Why I hate quarantine...

[Daniel@R2R]

I just ordered a new batch of fish to add to my 180, and it got me to thinking about the good old days...before I started quarantining my fish... I got to thinking about why I hate quarantining so much...

I hate it because I'm not patient. Let's face it...who wants to watch them swim around in pvc fixtures and a tank that's occupying space that is out of place (I don't have a place to keep a qt setup all the time...how I envy those of you with fish rooms...so every time I buy new fish, out comes the equipment...). A proper qt requires weeks of observation for disease or parasites, but it also involves the task of getting the new guys eating whatever you serve your display so that when they go in there, they're already used to your husbandry.

I hate it because it means work. There's the doubling of most husbandry tasks bc if we are to properly qt, then feedings, water changes, etc. get done on your qt as well as the display. Additionally, checking levels becomes a mandatory task throughout the procedure, and your checking levels that are not usually necessary to check in your display unless there's a problem (ammonia, nitrites, ph, etc.). If you discover a disease or some kind of problem, then you've got the added issue of medication. So qt involves work...

I hate it because it's absolutely necessary. In my reminiscing, I remember the way I learned this lesson... As an impulsive, overly anxious reefer, I made the mistake of not quarantining new additions. Sometimes I got away with it, but in the end, not quarantining cost me most of the fish in my tank. About two years ago, I lost 16 fish in less than 2 weeks bc I introduced a sick wrasse into my system (he looked healthy during acclimation...don't trust it...). One by one, my previous livestock reaped the consequences of my foolish, impulsive mistake. It wiped everything out. So, despite the frustration that may be involved. Despite the fact that we're all impatient, and all of us want to see that new fish in the display, please learn from another's mistake and always quarantine...I know I will.

 

[Squishie89]

Oh man, you really scared me there till the last paragraph LOL.

 

[hybridazn]

Well said..

 

[ryecoon]

do you do the same with corals? ive been curious to see if others set up QTs for corals and if so. Do they use the same water as the DT to create it. Ive heard of corals spreading things as well.

 

[Daniel@R2R]

Oh man, you really scared me there till the last paragraph LOL.

Heh heh

 

[hybridazn]

do you do the same with corals? ive been curious to see if others set up QTs for corals and if so. Do they use the same water as the DT to create it. Ive heard of corals spreading things as well.

Indeed I do. I use water from my main display to keep my frag tank in check. Helps with not having to dose your frag tank either.

 

[mfinn]

Great thread.
I also learned the hard way.

 

[miyags]

Best thing you can do. for you and your fish.

 

[Mjpisanti]

I find that i lose far more fish using quarantine than when i add directly to my tank. I'm at the point where i've lost so many fish that i only choose fish that have been in the pet store longer than 3 weeks and i put them directly in my main tank. so far this method has saved several fish lives and several dollars in my bank account. Just crossing my fingers the tank doesnt get ravaged with a parasite

 

[mfinn]

I find that i lose far more fish using quarantine than when i add directly to my tank. I'm at the point where i've lost so many fish that i only choose fish that have been in the pet store longer than 3 weeks and i put them directly in my main tank. so far this method has saved several fish lives and several dollars in my bank account. Just crossing my fingers the tank doesnt get ravaged with a parasite

There is probably something wrong with your quarantine system.
By just crossing your fingers and hoping you don't add a sick fish is going to bite you eventually and cost you most if not all of your fish.

 

[Mjpisanti]

There is probably something wrong with your quarantine system.
By just crossing your fingers and hoping you don't add a sick fish is going to bite you eventually and cost you most if not all of your fish.

It has once in the past with my first setup. I went to the quarantine which worked at first for my first few fish in the new setup. Then i started losing fish consistently in qt. I only have a 20g qt i really don't have room for a larger tank. After a few months i gave up and started adding to the main tank and its paying off. My fish are all staying happy and healthy, I've only lost one new fish since, and it did unfortunately get sick and i moved it into the qt where it later died. I have talked to many people about this in many lfs, some swear by the qt some say they don't see the point, sometimes even in the same store they end up disagreeing. I understand practically the qt is a must but i've had much more success doing away with the process and moving the fish less, also not putting them through the stress of a small tank for an extended period. I'm not pushing this method on anyone else it's just my opinion and what has worked best for me so far.

