then, catching the wrasse is going to be tough. Sounds like you are on the right path with trying to trap it. Some people try to chase them down with nets, pulling rocks, etc. In frustration, they often end up damaging the fish.

Jay

 

[AV corals]

Do you have a UV? I would recommend getting a UV installed before doing anything else.

 

[AndrewJG]

Do you have a UV? I would recommend getting a UV installed before doing anything else.

No UV, do I really need it?

I think the issue with UV is that it can be difficult to get the flowrate correct to enable the correct contact time for the UV to be effective, if you use UV to kill Ich what settings and UV are you using.

 

[MnFish1]

Would appreciate some advice before making my move.

The background is that about six months ago I had all but one of my Fish (a Fairytale Wrasse) get wiped out by Ich, so as I was in the process of getting into SPS corals I decided not to run fallow and just keep the one fish, given I will be introducing frags that could re-introduce Ich with the water.

Having only one fish has meant that I need to dose nitrate, but not phosphate, so running fallow may just mean I need to add some phosphate, although I think Reefroids sorts this out on its own.

I am close to getting all the coral I want, so the question is what would you do, the two options I am thinking of is:

Option A - Run Fallow for 90 days by removing the Wrasse (easier said than done) and then medicate the Wrasse before re-introduction and then medicate new fish in quarantine before putting in display.

Option B - Live with Ich in the display, quarantine new fish prior to introduction to prevent any other pests. If fish get signs of Ich remove them and medicate and then re-introduce, eventually they should have enough immunity.

My real problem is getting the Wrasse out, as I have a fixed NSA rockwork so would need to trap him, so I am thinking towards option B, what do you all think?

Thanks for any help.

The recommendation - would be to run fallow. How you do that would be different depending on when you're planning to buy fish.

In reality - you're probably going to want a 76 day Fallow period. So - take the wrasse out - when you buy new fish - you use the regular quarantine protocol (30 days copper, 2 doses of prazipro 8 days apart - then 2 weeks observation) for the new fish and the wrasse. While you're QT'ing - you're also running fallow.

As others have said - the risk of having a wrasse in the tank - is that every new fish you add is at risk. Sorry you're having this issue. Best wishes.

BTW - you can also get your fish pre-quarantined from a trusted source - an LFS or online. Which will also make the timing easier.

There would be no reason to take the wrasse out for the 76 day period, then put it back in - i.e. I would QT any new fish with the wrasse per the protocol - and do it during the fallow period.

I'm not sure you will need to add N or P to the tank during the fallow period. I would add coral food instead.

 

[AV corals]

No UV, do I really need it?

I think the issue with UV is that it can be difficult to get the flowrate correct to enable the correct contact time for the UV to be effective, if you use UV to kill Ich what settings and UV are you using.

You had an ICH outbreak did you not? I tell everyone who wants to join the aquarium hobby, one of the first things you need in a tank is a UV. If you had a UV PRIOR adding your fish, I highly doubt all of your fishes would have died. 100%

Each setting for each tank is different. For my reefer 350, I have my UV at 200GPH which works for myself and my tanks needs.

 

[MnFish1]

No UV, do I really need it?

I think the issue with UV is that it can be difficult to get the flowrate correct to enable the correct contact time for the UV to be effective, if you use UV to kill Ich what settings and UV are you using.

I think you are correct. There is also a bit of data out there that UV MAY help slow down CI, etc - depending on the dose, but once an outbreak starts - treatment is recommended.

 

[vetteguy53081]

UV will kill what passes through its column. Its a misconception that UV kills parasites, algae, etc. It reduces amounts and again kills what passes through the unit and rarely does anything with pre-existing conditions.

 

[AndrewJG]

You had an ICH outbreak did you not? I tell everyone who wants to join the aquarium hobby, one of the first things you need in a tank is a UV. If you had a UV PRIOR adding your fish, I highly doubt all of your fishes would have died. 100%

Each setting for each tank is different. For my reefer 350, I have my UV at 200GPH which works for myself and my tanks needs.

I got my first Marine Tank in 1994 and never used UV, we moved in 2007 and didn't at that time have the right space for the tank, so I kept it running until the last of my original fish died from old age.

After a break I decided in lockdown to start again. I guess the moral of this story is that back then our local LFS probably had much better quarantine procedures prior to selling the livestock. One thing I have noticed on my LFS website is that they show getting new stock on a Friday and its for sale the next day?

Guess times have changed a lot, hence the need for UV and much more quarantine at home lol.

Thanks for all the advice.