 

[Daniel@R2R]

It has once in the past with my first setup. I went to the quarantine which worked at first for my first few fish in the new setup. Then i started losing fish consistently in qt. I only have a 20g qt i really don't have room for a larger tank. After a few months i gave up and started adding to the main tank and its paying off. My fish are all staying happy and healthy, I've only lost one new fish since, and it did unfortunately get sick and i moved it into the qt where it later died. I have talked to many people about this in many lfs, some swear by the qt some say they don't see the point, sometimes even in the same store they end up disagreeing. I understand practically the qt is a must but i've had much more success doing away with the process and moving the fish less, also not putting them through the stress of a small tank for an extended period. I'm not pushing this method on anyone else it's just my opinion and what has worked best for me so far.

I hope for your sake (and for your fish) that it keeps working. You truly are playing Russian roulette with your tank by not quarantining. I once thought the same way you do...I said, "so far, so good" until I introduced just one sick fish (that looked healthy to me while acclimating)...and that was all it took...

As far as watching them in the pet store goes, it sounds like your not actually opposed to quarantine/observation but that you don't like to do it yourself (so you let the pet store do it for you). Unfortunately, pet stores don't typically have isolated systems, so a fish that came in healthy and stayed healthy for two weeks can get a parasite or disease from another fish that came in during that third week.

Also, you said you get differing opinions from people at various lfs. While I agree that there are lots of things in this hobby that are debated (e.g. LEDs vs. Metal halides or T5's, Jebao vs. Vortech, etc.), quarantine is not one of those debated topics. Anyone who is anyone in this industry declares that quarantine is the best practice and should be practiced whenever adding livestock. Every online vendor that I know of (Live Aquaria, Blue Zoo Aquatics, Pacific East Aquaculture...just to name a few) all state that quarantine is an essential practice. There are hobbyists who do not practice quarantine...but know it's still the best practice.

Please understand, I wasn't joking when I said that I HATE quarantine...I'm even still tempted not to practice it when I make a purchase (not because I don't think it's necessary...but rather because I'm impulsive and impatient). I HATE quarantine...but I hate what not practicing it will ultimately do even more (because eventually it does catch up to you).

 

[Squishie89]

I find that i lose far more fish using quarantine than when i add directly to my tank. I'm at the point where i've lost so many fish that i only choose fish that have been in the pet store longer than 3 weeks and i put them directly in my main tank. so far this method has saved several fish lives and several dollars in my bank account. Just crossing my fingers the tank doesnt get ravaged with a parasite

I really hope at some point your reconsider. I would look over your quarantine system with the utmost scrutiny. And also where you are getting fish from. I would much rather lose fish after fish after fish in QT than in my display.

 

[ryecoon]

Indeed I do. I use water from my main display to keep my frag tank in check. Helps with not having to dose your frag tank either.

Would be cool to see your set up and Maintenance process.

 

[ritter6788]

Once you've been doing this hobby for a while you get to where you enjoy the process of QT. I have dedicated equipment for QT and am always prepared to keep a new fish. The satisfaction of knowing that fish is going into your reef disease free is a great feeling. Plus, QT is a great place to get fish used to you and eating before they hit the display.

 

[ryecoon]

Would it be possible for everyone to share photos of their QT tanks? (Both Fish or Reef QTs) Ive seen some nice clean set ups using fluval Edge tanks decked with Egg crates. Very clean looking.

 

[ritter6788]

My fish QT

My coral QT

 

[ryecoon]

thats pretty clean ritter6788. Has a breeder look to it without dividers. What do you put in there filter? just carbon?

 

[ryecoon]

Thats exactly what Im lookin to set up, a Coral QT. I need to find some good deals on LEDs. looks good man

 

[jschultzbass]

I absolutely hate QT as well and learned the lesson the hard way with velvet wiping out my tank a couple years ago. I will always QT my fish now. As an example, I got a Regal angel a couple months ago that I didn't want to put in my QT tank as they are such sensitive fish. I chose to put it in my frag tank that is independent of my DT. In the frag tank was a Scopas tang and and a juvie Annularis angel that had already gone through QT months ago. The Regal looked great for 2 weeks, ate everything I put in the tank. I was very excited. Then, within 24 hours all three fish were dead from what looked like velvet again. If I would have put him in the DT because he looked healthy and was eating like a pig I would have lost well over $1000 worth of fish. I hate it but it is part of this hobby.